TSA (Transportation Security Administration) recognizes that travelers do not like removing their laptops from their bags as they move through airport security. Apparently the TSA does not like it much better. If they could pick up the pace of checking approximately 250,000,000 laptop-carrying travelers through security everyone would benefit.

The problem with laptops going through security checkpoints appears to be their dense makeup. When they are placed in a bag the x-ray units cannot see through them. It is feared that the laptop itself may hide items not allowed on the plane.

August 16^th, 2008, TSA announced that they had come up with the new rules for a checkpoint friendly laptop bag. The rules are:

• Laptop bag must have a separate compartment that separates from the main part of the bag and lays flat as it moves through the x-ray scanner
• Metal snaps, buckles or buckles are not allowed
• There cannot be any pockets on or in the laptop compartment

Three of the first manufacturers to sell the TSA approved checkpoint ready bags were Targus, Mobile Edge and Skooba.

Unfortunately for those who shell out the typical $100 plus for a TSA checkpoint approved laptop bag may still get hung up in the security line. No one bag is being recommended by TSA so airport security workers are left on their own to determine whether your laptop bag meets the special standards.

People that do not carry laptops when they travel have some fear that they are not as safe due to these checkpoint friendly laptop bags.

Personally I like the idea of these checkpoint approved laptop bags. Even if owners of these bags were required to remove their laptops it would be much easier and quicker to do so than with ordinary bags. When traveling we all tend to pack everything as tight as possible. Once you remove anything the whole organizational plan falls apart. If the laptop is the only item removed and can be replaced right back into its own compartment the line will move quicker and the laptop will be safer as well.

I wonder if an odinary laptop sleeve is considered TSA checkpoint friendly? They are less expensive and they are often much more fashionable.