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Turn it On
ChrisCrossings · February 22, 2001

Q: Why do you have to turn your laptop computer on at an airport security checkpoint? It's an insult being asked to turn on a PC and make the screen flash.

Does that prove the PC is benign? C'mon. Any terrorist worth his salt can design a PC that makes the screen flash and still has room for three pounds of plastic explosive in a drive bay or memory compartment. Need proof? Look at the Lockerbie trial where the bomb was in a boom box.

Stopping the entire line waiting to clear security while I "turn it on" is just plain dumb and an excuse for the airlines to avoid the investment in the newer X-ray screeners that can "see" inside the PC.

-- Norm Gilbert

A: Under federal law, airlines are responsible for screening passengers. The carriers, of course, want to spend as little as possible on security, so they often contract with second-rate security firms, which in turn hire minimum-wage workers to do the job.

That can be frustrating. When passengers are processed like fast food through a screening area - and make no mistake, they are frequently herded through the barriers with little regard to individual needs - there are bound to be conflicts.

I've personally seen travelers get stopped for no good reason. They've had their bags emptied and then were left to re-pack their luggage while the last call was issued for their flight. The screeners didn't seem to care about the inconvenience, and they refused to help undo the damage they had inflicted as a "security" precaution.

The guards don't have a sense of humor, either. I once was almost arrested for standing behind the screening area and watching them at work. When I explained that I was working on a story, they treated me as if I'd cracked a bomb joke.

It isn't too difficult to outsmart the security companies and their outmoded technology, but I think that's what it might take in order for the system to change. Yes, security checkpoints have to adhere to standards. Title 49, Volume 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations goes into some detail about what an airline must do. Parts 100 to 185 are of particular interest, in case you were wondering.

But just meeting the standards is probably not enough. It will take a major terrorist incident in U.S. airspace to prove that our security precautions are inadequate. Airlines have complained that investing in screening machines that can actually see explosives would be too much of a financial burden. They say baggage matching, which is making sure that every passenger is matched to his or her luggage, would be too expensive.

If the airline executives making that argument were on the flight on which the bomb that slipped through security was about to detonate, they'd probably change their tune.

Meantime, prepare for the inevitable. You'll be asked to turn your computer on. Just do it.

Remember to travel with your notebook in 'sleep' or 'hibernate' mode. That way, you'll be able to show the guard a bright screen in no time. On most laptops, 'sleep' mode doesn't use up much power. However, with some operating systems, leaving it in suspend for too long will cause it to freeze.

You should be careful what you ask for. If security is improved, your laptop may not escape the scrutiny of the security guards. In Europe, there are reports of passengers being denied boarding because their laptops didn't fit a manufacturer's specifications. The guards believed the additional weight, which was the result of an upgrade, were actually plastic explosives hidden in the casing.

Then again, you're better safe than sorry.

Christopher Elliott's column appears on Thursdays. All e-mailed questions to ChrisCrossings become property of Ticked.com and may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion. You may reach Elliott at chris@ticked.com. Or visit his home page at http://www.elliott.org.