All the Perl that's Practical to Extract and Report

Computers on Airlines

pudge on 2002-06-07T16:32:41

In the past, I have always had them check my computers by hand at airports. I've not flown since September 11; is this still a good idea? Do I really have anything to worry about from these airport scanning machines with my computer/PDA/digital camera?

I did not have any problem

mir on 2002-06-07T16:51:46

I flew from/to France a couple of times since 9/11 and only once did they ask me to open the computer case (and I did not even have to turn it on). And believe me, I carry a whole bunch of weird contraptions in that case.

So I would not worry too much if I were you (except of course that I would think that security would be tighter in Boston than elsewhere in the country).

Lots of travelling

Matts on 2002-06-07T16:53:15

Between 1999 and 2001 I went to about 11 or 12 conferences in total. Almost all in different countries. Every time my laptop and palmv went through the scanners (twice including coming home, sometimes more including layovers).

Not had any trouble with them that I can relate to the scanners.

Re:Lots of travelling

ziggy on 2002-06-07T19:26:18

I used to get my laptop hand-scanned, but I stopped a year or two ago. At some airports, no matter how much you whine and complain, the only accomodation the security drones will make is to provide you with a separate plastic bin for your electronic items. Now, I think that's the status quo in the US for electronic items and women's shoes.

I haven't had a problem with the X-Ray equipment on my electronics. Come to think of it, the only problems I've had are all due to the manufacturer: Palm V's that won't turn off properly, cell phones where the antenna is prone to breaking off, batteries that don't keep a charge, laptop screens that detach from the base, modems that get hosed in a thunderstorm....but not a single problem from X-Ray equipment! :-)

Re:Lots of travelling

gizmo_mathboy on 2002-06-07T20:10:04

I would concur (is that a literate, Me too! :-) that Xrays haven't seemed to affect my laptop nor my pda.

I've flown like 3 times since 9/11 and the only hassle is to put your computer in it's own bin, maybe turn on your electronics (make sure your batteries are charged!), and keep an eye on your bin if you get the mega-search/patdown. I say this because when I was at the Minneapolis/St. Paul aiport I heard about 3 announcements in 30 minutes pertaining to mixups about laptops. Then again my little vaio has a sticker with,

"Laziness
Impatience
Pride"

(acquired from gnat at OSCON a couple of years ago) on it so it's hard to mistake it for another.

I suppose I could put the "Don't fuck with the camel" or "If you don't know Perl you don't know Dick" stickers on it to really make it distinctive :-)