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70 Laptops Got Left Behind At An Airport Security Checkpoint In One Month (bravotv.com)
America's Transportation Security Administration has been making some surprising announcements on social media. An anonymous reader writes:
A TSA spokesperson says 70 laptops were left behind in just one month at an airport security checkpoint in Newark. "And yes, there are plenty of shiny MacBooks in that pile," reported BravoTV, "which can cost in the $2,000 range new." The TSA shared an image of the 70 laptops on their Instagram page and on Twitter, prompting at least one mobile project designer to reclaim his laptop. "The most common way laptops are forgotten is when traveler's stack a bin on top of the bin their laptop is in," the TSA warns. "Out of sight out of mind."
The TSA is also sharing pictures on social media of the 70 guns they confiscated at security checkpoints in one week in November, reporting they've also confiscated a blowtorch, batarangs, and a replica of that baseball bat from "The Walking Dead". They're reporting they found 33 loaded firearms in carry-on luggage in one week, and remind readers that gun-carrying passengers "can face a penalty as high as $11,000. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home."
The TSA is also sharing pictures on social media of the 70 guns they confiscated at security checkpoints in one week in November, reporting they've also confiscated a blowtorch, batarangs, and a replica of that baseball bat from "The Walking Dead". They're reporting they found 33 loaded firearms in carry-on luggage in one week, and remind readers that gun-carrying passengers "can face a penalty as high as $11,000. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home."
I am sure it's all the passengers fault. Not people desperately trying to get to their flight after a long delay waiting for their turn at a bit of ineffective security theatre..
Of course this would be solved by not requiring them to remove their laptops.. Something which would have next to no effect on the uselessness of their scanning anyway..
But no.. It's all the travelers fault. Silly travelers.. They deserve to have their items removed.
Of course it should be quite trivial door then to track down the owners right? TSA is so proud of how well informed they are about the travelers.. Surely they can localise the owners of one of a handful of people? No?
Nobody would steal anything from a security checkpoint. Every single person in that area is identifiable from their boarding passes, long with the face recognition tracking systems that a lot (sure, not the smaller ones) of airports are using now. In addition to being identifiable you are also completely traceable, and, have no where to go: security staff can just find you sitting in your seat on your next flight.
So no, any sane person would keep their hands to themselves.
However, if 70 people are leaving their laptops behind then I am sure many others are taking the wrong bags and/or gear by accident.
Any frequent traveler like myself will tell you you're playing with fire leaving valuables like a laptop in a checked bag. Checked bags are lost ALL THE TIME, stolen from all the time, and damaged even more. If you're lucky, your travel insurance may throw you a bone for the value of the laptop but they won't be able to replace the value of what's on it. I won't even get into how disruptive it will be to your business trip or vacation to have a missing laptop.
Rule #1, avoid checking luggage at all costs. Rule #2, if you are forced to check, don't put anything in there except clothing, sundries, and other things of little value.