Laptops through airport security

[ASweetLov]

I was just wondering if anyone has taken a laptop on a trip and if it was a pain to get it through security at the airport. I was planning on taking mine in a backpack for my trip in June.

[jodijo]

I take mine all the time. You jut have to take it out of your backpack and put it in a tub all by itself. It is really easy!

[ASweetLov]

Thank you very much!

[Quadstriker]

Should be no problem. Thousands do it every day.

[MinnieMommie]

I agree it should really be no problem at all. Just make sure you place it in the bin with the rest of the items that need to be scanned (for instance you small liquids bag) and all will be good.

[Meteora]

As others have said, nice and easy! We actually got a little zip-around case for ours to give it a little extra protection, but it's by no means a requirement.

[Ed]

SUGGESTION -

Put a sticker on the lid of your laptop with your last name on it in large letters.

It seems like 50% or more of the passengers coming through MCO bring laptops. You'd be amazed how often people pick up the wrong laptop after they have gone through the x-ray - - same brand name, same size, same color, but WRONG owner!

[ASweetLov]

Thank you for that suggestion Ed! I will do that

[j2k]

I travel with a laptop on business trips and I agree with the suggestion of putting a sticker or some other form of identification on it. My suggestion is to pack it in a bag that will fit under the seat on the plane. You wouldn't want the overhead bins near you to be full and have to put it in one 20 rows away or something like that. I like to have it within my view from my seat to ensure someone doesn't walk off with it.

[DonLefNY]

I often travel with two laptops. One personal and one company owned. I puchased the laptop bags where I do not have to take the laptop out, I just unzip the bag and put it on the belt open. I also have my business card clear taped to the each laptop.

[MargaretMessler]

Would the same rules for laptops hold true for tablets as well? I have mine in a case that folds over itself and snaps in the "open" position, so I imagine that would be sufficient.

[JerseyDad]

....let me add another "device" to the mix...one of those hand-held video games (Nintendo DS...I think it's called?). My nephew...with ASD...is pretty much inseparable from it...so I hope he can take it on the plane with no issues.

[Mickey'sGirl]

....let me add another "device" to the mix...one of those hand-held video games (Nintendo DS...I think it's called?). My nephew...with ASD...is pretty much inseparable from it...so I hope he can take it on the plane with no issues.

No problems!! My kids travel with their portable gaming systems, and we just put them through the regular security scanner. He will have to disengage from it when taking off and landing, but he will be able to use it all the time otherwise.

[Polynesian Dweller]

Would the same rules for laptops hold true for tablets as well? I have mine in a case that folds over itself and snaps in the "open" position, so I imagine that would be sufficient.

Tablets do not need to be removed from your carry on bag.

[faline]

When we came through MCO yesterday, they were NOT requiring laptops be removed from carryon cases to go through security.

[Disney Doll]

When we came through MCO yesterday, they were NOT requiring laptops be removed from carryon cases to go through security.

Oh, that would be a nice improvement if they make that new policy for now on. When we were there last week you had to remove a laptop. Tablets and gaming systems have always been okay in bags. We have a swiss army backpack we use for disney and it has a special airport compliant compartment for laptops. The backpack basically zips in half with mesh on the laptop side so security can see what it is, but all your stuff is together and nothing actually gets removed from the bag. When we get through security we just zip and go. It's super handy.

[Ed]

When we came through MCO yesterday, they were NOT requiring laptops be removed from carryon cases to go through security.

Oh, that would be a nice improvement if they make that new policy for now on. When we were there last week you had to remove a laptop.

Unless your laptop is in a "checkpoint-friendly" case {explained below} it's TSA policy that laptops are required to be removed from your bag and run through the x-ray in a bin all by itself - - nothing else in the bin. Sounds like somebody didn't follow policy when you came through, Linda.

Laptops that are in thin 'sleeves' with no peripherals can stay in the sleeve, but must be sent through the x-ray in a bin by itself.

iPads and small netbooks can remain in your bags.

A "checkpoint-friendly" case is a clamshell-like case that zips fully open; the computer is by itself in one half and all the peripherals (mouse, power supply, external hard drive, etc.) are in the other half. The bag is zipped fully open and placed with both halves flat on the belt so the x-ray gets an uncluttered image of the laptop.

[TexansInNY]

As my 13 year old has said - laptops are so yesterday.. We have iPads now that we take and as stated above do not take them out of our carry on.

[faline]

Sounds like somebody didn't follow policy when you came through, Linda.

It did seem a bit strange since this is the first time this sort of thing has happened. The woman was a TSA agent monitoring the lines heading towards the x-ray machines and repeatedly thold those in line that laptops should not be removed from carryon luggage. On the way out of Boston, we had done the whole separate bin thing.

[Disney Doll]

As my 13 year old has said - laptops are so yesterday.. We have iPads now that we take and as stated above do not take them out of our carry on.

We love our tablet, but it can't do everything a laptop can do. I take a ton of pictures at Disney and I like being able to get those photos off my memory card and onto the laptop so I have a backup. I could technically do that with a tablet, but it's more trouble than it's worth and I have much better photo software on my laptop. New laptops are so lightweight that there's no reason not to bring both.