Our Travelers
The Screening Experience
Protecting Your Laptop
Over the past several weeks, we have noticed an increase in the number of laptop computers being packed in checked baggage. In accordance with good security practices, we screen all checked baggage and then turn the bags over to the airline.
While, each bag, including yours, is treated with care for the short time it is in our hands, airlines often load bags on top of one another in the cargo hold of your flight.
Depending on the size of the flight, your baggage may be loaded with hundreds of other bags, with possibly several on top of yours. Hundreds of pounds of pressure in conjunction with high altitude and the resulting low temperatures create an ideal environment for damaged laptops. These conditions crack cases and damage screens among other things.
For these reasons, we recommend that you keep your laptop in your carry-on bag when traveling.
Traveling with your laptop as a carry-on is safer and the preferred method, but you should still be careful when placing it on the X-ray machine belt. Here are a few tips to help when taking your laptop through the security checkpoint:
- Place laptops in bin by itself. Do not place any other items on top of it. This ensures the screener can see that the bin contains a laptop.
- Remember, the X-ray belts move both forward and backward. Try to avoid placing your laptop on the belt with other items that may dislodge it.
- Reclaim and secure your laptop as quickly as possible once through the screening process.
For more information on what to expect during security screening, please read about The Screening Experience.
