However, I don't think a laptop and an iPad will fit into one bin without overlapping each other.
So now we are at probably four bins per person including their carry-on bag as a "bin." This is really ridiculous and will lead to even longer, more chaotic lines.
The current case, in every airport I've traversed, was each laptop in a separate bin.
I believe I stumbled through an airport "piloting" this program (BOS) as we had to remove tablets, too. We were not told "everything larger than a phone", we were told "laptops and tablets" — all in separate bins. It took five bins to get through.
"Piloting" new security regulations, to the passenger, appears as if TSA has no idea what their own rules are. Every airport I visit seems to have its own inconsistent idea as to what I need to take off, what needs to go in a bin, etc.
In my experience, the baggage X-ray is the bottleneck at the checkpoint; I don't see how this is going to help.
Also, does this include cameras? Who's the judge as to whether a camera is larger than a cell phone? (And just what I want, to advertise even more loudly the valuables I'm traveling with.)
Would definitely need some infrastructure changes in the airports themselves, which is probably a pretty big negative.
I generally travel with my CPAP machine also so it is quite an ordeal to get through security:
• work laptop
• personal laptop
• iPad
• CPAP machine (outside of carrying case)
• CPAP carrying case
• shoes and jacket
• backpack
• and often my carry-on luggageI have been pulled aside once just so they could swab it, but my CPAP is mostly ignored by the TSA. I'd imagine they see enough gray ResMed bags that as long as it get scanned, it's nothing special.
Also, if they do need separate bins for all of these items, they'll run out of bins faster, which would be a pain for the TSA employees. I expect that if interpreting the rule strictly creates a hassle for the TSA employees (who have to cart the bins around), they won't take the strict approach.
Not a problem in US, the X-ray devices show the operator a view X, Y and Z axis so sandwich isn't a problem. And if there is an uncertainty, it can be checked manually. A separate bin per bigger device would increase the queue length.
That would still be a problem. A side shot of the sandwich doesn't fix the fact that there's no good top shot.