Is this the line for Space Mountain at Disney World or could it be holiday shoppers crazed for the Tickle Me Elmo?
Neither. It’s a line for airport security. Ugh! With the world taking security much more seriously, you’ve probably experienced the line, the frustration and maybe a missed flight or two. But what’s most frustrating is all of the bins you have to put your stuff into for scanning.
One bin for your coat. One bin for your shoes. One bin for your laptop, and yet another for your laptop bag. Everyone’s eyes seem focused on you while you take out your laptop, fumble to get it into the bin — all the while knowing that people are wishing you’d move just a little faster. I won’t even go into the limited places available to put the laptop back into the bag, after you make it through security. Same people, same eyes glaring upon you to move just a little faster.
Seeing this frustration and the need for a solution, two laptop bag retailers will be selling TSA-approved laptop bags. This means no more taking the laptop out of the bag at the airport! You will be able to put your whole bag, laptop inside, through the scanner. Woo hoo! What a win for travelers everywhere.
First announced was Skooba’s Checkthrough, shared by Engadget’s Nilay Patel. Here’s a pre-production photo:
Shortly after, Darren Murph of Engadget shared that Mobile Edge announced its line of TSA-approved laptop bags, “ScanFast,” with three choices to fit your style and carrying preference:
Neither Skooba nor Mobile Edge has announced a price for their bags, but my guess is that they will both charge a premium and will sell out quick. The convenience will be worth a high price to the frequent traveler. Will be interesting to see just how widely these bags will be recognized. Frequent travelers have shared with me that recognition of the TSA-approved locks seems to be limited to airport screeners in the U.S., Canada and parts of Europe.
TSA-approved laptop bags make me happy and want to jump for joy. The good news is that this seems to be a quickly developing trend in laptop bag designs. I just hope they start to come out with some more stylish looks to choose from.
Looking forward to your thoughts and comments.
August 5th, 2008 at 9:24 pm
This will help speed things along. Now if some one can come up with a plan so I don`t have to take off my shoes! I agree, they need to make nicer looking cases. Maybe some of their employees will read this blog and pass the word on.
August 5th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
@sugarbear, no kidding. I despise taking off my shoes more than anything else that they make you remove. Per the style, if they are reading this, what would you want them to do to make them more stylish? More Colors? Different shapes?
September 10th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
It means nothing that the bags are “TSA approved” if 99% of the TSA screeners aren’t aware of that fact and still make you take your laptop out of the bag anyway. So, it’s a nice attempt on the part of the bag manufacturers but I don’t expect to see any changes in the screening process anytime soon. It will take another couple of years or more before the TSA screeners become educated about the fact that some laptop bags are TSA approved.