Planes, Trains, And Laptops

A preposterous side effect of the ridiculous airport "security" regimen in place at our airports worldwide is the increase in laptop theft:

[from Macworld | Laptops lost like hot cakes at US airports]

Some of the largest and medium-sized U.S. airports report close to 637,000 laptops lost each year, according to the Ponemon Institute survey released Monday. Laptops are most commonly lost at security checkpoints, according to the survey.

Close to 10,278 laptops are reported lost every week at 36 of the largest U.S. airports, and 65 percent of those laptops are not reclaimed, the survey said. Around 2,000 laptops are recorded lost at the medium-sized airports, and 69 percent are not reclaimed.

Travelers seem to lack confidence that they will recover lost laptops. About 77 percent of people surveyed said they had no hope of recovering a lost laptop at the airport, with 16 percent saying they wouldn’t do anything if they lost their laptop during business travel. About 53 percent said that laptops contain confidential company information, with 65 percent taking no steps to protect the information.

Airports, along with hotels and parked cars, are places where laptops can be easily stolen, said the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on its Web site. The confusion of going through security checkpoints can make it easy for travelers to lose track of their laptops, making it “fertile ground for theft,” the FTC said.

The FTC recommends people treat laptops “like cash.” Like a wad of money, a laptop in public view—like the backseat of the car or at the airport—could attract unwanted attention. The FTC also recommends using tracking devices that can help track down a stolen laptop by reporting its location once it is connected to the Internet.

Unbelievable: The Transportation Security Agency (and its sister agencies in other countries) cannot protect us from laptop theft at their security checkpoints. 10,000+ per month in the US alone.

I actually was directed in Copenhagen to put my wallet and passport through the metal detector at the security checkpoint, as well as all the other paper in my pockets and my all-plastic travel belt. But not my shoes. That's totally strange.

Skooba Design :: Skooba Skreener : Laptop Messenger Bag, originally uploaded by Stowe Boyd. [note: this is not the planned TSA approved bag, just cool looking.]

Meanwhile, some smart designers are developing laptop cases that will satisfy the TSA's need to look at our laptops without taking them out of the bag:

[from On the Road - New Bag Helps Laptop Pass Airport Security - NYTimes.com]

Two of the biggest luggage manufacturers — Pathfinder Luggage and Targus — say they are rushing to produce the new “checkpoint friendly” laptop cases and expect them to be available by late September or early October.

Two problems with the existing laptop cases are that security officers have difficulty seeing inside them with X-ray equipment, and many of the cases are so crammed with extra gear — power cords, a mouse and the like — that the computer is obscured.

The new cases include either a fold-down section in a bigger briefcase or a stand-alone protective sleeve that contains no extra clutter and can be readily viewed through the scanner.

Seems like along with the slight convenience of not having to take the laptop out and place it in a separate tray, this could significantly decrease the likelihood of theft, since it is more obvious for a crook to nab someone's entire bag than to grab a loose laptop, and slide it their own bag. I love my knapsack, but I will have to look at these new bags, like Skooba's, not mentioned in that story.

Comments

[David Recordon]

At least from discussions on FlyerTalk, the problem with the upcoming TSA approved laptop bags is that they'll not be allowed to have straps, zippers, compartments, etc around the laptop. So while you might not need to remove the laptop itself, the bag won't be able to carry all the stuff you need when traveling.

[Stephanie Booth]

I can't remember which airport it was I went through on one of my last trips (Cork, maybe?) where they specifically instructed passengers to leave the laptop inside the carry-on. Yay! This kind of thing should speed up security lines.