How much trouble cab I expect from TSA?

[Elerek]

About to pack up my S4M for a plane trip, not international, just state to state. Will I be required to unpack it for scanning?

 

[Elerek]

That also goes for the monitor, I was planning to put it on the bottom of my carry-on, but not if I have to dig it right back out in the airport.

 

[tinyitx]

I do not have much experience with US airport security and so I can say from that. But I think even experience cannot be over generalized.
I would suggest planning for the worst as it often depends on the mood of that particular guy/gal who does the checking on you. A good mood and a bad mood makes a huge difference. Hopefully Youtube videos show only the bad apples among many many good ones. Anyway, go to the airport earlier and allow extra time to do repacking if you are asked to unpack for checking/scanning.

 

[Prothea]

They ended up pulling my bag and looking inside, but it was good to go afterwards. I'd recommend removing it from your carry on if you can.

 

[Damascus]

They ended up pulling my bag and looking inside, but it was good to go afterwards. I'd recommend removing it from your carry on if you can.

Theft from plane luggage is a huge issue, I'd keep anything valuable in the carry-on

 

[tinyitx]

Theft from plane luggage is a huge issue, I'd keep anything valuable in the carry-on

Yes, theft inside the plane occurs often.
What I do myself and suggest others to use is:-
a. money and important documents (eg ID/passport) are put in a waist bag (or something similar) and be with you physically, within read and within sight all the time.
b. laptop/computers are less often to be stolen because they cannot be transferred out of the cabin easily without being caught. Nonetheless, carry-on should be locked to deter being checked out by a thief.
c. more importantly, and contrary to general practice, put your carry-on *not* in the overhead cabinet directly above you but put it in the overhead bin directly across the aisle. The idea is that you have a direct line of sight of that overhead bin. If someone opens that overhead bin and reach in, you can see, more or less, which bag s/he is reaching. However, if the overhead bin directly above you is opened, all you can see is someone reaching in but you cannot see what s/he is doing.

 

[Prothea]

Theft from plane luggage is a huge issue, I'd keep anything valuable in the carry-on

When I said that, I meant simply removing it from your carry on during security. I wouldn't recommend a computer being in a checked bag at all. My bad for being unclear.

 

[Germanese]

S4M as in the Computer case or the 3D printer ?

Me and my wife travel regularly between Germany and US with a Dan Case A4 and a Kolink Rocket case used to be EVGA Hadron Air.
We keep them in our carry. We do pack it so what we pull it out for scanning and inspection. We done ALOT of trips in the past 4 years like this.

-Worst that has happened that they wanted it plugged into the wall. (to Turkey)
-Normally they want to scan it, wipe it, lick it, touch it for traces of explosives. (So if you are a gun owner keep it away from such substances)

Once you cleared the check in its pretty much smooth sailing, unless you have a connection flight and have to recheck in, then the same routine starts again unpack it from carry on and treat it as if its a laptop.

Hope this helps. (This is between HOU, LAX, Newark, MUC, London, Turkey, Chicago)