• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

I haven't gone to an Airport post-9/11...

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124

😕 Ignoring the fact that every single letter is placed as if it is the last letter in a word, AND is written left to right, that says:

Egyptian that security forces switched (subject/verb disagreement, verb is male, subject is female).

Plus, I want my 10 seconds back, I didn't get a loud noise or annoying flash or anything!


Hey, I said it was gibberish! 😛


Oh, and something did happen when it hit zero. You just havent seen it yet! Its like watching "The Ring"
 
Originally posted by: OCguy
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124

😕 Ignoring the fact that every single letter is placed as if it is the last letter in a word, AND is written left to right, that says:

Egyptian that security forces switched (subject/verb disagreement, verb is male, subject is female).

Plus, I want my 10 seconds back, I didn't get a loud noise or annoying flash or anything!


Hey, I said it was gibberish! 😛


Oh, and something did happen when it hit zero. You just havent seen it yet! Its like watching "The Ring"

*watches intently.........*

Nope, nothing. Will I shit bricks?

Plus, the Arabic written on there seems like it might have been copypasta from a news site, add a few words and you can easily make it say something like "Egyptian sources said that security forces exchanged fire with....insurgents (for example)"
 
I think it really depends on the airport. I've heard all sorts of stories. Some do body cavity searches, while others will fail to detect knives or guns.

They will most likely want you to log on your laptop and search through it, so make sure you zero out the drive then reinstall your OS before you leave so it's clean of any personal info. Don't try to hide anything as it will make you look suspicious. Just have a VPN client installed and access all your stuff through a vpn. Hopefully they don't ask you to log on the vpn. You can always act like you forgot the password and tell them you'll call help desk when you get to your destination, or something. Personally I'd be terrified to bring a laptop through a US airport.
 
For everyone who said they only care about the shoes on your feet, that's not quite true. Any shoes you have with you will need to be put through the X-ray; it just so happens that if you have an extra pair of shoes, they're probably already in one of your carry-on bags and thus are going through the scanner already. If you had six boots dangling from your neck, they'd make you put all of them through the X-Ray scanner, along with whatever is on your feet.

Most airlines will allow you one carry-on and one "personal item," which usually means a laptop case or something similar in size. They post the acceptable dimensions on the airline's website, so you can check to make sure your bag will fit. I've had my bag taken and checked because it did not meet the size requirement.
 
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I think it really depends on the airport. I've heard all sorts of stories. Some do body cavity searches, while others will fail to detect knives or guns.

They will most likely want you to log on your laptop and search through it, so make sure you zero out the drive then reinstall your OS before you leave so it's clean of any personal info. Don't try to hide anything as it will make you look suspicious. Just have a VPN client installed and access all your stuff through a vpn. Hopefully they don't ask you to log on the vpn. You can always act like you forgot the password and tell them you'll call help desk when you get to your destination, or something. Personally I'd be terrified to bring a laptop through a US airport.

😕

I've traveled with my laptop at least a dozen times, post-2004, seeing as how I got the laptop in 2004. I was asked to power it up ONCE, and that was at a checkpoint in Israel.
 
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I think it really depends on the airport. I've heard all sorts of stories. Some do body cavity searches, while others will fail to detect knives or guns.

They will most likely want you to log on your laptop and search through it, so make sure you zero out the drive then reinstall your OS before you leave so it's clean of any personal info. Don't try to hide anything as it will make you look suspicious. Just have a VPN client installed and access all your stuff through a vpn. Hopefully they don't ask you to log on the vpn. You can always act like you forgot the password and tell them you'll call help desk when you get to your destination, or something. Personally I'd be terrified to bring a laptop through a US airport.

You have to be joking but it wasn't very funny so... uh...
 
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I think it really depends on the airport. I've heard all sorts of stories. Some do body cavity searches, while others will fail to detect knives or guns.

They will most likely want you to log on your laptop and search through it, so make sure you zero out the drive then reinstall your OS before you leave so it's clean of any personal info. Don't try to hide anything as it will make you look suspicious. Just have a VPN client installed and access all your stuff through a vpn. Hopefully they don't ask you to log on the vpn. You can always act like you forgot the password and tell them you'll call help desk when you get to your destination, or something. Personally I'd be terrified to bring a laptop through a US airport.

😕

I've traveled with my laptop at least a dozen times, post-2004, seeing as how I got the laptop in 2004. I was asked to power it up ONCE, and that was at a checkpoint in Israel.

Like I said, it depends on the airport. I've heard all sorts of stories. Can't say I've experienced any as I never been on a plane, just heard from friends/forums etc

The funniest story was a friend of mine who is in a wheel chair. They took the whole chair apart to search the tubing for dynamite.
 
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I think it really depends on the airport. I've heard all sorts of stories. Some do body cavity searches, while others will fail to detect knives or guns.

They will most likely want you to log on your laptop and search through it, so make sure you zero out the drive then reinstall your OS before you leave so it's clean of any personal info. Don't try to hide anything as it will make you look suspicious. Just have a VPN client installed and access all your stuff through a vpn. Hopefully they don't ask you to log on the vpn. You can always act like you forgot the password and tell them you'll call help desk when you get to your destination, or something. Personally I'd be terrified to bring a laptop through a US airport.

Ummm... What sort of stuff do you have on your hard drive? 😕
 
Originally posted by: WelshBloke
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I think it really depends on the airport. I've heard all sorts of stories. Some do body cavity searches, while others will fail to detect knives or guns.

They will most likely want you to log on your laptop and search through it, so make sure you zero out the drive then reinstall your OS before you leave so it's clean of any personal info. Don't try to hide anything as it will make you look suspicious. Just have a VPN client installed and access all your stuff through a vpn. Hopefully they don't ask you to log on the vpn. You can always act like you forgot the password and tell them you'll call help desk when you get to your destination, or something. Personally I'd be terrified to bring a laptop through a US airport.

Ummm... What sort of stuff do you have on your hard drive? 😕

Personal stuff that's non of other people's (especially US goverment) business. No, not porn. 😛 But stuff like family pictures, source code, etc. I don't want some random uptight security guy going through my personal stuff. These guys usually try to find something they can convict you with, too.
 
My father was allowed to take crackers with him in his carry on bag.

You're allowed one small personal bag and a carry on bag generally. They describe a personal bag as a laptop bag, purse, briefcase, etc... But I've always managed to substitute it with my backpack and put my purse into that instead along with tons of other crap as long as it can squish into the space underneath the seat in front of you when the flight attendants walk by and check on you.
 
You can take food through, just not drinks. What I do is take an empty plastic bottle and fill it up at one of the water fountains after security.
 
Originally posted by: AstroManLuca
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I think it really depends on the airport. I've heard all sorts of stories. Some do body cavity searches, while others will fail to detect knives or guns.

They will most likely want you to log on your laptop and search through it, so make sure you zero out the drive then reinstall your OS before you leave so it's clean of any personal info. Don't try to hide anything as it will make you look suspicious. Just have a VPN client installed and access all your stuff through a vpn. Hopefully they don't ask you to log on the vpn. You can always act like you forgot the password and tell them you'll call help desk when you get to your destination, or something. Personally I'd be terrified to bring a laptop through a US airport.

You have to be joking but it wasn't very funny so... uh...

Quiet, I need to go zero out my hard drive.
 
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
Originally posted by: WelshBloke
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I think it really depends on the airport. I've heard all sorts of stories. Some do body cavity searches, while others will fail to detect knives or guns.

They will most likely want you to log on your laptop and search through it, so make sure you zero out the drive then reinstall your OS before you leave so it's clean of any personal info. Don't try to hide anything as it will make you look suspicious. Just have a VPN client installed and access all your stuff through a vpn. Hopefully they don't ask you to log on the vpn. You can always act like you forgot the password and tell them you'll call help desk when you get to your destination, or something. Personally I'd be terrified to bring a laptop through a US airport.

Ummm... What sort of stuff do you have on your hard drive? 😕

Personal stuff that's non of other people's (especially US goverment) business. No, not porn. 😛 But stuff like family pictures, source code, etc. I don't want some random uptight security guy going through my personal stuff. These guys usually try to find something they can convict you with, too.

wait so you're not joking?
 
Originally posted by: Kev
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
Originally posted by: WelshBloke
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I think it really depends on the airport. I've heard all sorts of stories. Some do body cavity searches, while others will fail to detect knives or guns.

They will most likely want you to log on your laptop and search through it, so make sure you zero out the drive then reinstall your OS before you leave so it's clean of any personal info. Don't try to hide anything as it will make you look suspicious. Just have a VPN client installed and access all your stuff through a vpn. Hopefully they don't ask you to log on the vpn. You can always act like you forgot the password and tell them you'll call help desk when you get to your destination, or something. Personally I'd be terrified to bring a laptop through a US airport.

Ummm... What sort of stuff do you have on your hard drive? 😕

Personal stuff that's non of other people's (especially US goverment) business. No, not porn. 😛 But stuff like family pictures, source code, etc. I don't want some random uptight security guy going through my personal stuff. These guys usually try to find something they can convict you with, too.

wait so you're not joking?


...last summer at band camp.

RedSquirrel you seem paranoid. I am willing to bet unless there is child porn or stolen music/video you'd have nothing interesting to any law enforcement.
 
I believe what RedSquirrel only applies at the US border (ie international flights). I've heard of laptops being confiscated. I don't think they check the data on domestic flights, just send it through the x-ray machine. Been on a few flights with a laptop and haven't had any trouble with it.
 
Well, last time I left the country was in fall 2006, and the last time I entered the country was summer 2007, and neither time did they do anything but ask me to take the laptop out.
 
Grab a big bin, stuff shoes, belt, and anything else in your pockets into it, put computer in it and any other electronics. Put your other carry-on bags with your other shit on the conveyor behind your bin. Walk through, collect shit, get dressed and go.

Now, why the hell can't you have a non-carry-on bag?
 
OK, lots of mis-information in this thread. Let's have a seasoned traveler (me) set some things straight.

1) The security people don't care how "poofy" the backpack is, as long as it fits through the scanning machine.
2) If you wear the sweater and it's obvious that it's over other clothing, they may require you to remove it before coming through the metal detector. (You are not allowed to go through the detector while wearing a jacket, some personnel will consider a sweater to be equivalent to a jacket.)
3) Extra shoes can be left alone in the backpack. The only shoes you have to worry about are the ones you are wearing.
4) You will have to remove the laptop from your backpack and place it in a bin with nothing else, but I've never been asked to turn my laptop on or otherwise demonstrate functionality. Not even when I was pulled aside for a random search and had them go through all of my luggage by hand.
5) As long as the food is not liquid, you're fine. I bring snacks in my bag all the time (swedish fish, chocolate, sandwiches, etc).
6) Remember that any liquids or gels (toothpaste, deodorant, etc) need to be in containers that are 3oz or smaller and must all fit inside only one quart-sized plastic bag. You will need to remove these from your bag and put them in a bin (it can be the same bin as your shoes, but not with your laptop).
7) Remember to have keys and change out of your pockets before going through the metal detector.
8) Unless you keep large pieces of metal in your wallet (or have a magnetic closure), there is no reason to put your wallet in a bin. All that is in it is plastic cards and paper, none of that will set off the detector. I have never had a problem from a belt-buckle or from my wallet.

I fly over 100,000 miles each year for my job. I sat down last year and figured out that I spend more time in airports and on airplanes than I do at my own house. I know the process for domestic flights like I know the back of my own hand.

EDIT: I'm assuming cold-cut sandwiches. Obviously peanut butter and jelly would not be good because of the "liquids and gels" rules.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: freshgeardude
make sure to bring a gun and a knife with you too. you know.. you need protection!

I've flown with a firearm before. It just has to be declared, unloaded, in a locked, hardsided box, and checked. You can't carry it on the plane, but you can definitely travel with it.

ZV
 
I fly 100k+ miles a year, and I never encounter any problems with bring food through security. In fact, during the year and a half that I traveled weekly DCA-ATL-TPA, I've brought back bags worth of groceries. Since our project had a weekly spend it or lose it meal cap, a lot of us would buy groceries and bring it home on the weekends. Sure, security gave us funny looks, but I always just said I had a very particular diet 😛.

Unless your bag is just ginormous, security generally won't care how large your bag is, but that isn't to say you're in the clear. Airlines vary in how strictly they enforce carry on size, and if your bag is too large, you'll be force to check it at the gate. I recommend having a separate laptop bag since on the off chance that your bag is too large or the overhead bins are too full by the time you board (zone boarding varies as well between airlines), you won't have to subject your laptop to the hell known as airline baggage handling.

I would wear the sweatshirt and keep it with you until you arrive at your destination. Most airlines don't provide blankets/pillows in coach and their climate control systems can make the plane pretty damn cold. If you find you don't need it on the plane, it's still easier to stuff the sweatshirt away than lug your bag out and try to take it out in the narrow aisle.

Otherwise ZV pretty much covers it all.

P.S. While I know frequent fliers should try to make flying easier for the average joe, I still hate you guys 😛. J/k. Sorta.
 
TSA and american security fukcing blows. i love going through international security... no shoes off baloney, most dont give a shit how much fluids you have, etc (got a few lectured-to by TSA agents for 3.2 oz of fluid)... walk in walk out
 
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
Originally posted by: mrSHEiK124
Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
I think it really depends on the airport. I've heard all sorts of stories. Some do body cavity searches, while others will fail to detect knives or guns.

They will most likely want you to log on your laptop and search through it, so make sure you zero out the drive then reinstall your OS before you leave so it's clean of any personal info. Don't try to hide anything as it will make you look suspicious. Just have a VPN client installed and access all your stuff through a vpn. Hopefully they don't ask you to log on the vpn. You can always act like you forgot the password and tell them you'll call help desk when you get to your destination, or something. Personally I'd be terrified to bring a laptop through a US airport.

😕

I've traveled with my laptop at least a dozen times, post-2004, seeing as how I got the laptop in 2004. I was asked to power it up ONCE, and that was at a checkpoint in Israel.

Like I said, it depends on the airport. I've heard all sorts of stories. Can't say I've experienced any as I never been on a plane, just heard from friends/forums etc

The funniest story was a friend of mine who is in a wheel chair. They took the whole chair apart to search the tubing for dynamite.

You've never flown. You've never been through the TSA checkpoint. And you're making recommendations that he needs to completely wipe his laptop hard drive before flying? Millions of people fly every day, people with laptops. Do you honestly think that every single person is wiping their laptop every single time they set foot in an airport? Or do you think that TSA agents are taking time to go through millions of laptops every single day? Did you bother to think about the logistics of your claim before you made such a bold proclamation, or is your paranoia so intense that you can't be bothered with "facts" or "logic" if it flies in the face of a scenario so ridiculous not even "24" would bother with it?
 
Back
Top