TSA expands new procedure for inspecting large electronics

Passengers at all U.S. airports will soon face new measures for screening electronic devices bigger than a cellphone.

Security officers will ask travellers in regular lanes to take all larger devices out of their bag and put them in a bin by themselves, similar to the screening of most travellers’ laptops.

Officials say it gives X-ray screeners a clearer picture of the devices.

The change won’t apply to Precheck lanes.

The Transportation Security Administration said Wednesday the new procedure will go nationwide in the coming weeks and months. TSA has been testing it at 10 airports for more than a year.

The Department of Homeland Security has been changing rules for electronics on international flights because of the threat that terrorists could hide bombs inside laptop or tablet computers.