TSA friendly multiple laptop bag?

[MacInWin]

I am looking for a new laptop bag to carry two MPB 15" laptops. I would prefer a TSA-friendly one, maybe one that has two pockets for the two MBPs and that can be opened to lie flat so that I don't have to take either one out of the case to pass through the TSA checkpoint. I don't really need to carry a lot of accessories with them as I plan to put the power brick, etc, in the checked luggage. I've tried searching for something suitable, but didn't find much out there. Anybody have any suggestions?

The reason I need to carry two, just in case you want to know, is that I carry both mine and my wife's equipment. I'm just looking for something that works, thanks.

 

[pm-r]

I'm just looking for something that works, thanks.

Anything that might suit your fancy here???

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/best-checkpoint-friendly-laptop-bags-for-travel/




- Patrick
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[MacInWin]

Patrick, I looked there, but the challenge is that I carry both my own and my wife's MBP so she can carry her own carry on bag. So what I want/need is a bag that can carry TWO of them. Most of what I see are singles, which is logical because 99% of folks don't carry two, but in our case one is her business system and ones my personal one. I have a bag from inCase that is larger enough for the two, but is not TSA-friendly, so I have to tea them both out and put them in different trays at TSA, then the bag itself goes in a third tray. It just slows us down a bit more than the usual passenger, that's all. A "butterfly" case with room for both would let me open it up and let it lie flat in one tray. It's a very particular need, so I may have no luck.

As an aside, I have no idea how this ended up in the Operating System forum. I posted it to the Laptop forum in the hardware area. Wonder if the board database is going wonky again?

 

[pm-r]

Patrick, I looked there, but the challenge is that I carry both my own and my wife's MBP

Actually Jake I had to do some googling to find out what a TSA-friendly or ‘Checkpoint friendly’ laptop bag was exactly. I don't know if Canadian Airport Security uses or does the same rules.

I just use an Dell carry Bag and stick my MBPro and 3 iPads into it, which get pulled and put into the trays the few times we fly just like everyone else was doing as far as I could see. Meantime I was trying to get though the body scanner without the use of my walker which I now need.

But I'm still confused after reading the article and links at:
What is a “checkpoint friendly” bag?
https://www.macworld.com/article/1135658/macbooks/checkpointfriendlybags.html

And just one of their recommended links doesn't seem to even match all the TSA-friendly conditions yet is listed as such:
15.6" Balance™ EcoSmart® Checkpoint-Friendly Briefcase
https://www.targus.com/us/15-6-balance-ecosmart-checkpoint-friendly-briefcase-tbt918us

But what about putting both Macs in the same laptop slot with a protective divider between them. Then it would scan as just one thick laptop!!!

Just thinking of options…




- Patrick
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[MacInWin]

I don't think the "thick" approach will work because the X-ray images will never perfectly align and then they will have to open and inspect the entire array. I don't know if TSA is still allowing the computers to stay in the bag, but the general idea was to X-ray the laptop in the bag as long as there was nothing else metallic in the image, to include zippers and fasteners. My idea was to see if I could find one that would open like a butterfly, with one laptop in each side. I don't need to take the accessories with me as they can be in the checked luggage. So all that would be in the bag would be two laptops. Oh, well, it was a thought, anyway.

 

[pm-r]

My idea was to see if I could find one that would open like a butterfly, with one laptop in each side. I don't need to take the accessories with me as they can be in the checked luggage. So all that would be in the bag would be two laptops. Oh, well, it was a thought, anyway.

I'm sure you could find one with some specific googling and find some in a butterfly style (a bag folds open into two parts) or trifold style (three parts), that could hold two laptops in their own openable separate "lay flat" compartments. That should meet the TSA-friendly specs.

Or have a local boat/automotive/luggage upholsterer make up a custom model to your own specs that meets the TSA-friendly specs.

All kinds of options I guess…





- Patrick
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[MacInWin]

Yeah, I go the bespoke route, but frankly, I may just keep with the current InCase bag and do the multiple-tray dance. It's not that critical, and the delay is really trivial overall. My wife has to go through the scanner because she triggers the metal detector with her artificial hip, so while she's there, I can get organized with the rest. No biggie.