Travelling via air

[YS2003]

When you take a plane, you need to go through those screening by TSA offices at USA airports. You take the laptop and put it in one of those dirty plastic tray and let it go through an Xray. Does it damage the laptop? I heard whatever that xray machine emits is not strong enough to damage the electronics compoents of the laptop. My PCs have gone through that screening several times already without hardware/software problems (knock on wood). But, I am very protective of my Macs and I would like to make sure my PBs are okay if I decide to take it with me when I use a plane next time.

 

[saabmp3]

Nope, it won't cause any damage. This gets asked quite a bit . What really confuses them is when you pull out 2 laptops, they get suspicious then.

BEN

 

[killuminati]

Thank you for asking this question. This Saturday I will be flying with my powerbook for the first time. I was curious about the xray as I am very overprotective of my powerbook.

 

[superbovine]

If you search the forums you will find other over protective people as well.

 

[YS2003]

I found an answer on this.

Since I found an answer at Apple's support website, I thought it would be nice to post it. Here it goes:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=129

 

[wordmunger]

Whatever you do, keep your mac (and other electronic gizmos including flash drives and digital cameras) away from the magnetic sensors: the wands the guards like to wave at you, and the walkthrough magnetic detectors. That's what will cause the damage. Old school film should NOT go through the x-rays (even when loaded in a camera). Better to bring that through the magnetic sensor, or ask the guards to hand-check.

 

[winwintoo]

Whatever you do don't piss off the guys in uniforms. My Mom who is hard of hearing and likes to pretend she's stupid was having a tough time with the screeners so I was trying to help things along - a definite NO NO I guess - and while I was thus occupied, another guy grabbed my iBook and flung it across the counter and then when he couldn't figure out how to open it, he pried it open with a screwdriver.

I'm sure they don't realize how close they were to an international air incident.

Terrorist HAH!

Talk down to an old woman with a steel hip and use a screwdriver on an iBook and they're lucky the airport was still standing.

Seriously, if you respect them and keep it businesslike, they will respect your computer.

My Mom has been trained in how to deal with the security people - in other words, they are required to ask her permission before they feel up her nether regions and she shouldn't grouch at them unless she's prepared to buy me a new computer LOL

Margaret