The egregious laptop ban may be a thing of the past, but that doesn’t mean the Transport Security Administration isn’t dreaming up new ways to ensure your air travel experience is less pleasant.
The TSA has announced that all electronics ‘larger than a cellphone’ will have to be removed from the carry on bags and placed into individual trays for screening.
So, if you’re traveling with a laptop, tablet, Kindle, or handheld console, you’re going to have to run them all through the X-Ray machine. One at a time.
The TSA has been piloting the scheme at 10 US airports, but the new protocol is about to spread to all of them.
Overall, it means you’re probably going to have to turn up at the airport a bit earlier in order to negate the extra time it will take to get through security.
Related: Is the laptop ban dead?
Acting TSA administrator Huban Gowadia says the government agency is “committed to raising the baseline for aviation security by strengthening the overall security of our commercial aviation network to keep flying as a safe option for everyone.
“It is critical for TSA to constantly enhance and adjust security screening procedures to stay ahead of evolving threats and keep passengers safe. By separating personal electronic items such as laptops, tablets, e-readers and handheld game consoles for screening, TSA officers can more closely focus on resolving alarms and stopping terror threats.”
The only way to avoid the new restrictions on electronics is to join TSA Precheck, which costs $85 and requires you to submit your fingerprints.
Over the last few weeks the ban on laptops and tablets in carry-on baggage on flights in and out of eight muslim majority countries, has been rescinded.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
