TSA & PlayBook

**2001bmw330xi** · 04-23-2011, 12:29 PM

This is probably old knowledge for most of you, but in case the PlayBook is your first tablet and you are wondering...: You do not have to remove your PlayBook from your bag when going through airport security. It is a tablet device and not a full computer. I have flown out of three different U.S. airports since getting the PlayBook and have not removed it once nor been questioned about it.

The same should go for iPad, xoom, galaxy tab, etc. (I only have personal experience with iPad and PlayBook).

I thought I'd go ahead and post this up as a prophylactic, just in case somebody had a question about it later. Hopefully they'll search for it before starting a new thread asking the same question

See news release here from last year (there's also a link in the article directly to the TSA blog): TSA: Tablets and Netbooks need not be taken out of their cases to be screened | Homeland Security News Wire

**agault** · 04-23-2011, 12:33 PM

I wouldn't want my PlayBook fondled by TSA anyway. I would feel violated

**Curado Kev** · 04-23-2011, 12:47 PM

Thanks BMW -I fly every other week and just got a PB, i was wondering about this..

Thanks

**howarmat** · 04-23-2011, 12:52 PM

never thought of that...good to know!

**Skeevecr** · 04-23-2011, 01:37 PM

For those flying internationally they do tend to expect you to remove tablets from your bag and tbh I can't say that it bothers me, anything that reduces the likelihood of your bag needing to be rescanned is a good thing to me and I would be having to repack my laptop anyway.

**liquidlink** · 04-23-2011, 02:02 PM

I did not fly last week but I am heading out on Monday so this is good to know. I was lucky or smart to schedule myself to be home the week of the PB release!!!

**dkonigs** · 04-23-2011, 02:10 PM

The one time I decided to follow that "don't need to take it out" official printed/posted advice when traveling with my Kindle DX, the TSA dolts got all confused and made me take it out anyways. As such, I think its easiest to just take out any tablet regardless of what the official FAQ says.

**egranlund** · 04-23-2011, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by dkonigs

The one time I decided to follow that "don't need to take it out" official printed/posted advice when traveling with my Kindle DX, the TSA dolts got all confused and made me take it out anyways. As such, I think its easiest to just take out any tablet regardless of what the official FAQ says.

This is what I would do - better to have it all out ahead of time then have to rushingly pull it out upon request. A lot less hassle that way.

**gokart3** · 04-23-2011, 02:38 PM

The last time I flew they kept announcing "please remove liquids, computers, and iPads from bags"

**howarmat** · 04-23-2011, 02:44 PM

wont most of you have the PB in your pockets anyway and not stored in a bag

**ihavedeals** · 05-16-2011, 08:50 PM

hey guys, what if I have the otterbox case on it, do I need to open it up and let them see it? Or just keep the case close on it?

Also would the xrays do any harm to my screen if it does go through the xray machine? haha just paranoid..

**bryanhayn** · 05-16-2011, 08:57 PM

I wonder why laptops need to be removed and tablets dont. Maybe laptop hinges can house homemade bombs?

**phonegeek** · 05-16-2011, 09:00 PM

I have traveled with mine several times since mine arrived on 4/20 and have always just taken it out and put it next to my laptop in the same tray (can't do that with an iPad!) and have not had any issues with it.

I will probably be traveling next week so I will try leaving it in my laptop bag and see if they care.

PG

**qsauditor** · 05-16-2011, 09:15 PM

Thanks BMW.
l fly about once a week and have been putting my PB in with my laptop computer. Now that l've seen your link to the TSA newsletter, l won't have to do anything special. If the TSA='Thousands Standing Around' hassle me; I'll show them their newsletter.

**lnichols** · 05-16-2011, 09:22 PM

LOL. You mean this week. Seems like every time I fly they decide to do something different or add some new policy. Sometime they make me run my G-Drive through on its own, sometimes they don't. I have a TSA Fastscan backpack that I carry my Macbook Pro in though and that is money for scanning quickly without removing.

**X04D00** · 05-16-2011, 09:25 PM

That really makes no sense.

**togardergrosse** · 05-16-2011, 09:35 PM

Funny..
Was asked to remove my PlayBook and Galaxy Tab out of my bag when traveling from Orlando to LA. He asked whether there is any laptop in it and I said NO, only tablets in there but he insisted that I should remove them from the bag. :/
If I had this links before I will print it or save it to my BB and just show them! LOL

**X04D00** · 05-16-2011, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by togardergrosse

Funny..
Was asked to remove my PlayBook and Galaxy Tab out of my bag when traveling from Orlando to LA. He asked whether there is any laptop in it and I said NO, only tablets in there but he insisted that I should remove them from the bag. :/
If I had this links before I will print it or save it to my BB and just show them! LOL

No you wouldn't.

**Sirhill** · 05-16-2011, 09:48 PM

If you have to go through the Atlanta Airport security take it out of they will have your bags rescanned. I know first hand as I fly out of there weekly (home airport) and those TSA agents don't care one way or another.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

**liquidlink** · 05-16-2011, 09:58 PM

Chicago (ORD) has no problem with leaving it in your bag, Minneapolis (MSP), St. Louis, Indianapolis also have no problem. I have always taken my laptop out and I also leave my kindle in my bag and have never had a problem.

I leave my PB in my bag and take out my laptop.

**otacon#AC** · 05-16-2011, 09:58 PM

Originally Posted by bryanhayn

I wonder why laptops need to be removed and tablets dont. Maybe laptop hinges can house homemade bombs?

Because a regular laptop they can't see all the way through it in a normal bag. Any tablet anything they can. They shouldn't ask you to take it out because it's not policy. They do ask that you make sure no other electronic items are on top of it, power supplies, etc. There are laptop bags now designed to where you don't have to take even those out anymore. Google "checkpoint friendly" laptop bags. I know all this info is true, I used to work for the TSA..

**flyersfan76** · 05-16-2011, 10:30 PM

Well just like sneakers, shoes, belts, etc everything is different at each airport. It shouldn't be but it is.

Although you sort of do not have to take a laptop out of its case if it is in those sleeves. I have one for my Tablet PC and only have to take it out of the bag that I am carrying it in. I know it is not the same as leaving it you bag but it is nice not to have others touching your stuff.

But here is the problem. How will they determine what does and what does not have to come out of bags, sleeves, etc?

If the device is running windows it has to come out of the bags but if it is running a lite OS like, HP, Apple, Android, QNX it doesn't need to come out of the bag.

Seems kind of odd if someone has a solid state drive tablet running Windows and is the same size as a Playbook or iPad they have to take it out of their bag but the Playbook and iPad users do not.

A 6 April post on the agency’s official blog blog spells it out: “Electronic items smaller than the standard sized laptop should not need to be removed from your bag or their cases.”

So how exactly do they classify a standard laptop. I would guess a screen size of 15" or larger would need to be taken out but a 13.1" screen size it good to go. Typical government I guess. Grey areas everywhere.

EDIT: And why does a notebook have to come out but a netbook not have to? The line is pretty thin if you ask me.

**flyersfan76** · 05-16-2011, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by egranlund

This is what I would do - better to have it all out ahead of time then have to rushingly pull it out upon request. A lot less hassle that way.

Sadly not everyone thinks this way. I always seem to get stuck behind the person that waits until they the next person to get their stuff on the belt when they decide it would be a good time to take everything out of their pockets, take their belt off (I never do), take their jackets off and take their computers out of their bags.

These people look like they travel a lot but still look confused about what they have to do next.

Is it so hard to put your wallet, phone, keys, etc in your bag before hand. Just doesn't make sense the way some people travel. Oh the stories.

**flyersfan76** · 05-16-2011, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by otacon72

Because a regular laptop they can't see all the way through it in a normal bag. Any tablet anything they can. They shouldn't ask you to take it out because it's not policy. They do ask that you make sure no other electronic items are on top of it, power supplies, etc. There are laptop bags now designed to where you don't have to take even those out anymore. Google "checkpoint friendly" laptop bags. I know all this info is true, I used to work for the TSA..

This is what I have for my Tablet PC.

Works great.

**dcscott** · 05-16-2011, 10:46 PM

Why would you expect anything TSA does to make sense? Or why would you expect them to follow their own guidelines. This policy not only varies from airport to airport but from one TSA agent to the next and one day to the next. Probably even depends on when he/she last ate. One thing that does seem to trip them up is if you do leave our PB in your bag don't leave it right next to an ereader such as Kindle or Nook. The combination seems to ruffle their feathers.