One-third of all air travelers carry laptops and a major hassle for those travelers has been the need to take the laptop out of its bag at airport security checkpoints.  After Sunday, however, travelers with "checkpoint-friendly" bags will be able to get their computers through security without having to remove them from the bags, according to CNN.com [1].

The Transportation Security Administration has been working with bag manufacturers to help them design bags that will enable the laptops to go through security without being removed from the bag.  According to the article, about 12 manufacturers are now advertising such "checkpoint-friendly" bags.

Per the article, TSA has put out five standards for bags to meet the requirements of being checkpoint-friendly:

-It must have a designated laptop-only section.

-The laptop-only section must completely unfold to lay flat on the X-ray conveyor belt.

-There must be no metal snaps, zippers or buckles inside, underneath or on top of the laptop-only section.

-There must be no pockets on the inside or outside of the laptop-only section.

-There must be nothing packed in the laptop-only section other than the computer itself.

The article quotes TSA spokeswoman Ellen Howe as saying that the bags may improve speed at checkpoints. "Less time (is) spent putting things in the bin and putting things back in at the other end, so it may help the process along," she said. It is unclear how long it will take for TSA checkpoint workers to recognize which bags are compliant with the rules, and TSA has not endorsed any manufacturers' brands of checkpoint-friendly bags.