Kind of OT - Controllers, Laptops & USA Airports

[Meef Chaloin]

I'm going to be flying in to the USA (just on a connection) with a laptop and an MPD32 but I'm a bit worried that they are going to see the MPD and not know what it is and think it's some kind of security threat.

Does anyone have experience of taking midi controllers through security there? Any problems?

Also, is there anything I shouldn't have on my laptop? porn, movies etc? Do they check the contents very often?

[Dubersive]

From my experience with TSA employees, I have to warn that that most of them are brainwashed imbeciles. However, if you are direct and upfront with the luggage you are carrying, and let them know as soon as they see it that it is a musical instrument (don't bother getting technical with them) then they should let you through just fine. If you're taking it as a carry on, treat it like a lap-top, and place it in the bin so it's clear that it isn't anything malicious.

Communication is key though. Just be direct, remain calm, and don't make any sudden movements

[Pitch Black]

Never had any interest in my laptop in the last 10 yrs of flying international.
Your MDP32, They ask what it is, you say "musical equipment" or "audio peripheral" for the laptop. shit, say "soundcard"... always give 'em something they can understand.

You're on a connection anyway, so its not like they're going to hassle you for your Green Card and work Visa. It's your cabin luggage, and you're in transit to blah-blah...

nothing to fear except fear itself. Which airport are to transiting thru? from where to where?

[Meef Chaloin]

I'm flying from UK to Iceland to Newark to Costa Rica.

Regarding it just being a connection and not dealing with visa etc, I did a similar connection at xmas through Houston and I had to effectively enter the country before going through all the security again to 'enter' the airport, i actually stood outside for a ciggie when i was only trying to connect.

I'm going to be carrying a big sitar as well...

Well I have 12 hours in the airport so I suppose they can open it up if it is really necessary.

[Pitch Black]

I had to effectively enter the country before going through all the security again to 'enter' the airport,

Yeah, thats been the way it is for quite a few years... I had never been fingerprinted ever in my life, until I transited thru LA...

paranoid f**ks

[justin]

probably not quite as draconian as the US but i had my laptop swabbed for explosives in zurich airport the other day... never had that before??? they didnt really seem too bothered by the rest of the kit.

[donnydonny]

As long as it doesn't seem like you're trying to hide anything, you shouldn't have any problem going through security especially if you're just making a connection. If you just have a layover in the states, I don't think customs is going to care if you're carrying any "musical instruments" to "work" in another country.

I was at immigration in Canada once and saw this korean family getting hassled, primarily because they didn't speak english and there was an obvious communication barrier. Once the customs agent figured out that they were just in transit he just passed them straight through.

[GrooveNinja]

Also, is there anything I shouldn't have on my laptop? porn, movies etc? Do they check the contents very often?

They don't look at what is on the computer. They just ask you to take it out of whatever bag you have it in and then run it through the x-ray machine.

[GrooveNinja]

probably not quite as draconian as the US but i had my laptop swabbed for explosives in zurich airport the other day... never had that before??? they didnt really seem too bothered by the rest of the kit.

This reminds my one time when I was coming home from Belize. I had borrowed an underwater camera in one of those Pelican cases from a friend of mine who is a notorious doobiehead. The security guy took great interest in it, and took it aside to start swabbing it and such. I thought, "Oh, shit, did he hide his stash in the case? I didn't even check it!" I asked the security guy what he was doing, and he told me that he was checking for explosives residue. What a relief!