Airport Security Targets Tech Gadgets

You can still fly with digital companions, but be prepared for scrutiny.

Tom Spring, PCWorld.com

Frequent fliers like Kevin Mitchell used to breeze through airport security checkpoints toting a notebook, personal digital assistant, pager, and cell phone. Today, passage is not so simple--and the only kind of procedure he and fellow road warriors can count on, apparently, is inconsistency.

Since September 11, boarding an airplane is like high-tech shakedown, says Mitchell, who chairs the 2-million-member Business Travel Coalition.

"In Dulles, my notebook got scanned separately," he says. "Flying out of L.A., I had to unpack my laptop, Visor, pager, and cell phone, turn everything on and off, and repack it all," Mitchell says. "I never know what kind of hassle awaits me."

The airline industry is walking a difficult line, trying to woo customers back into the air without unduly inconveniencing and frustrating frequent flyers. But in the spotlight of public scrutiny and law enforcement evaluation, security isn't likely to get lighter. Continued, if sporadic, reports of weapons passing checkpoints are apt to toughen security measures. So, what can you expect now, and what's ahead?

Changing Times

The Federal Aviation Administration sets security requirements. It has cracked down on carry-ons since September 11 and now allows only one carry-on bag and one personal item, such as a notebook or handbag, per passenger. The FAA is behind the requirement that notebooks be removed from their cases and scanned separately.

If you plan to travel with a laptop computer, cell phone, PDA, or other electronic device, expect at least to remove the item from its case for additional inspection by security personnel, says Paul Takemoto, an FAA spokesman.

Airlines can impose more stringent rules. In general, the dominant airline operating in a particular airport or terminal is responsible for security screening, but individual security staffers can make judgment calls on the spot. This accounts for much of the inconsistency among policies.

Representatives of Delta Airlines, which operates the busy Boston-New York-Washington, D.C. shuttle, acknowledge that procedures vary at the same checkpoint at Boston's Logan Airport. A traveler may be asked only to remove a laptop computer from a bag for separate scanning. Or a passenger could be asked to separate all electronic gadgets from carry-on luggage, and to turn on and off all battery-powered items, to prove the devices aren't Trojan horses containing prohibited items in their battery compartments.

Fluid Rules

Airlines also suggest you check with your particular carrier before packing for your flight, to be certain of their carry-on policies. They can also tell you what to expect at security checkpoints.

Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines allows only one carry-on item. That means you must check your overnight bag if you want to carry on your notebook in a briefcase.

"We enforced the new policy to expedite security screening and avoid long check-in lines," says Tammy Lee, vice president of corporate affairs for Sun Country. As an indirect benefit of the policy, passengers get seated more quickly and planes depart on time, she adds.

Continental Airlines representatives say all electronic items must be unpacked and turned on to prove they are not harmful devices. However, its rules can vary at different security stations, according to the airline.

Put Feds in Charge?

These inconsistencies don't sit well with most members of the Business Travel coalition, Mitchell says. In a poll, 93 percent of the organization's members say the federal government should step in and operate the screening stations at airports.

Government oversight may be the only way to impose a system-wide consistent performance, Mitchell adds.

Congress is, in fact, considering ways to overhaul the nation's airport security. A House bill approved last week would employ private companies to perform security checks on passengers, and impose stronger federal certification of security firms as well as oversight.

Meanwhile, the Senate unanimously passed competing legislation. In this version, the federal government would run security checkpoints in the nation's larger airports, with the screeners becoming federal employees. The Senate and House must now hammer out a compromise in a conference committee.

In the meantime, air travelers should expect continued delays and changing policies. Airlines urge travelers to check in early, allowing for longer waits at the terminal. Consider this: While traveling with a notebook might subject you to increased scrutiny, once inside it enables you to work during the extended wait.