Tag: TSA

Frequent fliers, get back in line. Verified Identity Pass's (VIP) Clear, a subscription service that amazingly allowed travelers to bypass security checkpoints for a yearly fee, recently announced that yesterday would be its last day of operation. Despite having pulled in nearly 260,000 users at $199 each, Clear has shut down all 18 of its hubs, citing financial strain as its rationale. If that ...

A House bill could soon stop airport employees from getting an eyeful of passengers as they pass through airport checkpoints. The House recently approved legislation that would stop the use of "virtual strip searches" at airports, according to CNET News. Using a low-energy, X-ray machine, airport security personnel can currently view a detailed image of the naked figure that includes every body ...

We all hate airport security checkpoints. We hate the wait, the lines and the fact that we always seem to wear mismatching socks on the day we fly (seriously!). That said, the checkpoints are essential to public safety, and we deal with them accordingly. A controversial scanning technology we reported on last year is taking passenger security to the next level, and, for some people, it is one ...

We've seen Mobile Edge's ScanFast line of TSA-approved laptop bags before, so it was only a matter of time, we suppose, until there was a spate of the cases specifically for women. What does it mean, then, to be a laptop bag that is "designed for women by women?" Well, it helps to be pink or have faux alligator skin (or is that croc?) detailing, we can tell you that much. Regardless, the ...

There are certain people and institutions you should never really mess with: 911 operators, your government's computer systems, and T.S.A. security personnel. Apparently, nobody informed designer Evan Roth of the latter. Probably the kind of guy that wonders, "Just what would that cop do if I reached out for his pistol all of a sudden?," Roth has laser-cut "hilarious" messages and images into ...

We could tell from the press shot that this here laptop bag was far and away the most beautiful of the TSA-approved bunch, and a recent review over at Gadling confirms it. Put simply, the Tom Bihn Checkpoint Flyer is "fantastic," and even the reviewer found himself startled at just how much he dug it. The build quality was remarkable, the ease of use was commendable and the design itself was ...

If dragging your laptop out of your bag at the airport and throwing it on the conveyor makes you a bit nervous, or waiting for the guy in front of you to fumble around and do the same makes you a bit impatient, then you now have reason to rejoice. You see, all that stress ends tomorrow when the TSA's new laptop scanning policies go into effect. The new rules are fairly simple: Whatever bag your ...

In a post 9/11 world, getting though airport security is only about half a step away from a full cavity search and a Q&A session at Guantanamo. Shoes, belts, jackets, and sweaters must all come off, and laptops must be removed from their case and placed on the belt. This isn't just a minor inconvenience -- as a result of the increased security procedures, it is now suggested that you show up ...

Which would you prefer at the airport security check: a pat down or a "whole body imaging scan" that provides a highly detailed image of all your, um, curves (but does have your face blurred to protect your identity)? The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been testing out these devices, called millimeter wave machines, at Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport and this week ...

You'd think that being in charge of what "devices" are allowed on an airplane would require TSA (Transportation Security Agency) agents to be on top of the latest technology. Or that at least the head office would send out memos about new and unique gadgets that might confound the agents. But think again. As one man found out, the wild world of consumer electronics can baffle not just one, but ...

Can a security operation do its job and be transparent about its policies at the same time? That's the challenge for the Transportation Security Administration as it launches its new blog called 'The Evolution of Security,' where in just a couple of days, more than 700 members of the public have already posted comments on issues ranging from the varying sensitivity of metal detectors to the ...

The next time you fly, avoid having a Michael-Douglas-'Falling Down' kind of day with the newly launched Orbitz TLC Traveler Update, an online service that mixes elements of a standard travel update site with peer-to-peer and social networking technologies. Along with the info on delays, cancellations and weather provided by the TSA, which you can get from any one of a hundred different travel ...