I have confirmed SP3 replaces a laptop in at least one regard...

[photobriangray]

My Surface 2 never came out of my bag during TSA checks, but both passes through security this week had them asking me to remove my tablet as though it was a laptop. Anyone else travel with their SP3 and asked to run it through separately?

FWIW, the people running the scans all were very interested in the Pro 3.

 

[cdf3]

I traveled with my SP3 in a bag and it went right though. They didn't ask me to remove it. I had it inside of a sleeve. The sleeve and SP3 were both inside my bag. Not sure if that made a difference.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

 

[Poirots Progeny]

Same here, flew to UK from Houston and the sp3 remained in a sleeve inside my carry on...

 

[LinT]

I flew last weekend and was pulled aside and checked again because I didn't take my surface pro (original) out of my bag. They considered it a laptop.

 

[Racing Snake]

Every time without exception I fly from heathrow (about once a fortnight) I have to remove both the laptop and surface (RT) - in fact they specifically ask, remove your laptops, tablets & ipads.

 

[Poirots Progeny]

Aye, well given the recent security upgrade all electronics will have to be removed from bags. The price of security.

 

[anon(5383410)]

I challenge anyone to make it through JFK or LaGuardia without removing it from their bag.

 

[tgp]

TSA procedures aren't always consistent. One day they won't ask you to remove it; the next day they will.

 

[jrohland]

This morning I transferred my Carbonite subscription from my laptop to my Surface Pro 3. In that regard the SP3 has taken the place of my laptop. Carbonite has been sending me email about the backups being overdue. As the laptop has been powered off since I got the SP3, I guess that would be true.

 

[MBytes]

TSA look for a fan. Any system with a fan is considered a laptop in their book.
At least, this is what Microsoft Channel9 Defrag Show once said (can't find the exact episode)

 

[raziel]

Flew from Burbank, CA to Pascoe/Kennewick, WA back and forth last week and TSA didn't ask me to take the SP3 out of the bag on both trips

 

[slavrenz]

Every time without exception I fly from heathrow (about once a fortnight) I have to remove both the laptop and surface (RT) - in fact they specifically ask, remove your laptops, tablets & ipads.

It always bugs me when I hear people saying "tablets and iPads" or "smartphones and iPhones". I think I'm just jealous; I hope that one day our devices get to a level of ubiquity that we hear, "remove your laptops, tablets, iPads, and Surfaces"

 

[BatteryLife]

It always bugs me when I hear people saying "tablets and iPads" or "smartphones and iPhones". I think I'm just jealous; I hope that one day our devices get to a level of ubiquity that we hear, "remove your laptops, tablets, iPads, and Surfaces"

I guess there are some iSheeps don't even know about tablets or phones, what more of other tablets or phones. That's why they have to say iPhones and iPads

 

[anon(7901790)]

Just to let you all know. If you are flying internationally, the TSA has made some changes to its guidelines for US bound flights originating overseas. How universal they will it be enforced? I don't know.

U.K. follows TSA's lead, bans uncharged electronic devices from some flights | PCWorld

 

[tgp]

TSA look for a fan. Any system with a fan is considered a laptop in their book.
At least, this is what Microsoft Channel9 Defrag Show once said (can't find the exact episode)

Flew from Burbank, CA to Pascoe/Kennewick, WA back and forth last week and TSA didn't ask me to take the SP3 out of the bag on both trips

The TSA doesn't always require laptops to be taken out of bags anymore. On Monday I was through security at Washington Reagan Airport, and we were directed through what they said was a special security line where we left our shoes on, and laptops and 3-1-1 baggies remained inside the luggage.

 

[MBytes]

The TSA doesn't always require laptops to be taken out of bags anymore. On Monday I was through security at Washington Reagan Airport, and we were directed through what they said was a special security line where we left our shoes on, and laptops and 3-1-1 baggies remained inside the luggage.

I think when they mentioned that, it was back when the Surface Pro 1 was released, so TSA didn't know that you can have tablets with fans, or their rules changed since.

 

[onlysublime]

I've never had them ask me to take out my Surface Pro 2. If you want to be safe, put your keyboard separately from the tablet body. All of them will think it's a tablet. TSA have no clue what a Surface Pro is.

 

[mozman68]

Just boarded this morning and didn't have to remove mine.

 

[Blake Seaman]

You know all joking set aside, this is a very important subject; Microsoft really needs to hone in on the legal definition of its product.

According to the TSA's carry on page,

"Laptop computers, full-size video game consoles, CPAP machines, full-size DVD players, and video cameras that use video cassettes must be removed from their carrying cases and submitted separately for x-ray screening. Small and portable electronic items (smart phones, tablets, portable games, etc.) do not need to be removed from their carrying cases or carry on bags. "

It would seem then to leave (as usual) a great deal of discretion to the TSA official who happens to be near you. For a frequent flier, I could see the not knowing of this issue being a real pain.

Even flight attendants can cause you some trouble.
" When we landed I was told I had to shut the Surface Pro 3 down. I protested in a polite fashion and then removed the tablet from the keyboard to prove it was a tablet and not an “evil” laptop. The flight attendant seemed quite surprised by my actions – she said she had never seen a tablet that large and told me to use it with keyboard off until she went further towards the back of the airplane."-
Surprise! Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Not Airplane Friendly