Airport Security and new Macbook

[gman901]

So I am leaving from the Binghampton, NY airport, and as I start pulling my 2 week old Macbook out of it's sleeve, they say that I can keep it in due to new security regulations. I think to myself, great, I don't have to worry about it getting scratched or manhandled by the security folks. So after it runs through the machine, they tell me they have to investigate my laptop because it triggered their explosive alarm. So this security person quickly jerks it out of my sleeve and runs an explosive wipe all around every side of the laptop and then throws it on top of the plastic bin. She then realizes she put it in the bin the wrong way, twists it around and throws it back into the bin. I asked them what the heck was going on, and that my laptop is from Apple and only a couple weeks old. Why would it set off the explosive alarm??? They didn't know and one of the other security guys tells the other person that the notebook is probably okay and that I can have it back. My wife looks at me and tells me later how bad she felt for me after they manhandled my new Macbook. Thankfully no scratches and it is working. That was an extremely bizzare incident!

 

[aethelbert]

They take security seriously. You may know that you're not a threat, but they do not. It's a waste of everyone's time if every single computer is handled with microfiber gloves and placed on a royal carpet to go through the x-ray. I've had my computer set off explosive detectors many times and I've seen it happen to other people too. Nothing to get rallied up about as long as your computer isn't severely damaged (which is beyond rare).

If it happens to you again, just go with it. Don't bother asking questions because it will only make things worse.

 

[youssefm]

the macbook air when it first came out also had xray issues and such, and now its known.. probably gonna be the same case with these macbooks

 

[BlackLight]

when the macbook air came out i read somewhere that security had to hold a guy cause they could believe that it was a computer lol lol
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/03/07/how-a-macbook-air-baffled-airport-security/3

 

[Davidkoh]

I'd be pissed, they better not touch my computer if they ain't gonna be careful.

 

[StuBeck]

I'd be a bit concerned if a security guys says "its probably NOT a bomb, here have it back". I'd want them to know its not first!

 

[gotzaiPhone]

thanks for the heads up, I'm very anal retentive when it comes to my tech and I'd blow a gasket if someone handled my computer like that. I will leave it at home or just load movies onto my iPhone.

 

[Carnivor]

I've just come back from a snowboarding holiday in the French Alps, and whilst the journey back was fine after i had the horrors of flying out,

Nothing wrong with the laptop the issue i had was with my power pack, I had the "wings" out for winding the power lead around and airport security decided it looked like a flick knife which indeed it did but when they searched my bag they couldn't find what the xray looked like, my bag went through the scanner 5 times with various items in it until they worked out it was the wound up power cord, which went through on its own and indeed did look like a knife.

We unwound it and it went through fine. Might be worth bearing in mind for future air travel.

 

[fedup flyer]

They take security seriously. .

hahahahhahaha, you obviously know nothing about airport dog & pony show, er uh, I mean airport security.

 

[ZDDP1273]

I have yet to fly with my MacBook yet. It's too much of a hassle to carry it around and have to take it out and whatnot. When the day comes when I do bring it, I will take it out of the sleeve myself and be careful myself.