Business travelers and computer junkies entered a refreshing era in travel Saturday as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) dropped requirements for all laptops to be removed from carrying cases and placed in separate bins for passage through the X-ray machine. The new regulation will speed up the screening process at airports as well as prevent the accidental swapping or misplacement of travelers' computers.
Carrying cases, however, must meet certain criteria. They must have a designated laptop section which lacks metal snaps, zippers or buckles. The laptop section also cannot have extra pockets inside or outside of it. The only item that can be packed in the carrying case is the laptop itself. The criteria came about after five months of testing by more than 60 manufacturers to explore how many variations would still allow an unobstructed X-ray view of the computer.
Visit www.tsa.gov.