Chances are there will be SOME delays. First of all, we have that new baggage fee from American ($30 roundtrip for a first checked bag). And that will lead to more bags onboard. After all, the new fee means the average family of 4 will slapped with another $120 dollars on top of their airfare; and, since the average family of 4 isn’t stupid, they’ll soon join the ranks of the carry-on community. And so will a lot of others. And that could slow things up considerably. However, there IS some good news to report — about LAPTOPS — so keep reading…

First, the bad news: do we have enough screeners to take care of all the new carry-on bags? If not, is there money to hire more? If not, how long will it take to get through the security lines this summer?

And what about someone who brings a bag on board that’s found to be “over-sized”? According to a New York Times article, “American officials said the company had not devised a way to collect a $15 fee at boarding.” So we can expect further delays as the airline folks stumble for a solution to this problem?

Actually, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) offers some help, in the guise of “packing tips”; officials say, follow these tips and your bags will zip on through.

Oh, and about that good news: A number of manufacturers such as Targus and Skooba Design are coming out with new “checkpoint-friendly” laptop cases, approved by the TSA. What makes them “checkpoint-friendly”?

The laptop does not have to be removed from its case!

That’s right, the cases will be designed in such a way that TSA screeners will be able to clearly view the laptop and other contents, right through the bag. So no more time consuming fumbling to get your laptop out of its bag.

Of course, you will have to purchase one of these special laptop bags (and at this point, it’s not clear how much the bags will cost) but if time is money, chances are they’ll pay for themselves in no time.

The first of these bags could be available in just a few months.