The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is implementing new carry-on screening procedures for electronics that will affect anyone flying to, from, or within the United States. The move comes after extensive testing in 10 major airports around the country, with the goal of improving security measures to stay ahead of any emerging threats to aviation security.
As explained in the official press release, the new security measures will require TSA agents to scan smaller electronics in the same way they screen laptops :
"As new procedures are phased in, TSA officers will begin to ask travelers to remove electronics larger than a cell phone from their carry-on bags and place them in a bin with nothing on top or below, similar to how laptops have been screened for years. This simple step helps TSA officers obtain a clearer X-ray image."
You may have already dealt with these new screening procedures for electronics if you've recently flown out of LAX or one of nine other airports where the TSA has been conducting tests.
Over the coming weeks and months, as these new screening measures take effect across the nation, the TSA is encouraging travelers to keep their carry-on bags organized with all electronics kept accessible to ease the screening process. The TSA also acknowledged this new security policy may lead to passengers experiencing more bag checks than before, but it also states that they've identified "ways to improve screening procedures with quicker and more targeted measures to clear bags".
If you're a frequent flyer that consistently packs a lot of electronics in your carry-on this all might sound like another added headache to an already frustrating process. If this is you, you may want to look into TSA Precheck membership, which lets you skip past the security line by paying a $85 membership fee and submitting to a 10-minute background check and fingerprinting. TSA Precheck allows you to go through an expedited security check at over 200 US airports without having to remove your shoes, belt, jacket, laptop or electronics.
