The TSA, in an effort to "streamline the security process and better protect laptops," has enacted a new policy to allow travelers to have their laptops screened without having to have them removed from their laptop bags. The catch—only certain types of bags are permitted—and there aren't a lot of these bags on the market, despite the TSA's press release that states that more than 60 manufacturers made prototypes for evaluation.

The policy will allow laptops to go through the X-Ray machine if they are in a pouch that contains nothing but the laptop, and that pouch isn't over any other pouch, thereby preventing the laptop from blocking what's under it. Backpack and camera bag style bags don't comply, nor do messenger bags or any other standard design. Laptop sleeves do at least, so any bag that's got a removable sleeve can be taken and placed on the conveyor without having to remove the laptop.

Until some bags actually come out that meet the requirements, these will be some moot regulations, and there are some inherent design issues I can see right away with their bag shapes, namely the unzipping and laying-flat of them is likely to expose the interior contents to more damage than an equally padded laptop or camera bag.Still, as someone who often flies more than 100,000 miles a year, I guess it's a step in the right direction.