Used to be you could just turn the damned thing on and they'd be satisfied. Besides, what can you fit into an MBA that would be dangerous?

Confidence inspiring. Who, amongst regulars commercial passengers, hasn't figured out that the TSA folks are window-dressing?

Never happened. Story is in the same class as all those phoney religious/friendship/pass-it-on messages you receive on the net.

Reminds me of the time we were traveling from Boston to NY to do a hardware setup and had tons of weird looking computer equipment in our carry-ons. What did TSA grill us about? A CD-ROM we were carrying in an envelope. They wanted to know what was on it. Seriously.

like when clueless people see an iMac and ask 'where's the other part?'

I never knew TSA agents are that dumb (JK).

When a friend came over and saw my fiance's mac mini, they asked where the computer was. we pointed at it, and explained that its just really small, and watched their eyes get huge. "THAT is your computer? where is the rest of it!?"... ah, good times.

Lets face it: TSA officers aren't "clueless" or idiots, but for the majority of the world, they don't know (or care) what a Macbook Air is. This is just an example of how quickly technology changes what we consider to be conventional everyday items.

All I can say is that those agents must not watch much tv... the ads for the Macbook Air have been all over the air waves... how could have missed it unless you've been under a rock? You think they would let the guy hook up to the internet, go to the Apple site and show them the info/ads for it... as proof! It would take, what, all of of a couple minutes....

Read this article and tell me the TSA aren't a bunch of monkeys screwing a football.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-na-tsa29mar29,0,3888371.story

And yes, the actions of a few DO make the rest of them look bad.

I've been stopped for many, many things. But when carrying sport rifles and pistols, they don't really seem to care.

As for not seeing the Air ads, well, not everyone watches TV or even the target stations. I'm among them (but I still knew about the featureless features).

TSA folks are not hired because of their sterling intelligence or because they have kept up with the latest trends in consumer tech.

They're hired because they're willing to work for single-digits per hour.

And yes, they are window-dressing. With felony convictions, attitudes and prejudices.

Cursed TSA security agents! Can't they do their job without screwing with someone JUST because their laptop doesn't look like a laptop? And beseides, how in the heck is a BOMB supposed to fit in there!?!

I used to carry a rather unique briefcase-style computer, basically a laptop on steroids. I was always told to "take the computer out of the case", which it already was.

But that's not the weird part. In my bag was also a radar gun for pitch speeds at baseball games. This was a metal cylinder with electronics inside, with a long data cable wrapped around it. Probably looks like a pipe bomb. Not once, ever, was I asked what that was.

After an excessive delay regarding the computer, I pulled out the radar gun and asked the TSA agent if it was at all suspicious, and got a shoulder shrug in return.

I guess you haven't read about the woman who was forced to remove a nipple ring with a pair of pliers by the TSA before they would let her pass security. I feel so much more secure.

Seriously, do you think the TSA people are Mac types? That's why they never heard of it...besides they most likely don't get paid enough to afford a Mac or cable TV

At least he didn't have a nipple ring through the screen!

The comment about TSA in Lubbock is right on. To say that they aren't the sharpest tacks in the box in that part of the world is an understatement. I'm originally from Texas and spent a few summers in that area and speak with some experience.

The one thing that TSA never commented on was when we carried "BOMBS" through the system. They were all metal devices that looked like a Bomb (hence the name) used for downhole oil tools. Go figure (this was also in Texas).

Only requirement for TSA is to fail an IQ test.

you should all be happy that they are actually looking at the x-ray screen and are noticing that something is different - yes they are not up to date with the "most important thing" in the world but they are doing what they are paid to do and surprisingly well !

I don't believe this story at all.

It takes how many seconds to boot up a laptop?

Standard practice for any piece of electronic equipment in question.

hey, here's a thought.. I wonder if it boosted sales of his books since this story broke.

Too many people believe everything they hear.

You must pass this on to at least 3 of your friends or something bad will happen to you.

The TSA is composed of individuals, who on September 10, 2001, were convenience store clerks.

Flying out of NYC, JFK Airport my carry-on
contained ten chargers and four cell phones and connectors for my mac all very
intermeshed and weird but the TSA twit only wanted to inspect a small sack containing $.25 coins. Another occasion
the TSA twit only wished to inspect a billiard ball.

I just came across this on the TSA website - a blog and informational video on the subject - geared toward TSA employees.
http://www.tsa.gov/blog/2008/03/update-bob-screens-apple-macbook-air.html

MAKE IT OPEN! MAKE IT OPEN!

This in not exactly mac related, but when I got one of the first generation Canon elf APS cameras I was stopped by airport security as they didn't believe it was a real camera. For some reason I am always surprised at how many people have no idea what is going on in the tech world. It is a lot of people. And I make no claims to be a tech guru. I have a feeling those of us who are up to date on technology will be running into this phenomenon quite a bit more in the coming years. Imagine if Apple had not pushed the iPhone like they did....

NO BUTTONS! I DON'T SEE ANY BUTTONS!

Dave-O, this is for you;

actually I've looked at the size of a macbook air - you could get a nice thin layer of a mouldable plastic explosive in between the screen and the casing. you'd also have just enough room to put a detonator/receiver under the keyboard - which could then set off with your cunningly disguised ipod detonator switch.

not that i've thought about it.. :)

I was stopped because I was carrying a new set of pastels--not pistols,but pastels. They looked at the box for a couple of minutes before they would open it--when I stepped forward to do it myself, they told me to please step back, sir--and what they finally found inside were a bunch of pastel sticks seated individually in foam cutouts like little corpses. They looked at them for a while, trying to figure out if those brightly colored rectangles were attached to anything electronic. Such a fuss. In the meantime, a dozen terrorists could have made it through with boxcutters.

Sounds like an Urban Legend to me... I call B.S.

Don't expect miracles when dealing with officials at border crossings, customs or the TSA. A fellow was at the airport, checking in at
the gate when an airport employee asked, "Has anyone
put anything in your baggage without your knowledge?"
To which he replied, "If it was without my knowledge,
how would I know?" He smiled knowingly and nodded,
"That's why we ask."

All of you who think that this story is an urban legend must not travel by air very frequently. As a recently-retired law enforcement officer, I had to fly while armed several times. Each time since TSA was handling screening, they were concerned over something like whether my sheriff's badge was a "throwing star", or if my belt buckle was really a buckle. This was while I was carrying a loaded handgun. Of course, when I pointed out that I wasn't supposed to be screened anyway (FAA/TSA regs), they really took offense. So is it likely that some TSA drones were flummoxed by a MacAir? I'd bet money on it!

Baloney. Another shot at TSA. What newspaper? What airport? Where's the official spokes-person reaction? Yet another hoax. We Americans are so gullible. Kudos to the Mac folks on a great marketing ploy!

Mr. Doherty said, "Never happened. Story is in the same class as all those phoney religious/friendship/pass-it-on messages you receive on the net." Please! His statement falls in the same category! No backup, no verification, nothing. I'd like to think that the majority of non-outlandish stories on the net are based in truth and I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. If in doubt, I check Snopes.com or consider the source carefully instead of spouting forth proclamations without any reference to anything other than my fertile mind.
Ah, aahh,...CHOOOOO!
There it goes across the room.
Jeff

This is not a BS story, I travel EVERY week and have been stopped a few times because of my Mac Air. At two airports I even had the TSA folks call everyone else over just to see it up close.

I travel on a regular basis for my job; try going through security with two laptops and a CPAP (a device for Sleep Apnea), and having to pull everything out of their respective cases while taking off my shoes.

I know when I fly I'm going to have to go through this circus act for TSA. But, that's not the part that gets me; what really pisses me off is when I tell the TSA agent to change their gloves before they handle my CPAP and they get rude.

Uh, Hello. It's a medical device and I have every right, under your guidelines, to request that you change your gloves before you handle a device that I breath through. I really want everyone's crud and the TSA agent's sweat in my breathing device!

If have to play by TSA rules and not have an attitude, then they better play by their rules without an attitude. Seems fair to me.

I sense much condescension here. Maybe folks wouldn't mind paying another 20% in airfare (or taxes) for TSA emplyees paid with living wages.

So far, I'm hearing people expect TSA workers to be diligent, intelligent and also be on top of every technological device on the market. For example, how many of us can recognize the latest version of the ion air filters that are sold by Sharper Image? And we expect a minimum wage person to have browsed through their catalog as well as Apple's?

Too many of us want to be both safe and not be inconvenienced. For those, how about a different airline with less of the former and more of the latter?

The TSA never even looked at my laptop or the peripherals and various connectors and cords in my bag. What they stopped me for once was a rock I had picked up in China. The agent pulled a second agent over and they had about a 4 minute discussion, looking very suspiciously at it and turning it over and over. They made me go back and check the rock! They said I could lob it at an attendant. No joke. Funny now, but then I was wondering if we were the same species. So if you don't want them to look at your computer, just take a rock with you.

Awesome ... goes to what I have always said about the TSA being run poorly. I once was returning from a business trip (came straight to the airport from work related stuff), and had completely forgotten to tuck my pocket knife into my checked bag. I usually keep it clipped to my back pocket, and always remember to either leave it at home or check it through (it's a 3" blade). But this time I forgot in the rush of a full day of work related stuff and trying to get to the airport on time.

Where did I realize this? After I was through security and was putting everything else (phone, wallet, keys, etc.) back into my pockets ... the metal detector didn't go off, and none of the TSA agents noticed it clipped to my pocket. Good thing I'm not a terrorist.

I could fit enough C-4 insid of a Mac Air to blow out the cabin door only one is all it would take and the planes down and trancievers for such devices can be as small as the sim card in your phone one pound of C-4 or even PE-4 would be enough to take a wing off....The power button could be your detonator so that's why they don't just automatically boot the top. As a Combat Engineer for the Army my job is explosives and there's a reason we don't just have the guys start the car to see if it works or not...click click boom....enjoy.

Back before cigarett lighters were also banned, one of those dimbulbs took 5 minutes to 'examine' a hi-tech windproof butane lighter. Couldn't even figure how to open it until I hinted 'push the little black button'. And I'm standing there with my airline company photo ID and line badge (runway access allowed) hanging around my neck, which I thought would expidite my time wasted in the line!