Surface Pro 3 through airport security

[Nolegrl]

I'm taking my surface pro 3 on a flight for the first time later this week and I have a question regarding airport security.

I have a Timbuk2 messenger bag that is tsa friendly via a separate back compartment that folds flat. The back compartment has a sleeve to hold your laptop, and when I had my old laptop, I just threw it in there. The surface is a bit more delicate, so I have a dedicated Neoprene sleeve for it.

My question is: can I put the surface in its sleeve in the back compartment and have it be okay to go through the scanner?

Or do I need to leave it naked in the back compartment for that to be acceptable?

Other option is to take it out of my bag and let it go through the scanner in the sleeve, but that somewhat defeats the purpose of a tsa friendly bag.

I also have various adaptors and such in the zippered compartment on the front of the sleeve. Do I need to remote those as well?

Thanks in advance!

 

[BillJ]

I am no expert on TSA regulations, but I have had a flight bag with SPS, phone, multiple chargers and adapters go through the security screen on multiple occasions, and I have never been asked to open the bag for inspection. That is certainly no guarantee that they will not ask you to do so, but TSA seems to recognize SP3 as a "tablet" and not a "laptop".

The other good thing about being a "tablet" is that you do not need to turn the SP3 off for takeoffs and landings, they way "laptop" owners must.

 

[Nolegrl]

I am no expert on TSA regulations, but I have had a flight bag with SPS, phone, multiple chargers and adapters go through the security screen on multiple occasions, and I have never been asked to open the bag for inspection. That is certainly no guarantee that they will not ask you to do so, but TSA seems to recognize SP3 as a "tablet" and not a "laptop".

The other good thing about being a "tablet" is that you do not need to turn the SP3 off for takeoffs and landings, they way "laptop" owners must.

Awesome! I'll just put it through in its sleeve as planned and see how it goes then. I usually fly allegiant and they (annoyingly) still make you put all devices away, but I think I'm on Delta on this flight so I'm glad I'll be able to have it out during takeoff and landing. Thanks!

 

[zhenya]

The Surface Pro should go through in your bag any way you like as a tablet, but it really depends on the specific person inspecting your bag.

 

[Nolegrl]

The Surface Pro should go through in your bag any way you like as a tablet, but it really depends on the specific person inspecting your bag.

That's true. It also depends on whether they see it as a tablet or a laptop. I've never used a laptop sleeve inside a bag before so I wasn't sure how that would work. I'll have to see what happens when I get there.

 

[zhenya]

If you read the text of the TSA rules, tablet/laptop is not specified, merely a size.

 

[jrioux]

I'm taking my surface pro 3 on a flight for the first time later this week and I have a question regarding airport security...

I just leave my RT and accessories in my small computer bag and have the whole thing scanned with no problems on United and US Air.

 

[talon90]

I've been using and travelling with the SP3 for about 7 months now. My experience has been that it is treated as a tablet at every security checkpoint that I've been through. It does not need to be removed from your bag or sleeve. I have a backpack that has the laptop compartment that can be unzipped and sent through folded out and I always have my SP3 in there (sometimes in a sleeve, sometimes not) and an iPad that I travel with along with my SP3 AC adapter. I always have the keyboard attached as well and have yet to be questioned about the unit nor have I had to undergo any additional screening as a result of the SP3.

 

[Nolegrl]

Thanks! My flight was today and I had no issues with it in its sleeve in the zip off laptop compartment.

 

[malberttoo]

I left my SP3 in my bag (not a TSA open-style bag), just left it in there with all the other electronic junk. They made me take it out and run it through just like a laptop. The lady was nice about it, but said I should do that in the future as the SP3's are "kind of dense". And she actually called it a Surface Pro, so I was slightly impressed that she knew her devices a little.

 

[sean_scouser]

Ye I travel from uk to Germany upto 6 times a year and if you have surface in a sleave in a bag just take it out the bag but leave it in its sleeve to go through machine

 

[mohcho]

I've brought my SP3 on international flights (NA > Europe) and they consider it a tablet and I have just had to keep it in the sleeve I use to carry it.