Airports & iPad

[seqiah]

hi there! i had been to London 3 times over a period of 1 year and had been asked to have the contents of my Kathmandu Kinetic Bag checked out on my last trip at LHR. (had no such problem at Stansted airport). It contained both Ipad3 and Kindle. Funny thing was my sister also had an iPad in her Doc Marten bag and she was through without a problem. Could be because her bag is a 'proper' bag unlike mine which is more of a foldable nylon thingy
We got through the Gare du Nord station (we took Eurostar to Paris) without any issue.

[Fat Crip]

Further to my post above, I was asked to put my iPad , but not my Kindle, on the return leg at Alicante. I'm not flying for a couple of weeks, but we'll see how it goes! Currently my iPad goes in a Ristretto, but if this goes on I'll have to invest in a cache as I hate putting my naked iPad in those trays.

[Chamonix]

It depends how sketchy you look going through the airport or if they're just bored or super busy. There's the official answer from the agency, then there's whatever the agency guard feels like at the time. Maybe it's a slow day and he wants to check everything...well, he has the right if you want to fly. I've never had to take my tablet out but always a laptop.

[moriond]

I was never asked to remove my iPad for screening on holiday in the US last year (SFO, JFK, LAX) and like others was occasionally told I did not need to remove it if I did happen to put it in the tray.

Outside the US it varies a lot.

In the past, I've always removed it. My most recent trip I left it in. At EWR, it was no problem, however, coming home from CPH, they handed me my bag back and asked if I'd mind removing my iPad and having my bag checked again. (amazing how much more pleasant the Danish security people are!)

In previous US airport trips (including all the places listed by JLE) I've never had to remove my iPad. On a few occasions when I've removed it (generally when there are other electronics being carried), I've been told that I didn't need to remove it. However, at EWR just a couple of days ago when I left it in its cache in my Synapse with some papers, the TSA security person asked whether I could remove my iPad and run the bag through again. (They clearly knew it was an iPad). This was the first time I've been asked to do so at a U.S. airport.

moriond

[Fat Crip]

Well it's official! iPads, kindles and anything similar now has to be scanned separately at Edinburgh airport. Heather's Tri-Star ended up being scanned three times to get the laptop, iPad and two Kindles, as in her panic she forgot my Kindle was in there too!

[timarelay]

However, at EWR just a couple of days ago when I left it in its cache in my Synapse with some papers, the TSA security person asked whether I could remove my iPad and run the bag through again. (They clearly knew it was an iPad). This was the first time I've been asked to do so at a U.S. airport.

moriond

Wow, really? I hope that doesn't become a trend. I fly quite often, especially within the US, and like most, so far have not had a problem with tablets and e-readers staying in my bag. I always removed my netbook, however (and have actually now stopped flying regularly with it to avoid that hassle).

[darbs]

I've noticed that if when I lay my bag down in the bin and my tablet is on the bottom, sometimes they'll ask me to pull it out and run it back through. Usually they just have to double check since something is probably blocking it. I try to be a little aware of how I put my bag in the bin/on the belt these days though.

[Fat Crip]

Alicante in Spain want them out too now. We've just come to the conclusion that we should just have everything ready to scan now. I haven't yet decided on the perfect work to do it, but last this last time we just put the 3 tablets in Heather's MCB which, in turn, was in the larger front section of her Tri-Star. The two Kindles have leather covers but the iPad just has just a 'smart cover' so we need to improve the scratch protection for the back and some 'disguise' for all three. Kindle pouches seem the obvious, but I don't know what'd fit in which i.e. Heather has a Kindle with keyboard and the leather cover that uses the two metal clips in the spine, whereas I have a Kindle Touch in the leather cover with the form fitting plastic retention thing (any of that make sense?).

[ceb]

Quite simple. While iPads and other tablets should be fine in their bag, they may need to be removed if the screen is "cluttered."

If you've seen the x-ray screen you'll know that it is often difficult to distinguish items and a clutter of otherwise safe items can look like an item that may be a problem.

Periodically you'll also see changed procedures based on localized threats. Sometimes it could just be a new guy or gal at the machine too.

[JLE]

Update: my handbag (containing my iPad) was run through three times at Hobart Australia last week, and even given a rather-too-enthusiastic shake between runs two and three (aaaargh!). Exactly the problem that ceb identified: nothing objectionable but the agent couldn't see clearly. Also, we sometimes notice a much more rigorous application of the rules in smaller airports here in Australia, in comparison to SYD and MEL....

Last year when I went through LHR (T3 and T5, from memory), all electronic devices had to be separately screened and removed from all sleeves irrespective of material (yes, I had to take my iPad out of its Cache). At CDG nothing was separately screened.

I'll be in Hong Kong, Bangkok and Paro (Bhutan) over the next month and will update on my experiences there in case anyone is interested.

[ceb]

We don't always recognize how our stuff looks on x-ray. A bar of soap, a jumble of wires from an iPod/iPad/Blackberry and a ballpoint pen can easily look like a block of C4 and a detonator. Add a couple of loose batteries and it can look really bad.

This is where organizer pouches come in. Put all your cords in one pouch, pens in another and you can easily pull out the offending one and have them root through it while they send the bag through again.

I actually have my pouches attached to the bags using the longer straps and pull them all out of the compartment before I send the bag through - cords in one, 3-1-1 in another and electronics/watch/change in a third - no clutter and everyone is happy. At the end, I just grab my bag, assure that none of the pouches got swallowed up by the conveyor belt and walk to my gate, sit down and put myself back together.

I hardly ever have to send my bag through twice.

[darbs]

If I have a lot of stuff packed in my bag, I will pull out some of the pouches too. It just makes it easier for those guys to see what everything is. I even had a TSA agent in Miami remark on how organized my backpack was with all of its pouches. She was like "we are calling you the pouch lady!" She said it made her job so much easier for them too.

[backpack]

Can the iPad stay in its Cache or Pouch, if not, what is the best way to protect them front and back and does more layer of protection mean that they no longer fit in the Cache?

[Fat Crip]

Can the iPad stay in its Cache or Pouch, if not, what is the best way to protect them front and back and does more layer of protection mean that they no longer fit in the Cache?

The three airports I've had to 'produce' at (Alicante, Edinburgh and Birmingham) have been OK with cache type arrangements... so far anyway!

[backpack]

iPad 3G best provider in the U.S and European Union both price and coverage wise?

Any recent experience with BeNeLux airports in regard to iPad handling and everything else?