Given the security changes regarding laptops, there’s been a request on an internal thread requesting recommended backpacks. I plan to update this particular post with anything I hear from the thread since the folks responding have battle-tested their preferences. I believe real-world experiences are worth something above and beyond the academic reviews we typically see on the syndicated travel blogs. Hopefully you find this useful. Keep your eyes on this post if you’re in the market for a new laptop bag.
The first request makes references to the old Tumi standard, Ogio, Lowe Pro and Spire (http://www.spireusa.com/products/laptop-backpacks.htm) as highly recommended from some friends. The initial guidelines for key requirements were as follows:
Must haves:
- Heavy duty zippers and reinforced seams
- Comes in all black
- TSA friendly (quick release sleeve or foldout)
- Good pocket organization for paper and electrical accessories
Nice to haves:
- Side handle to carry like a brief case
- Cell phone pocket
- Soft iPod/Phone pocket
- Padded straps
Responses:
I’m in love with my Brenthaven backpack: http://www.brenthaven.com/catalog-prostyle-bp-xf.html
Pros: all the features you were looking for, and a lifetime warranty to boot. I had my last Brenthaven for over 9 years, and I got this one for "free" when my old one died.
Cons: quite weighty, even when empty (but you could consider it a workout substitute)
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I currently use an Acegene backpack (http://en.acegene.jp/spec_ev106.html - I have the black version). It fits the majority of the “have’s” listed; however, I’d suggest getting a slightly larger version – the T400 fits inside the backpack but not the padded laptop-designated pocket. It’s worked out fine for me because I end up putting my notebooks/papers in that pocket and laptop outside of it – allows for easier access to my laptop at airport security and such.
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I am honestly surprised it took this long for toothpaste companies to come out with a 3 oz size, but I imagine the ridiculous margins on the “travel size” toothpaste to have something to do with it. To make a long story short, I randomly strolled into a Walmart because it happened to be the closest pharmacy near my hotel and after picking up some DayQuil/NyQuil I stopped by the travel section and found this:
I have not seen this size in any other supermarkets so perhaps its a Walmart only thing. Let’s see if it gets rolled out everywhere. If not, you know where to find it.
You know you’re a road warrior if this makes you happy. Never having to deal with ridiculous “travel size” toothpaste again is priceless.
There has been chatter about TSA and laptop manufacturers working together to create TSA-approved laptop bags for speeding up security checks. The idea is travelers could avoid removing laptop from TSA-approved laptop bags. The driving requirement is allowing clear access to the laptop as if it were separated in its own security bin. You can expect bags which roll-out flat to separate the laptop from the other items in your bag which may prevent an unobstructed view of the laptop. Targus and a few other vendors have already announced TSA-approved models which should be available in the coming months.
I don’t believe this will save time in the short run as travelers and TSA personnel get accustomed to an updated security process incorporating the new laptop bags. I can see inexperienced travelers taking a cue from travelers with TSA-approved bags and sending in their unapproved laptop bags. Expect additional questions from TSA personnel if a travelers fails to remove their laptop into a separate bin. In the long run things should speed things up if there are enough travelers who purchase TSA-approved bags and we work through a few iterations.
I plan to keep my Tumi. I’ve my security process down to an art. Have a happy Monday morning.
For the 2nd time since the TSA implemented it’s "No-Fly" list, I found myself on the list of flyers prohibited from checking in because I present a potential threat to national security. True? Doubtful. Here are my travel credentials: 1K flier with United Mileage Plus, Gold Medallion status with Delta, Silver OnePass with Continental, Platinum with Marriott, etc. Have I painted a sufficient picture? Needless to say, the frequency of my travel should remove me from this list immediately.
The most interesting thing is that I was placed on the list within days of receiving clearance for the Fly Clear card. If you’re not familiar with this program, it requires a significant background check by the TSA, so you’d think it would be safe for me to get on an airplane. Needless to say, for about 2 months I was unable to check in online and had to be manually cleared for check-in before boarding every flight.
Want to avoid being on the list? Here are a few steps you can take
- Check Whether Your Name Appears on the OFAC Specially Designated Nationals List
- Check Your Credit Reports For OFAC Alerts
- Check Your Name for Terrorist Matches at S3 Matching Technologies’ TeraMatch
- Use the DHS TRIP Program to Resolve Appropriate Travel Related Issues
- Contact an Attorney, If You are Placed on a No Fly List in Error
- Get Up to Date Information
- Vote For Candidates Who Support Watchlist and Civil Rights Safeguards
My approach was to file a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security TRIP program (#4). This worked and now I’m free to check in online and fly the friendly(?) skies again.
Here are a few celebrities and unlikely terrorists that have also been detained: Nelson Mandela, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), US Rep. Don Young (D-AK), US Rep John Lewis (D-GA), singer Cat Stevens.
You can find the full text of the article here
The key term is checked baggage. You are still allowed to carry spare lithium batteries in your carry-on luggage with some new rules.
Here are the new rules from safetravel.dot.gov:
Effective January 1, 2008, the following rules apply to the spare lithium batteries you carry with you in case the battery in a device runs low:
- Spare batteries are the batteries you carry separately from the devices they power. When batteries are installed in a device, they are not considered spare batteries.
- You may not pack a spare lithium battery in your checked baggage
- You may bring spare lithium batteries with you in carry-on baggage – see our spare battery tips and how-to sections to find out how to pack spare batteries safely!
- Even though we recommend carrying your devices with you in carry-on baggage as well, if you must bring one in checked baggage, you may check it with the batteries installed.
The following quantity limits apply to both your spare and installed batteries. The limits are expressed in grams of “equivalent lithium content.” 8 grams of equivalent lithium content is approximately 100 watt-hours. 25 grams is approximately 300 watt-hours:
- Under the new rules, you can bring batteries with up to 8-gram equivalent lithium content. All lithium ion batteries in cell phones are below 8 gram equivalent lithium content. Nearly all laptop computers also are below this quantity threshold.
- You can also bring up to two spare batteries with an aggregate equivalent lithium content of up to 25 grams, in addition to any batteries that fall below the 8-gram threshold. Examples of two types of lithium ion batteries with equivalent lithium content over 8 grams but below 25 are shown below.
- For a lithium metal battery, whether installed in a device or carried as a spare, the limit on lithium content is 2 grams of lithium metal per battery.
- Almost all consumer-type lithium metal batteries are below 2 grams of lithium metal. But if you are unsure, contact the manufacturer!
Examples of extended-life rechargeable lithium batteries (more than 8 but not more than 25 grams of equivalent lithium content): * 130 watt-hour “universal” lithium ion battery * 160 watt-hour lithium ion battery for professional audio/visual equipment
Happy New Year, Road Warriors!
Bruce Schneier, a well-known security and cryptography expert, interviewed Kip Hawley, the head of the Transportation Security Authority (TSA). Bruce asks the questions you and I have been asking ourselves as we stand in the security line.
Examples of the Poignant Questions:
Bruce Schneier: By today’s rules, I can carry on liquids in quantities of three ounces or less, unless they’re in larger bottles. But I can carry on multiple three-ounce bottles. Or a single larger bottle with a non-prescription medicine label, like contact lens fluid. It all has to fit inside a one-quart plastic bag, except for that large bottle of contact lens fluid. And if you confiscate my liquids, you’re going to toss them into a large pile right next to the screening station—which you would never do if anyone thought they were actually dangerous. Can you please convince me there’s not an Office for Annoying Air Travelers making this sort of stuff up?
Bruce Schneier: People regularly point to security checkpoints missing a knife in their handbag as evidence that security screening isn’t working. But that’s wrong. Complete effectiveness is not the goal; the checkpoints just have to be effective enough so that the terrorists are worried their plan will be uncovered. But in Denver earlier this year, testers sneaked 90% of weapons through. And other tests aren’t much better. Why are these numbers so poor, and why didn’t they get better when the TSA took over airport security?
And the one we’ve all been dying to ask…
Bruce Schneier: When can we keep our shoes on?
I thought the questions and answers were very informational, although I’m not thoroughly convinced all the procedures are necessary or beneficial. In any case, it helps clear up some of the confusion. Something to think about while you’re waiting in security. Happy travels.
While standing in line at Bradley International Airport, I recall a TSA employee marking flyers at various points to determine wait times. Little did I know this had a larger purpose.
I am not so sure about the accuracy of the counting method, but any data is better than the absence of data so I’ll take whatever I can get.
What I’m referring to is the TSA’s very own ”Security Checkpoint Wait Times” website!
You can submit queries based on State, Airport, and Time of Day to get an history of wait times over various times of the day. Very useful if you are trying to figure out how much time you should leave yourself, before your departure time.
Here are my results for ORD, Mondays around 6am:
That means more time for yourself and less time waiting at the airport and that’s good news!
Happy flying.
New updates to the forth-coming Registered Traveler program:
You will be able to keep your shoes on thanks to the advances of shoe-scanning technology! The newly developed kiosk will be able to scan your shoes for bombs while testing your fingers for traces of explosive-making materials. Sounds like fun.
The article in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal says nothing about whether it will replace the numerous other security mechanisms. I’m very excited about going through a metal detector, the air puffing machine, and finally, a shoe scanning and finger testing machine.
I wonder when we’ll have that x-ray machine from the movie, Total Recall.
Alright – the humor is somewhat unoriginal (think Airplane, the Movie), but what the hell.
Sometimes you just need to laugh.
We’ve all heard about the “No-Fly List” in all its numerous name incarnations. Unfortunately, it’s another safety mechanism that falls into the bucket labeled, “False Sense of Security Items Here”. How do we know this? Well, apparently 60 minutes has obtained a copy of this secret watchlist (which apparently is not that secret).
This list has several unlikely terrorists:
These include Saddam Hussein, who is under arrest, Nabih Berri, Lebanon’s parliamentary speaker, and Evo Morales, the president of Bolivia. It also includes the names of 14 of the 19 dead 9/11 hijackers.
The list is also outdated:
The 11 British suspects recently charged with plotting to blow up airliners with liquid explosives were not on it, despite the fact they were under surveillance for more than a year.
The kicker is the list just contains names. That’s it. There is nothing else used to identify the people on the list. So if your name is Robert Johnson and you fly alot, it might be a good idea to just change your name.
Gary Smith, John Williams and Robert Johnson are some of those names. Kroft talked to 12 people with the name Robert Johnson, all of whom are detained almost every time they fly. The detentions can include strip searches and long delays in their travels.
“Well, Robert Johnson will never get off the list,” says Donna Bucella, who oversaw the creation of the list and has headed up the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center since 2003. She regrets the trouble they experience, but chalks it up to the price of security in the post-9/11 world. “They’re going to be inconvenienced every time … because they do have the name of a person who’s a known or suspected terrorist,” says Bucella.
In all the movies I’ve seen, the bad guys are usually using fake names and counterfeit passports. But, hey, those are just the movies!
My heart goes out to you business travelers named, Robert Johnson or John Williams. Seriously.
The only thing worse than no data, is bad data.