At airport security checkpoints across the United States, a seemingly simple question is dividing travelers: what is the right “etiquette” when the Transportation Security Administration’s rules appear to change from one airport, or even one lane, to the next?

A fresh wave of online debate, sparked by viral videos and frustrated social media posts, centers on a basic task that was once considered common courtesy: what passengers should do with those empty gray bins after they have cleared TSA screening.

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The viral video that reignited the TSA etiquette fight

The latest flare-up began after a TikTok video showed a traveler at a U.S. airport methodically stacking empty plastic trays at the end of a checkpoint belt, clearing a logjam of bins that were blocking new items from entering the X-ray machine. Self-described TSA officers quickly applauded in the comments, calling the traveler a “hero” for doing what, in their view, most passengers neglect to do.

Other viewers, though, were not impressed. Some argued that it is not a passenger’s responsibility to clean up the checkpoint, especially when they are already juggling boarding passes, IDs, carry-ons and family members. A number of commenters claimed they had been scolded by officers for touching the trays at all, saying they were told to leave bins on the belt because stacking them can interfere with newer automated screening systems.

The split reaction mirrored a broader etiquette debate familiar from supermarket parking lots: is leaving bins scattered along the conveyor “worse than leaving grocery carts in parking lots,” as one traveler put it, or is it acceptable to walk away and let staff deal with the mess? For many fliers, the answer seems to depend less on personal morals and more on which airport they happen to be flying through that day.

A simple act that is not so simple for newer TSA technology

Behind the etiquette argument lies a technical complication. In older, manually fed X-ray lanes, officers often welcome passengers stacking bins because it frees up the belt and speeds the next round of screening. In those lanes, trays are pushed back by hand, and neat piles can make the process smoother for the next group in line.

In newer “continuous flow” or automated lanes, however, bins travel on an integrated belt system that recirculates them back to the start without manual intervention. Security experts say that if passengers pick up and restack trays in these lanes, they can confuse the sensors that track bin movement or cause minor jams that ripple down the line, slowing the very process they are trying to help.

Several TSA supervisors have acknowledged internally that unprompted bin-stacking can be problematic in these upgraded lanes, even as they recognize that passengers are often acting out of courtesy rather than mischief.

At some airports, signs or verbal instructions now tell passengers explicitly to leave the trays where they are. At others, the opposite guidance still prevails, and officers praise anyone who takes a moment to clear the belt.

The result is that travelers, many of whom pass through a mix of old and new equipment as they connect through different hubs, are left guessing: do they help by stacking, or risk being reprimanded for it?

“Every airport is different”: passengers vent over mixed messages

Confusion over bin etiquette is part of a larger frustration: the perception that TSA rules vary from one checkpoint to another, with little explanation. Travelers have taken to Reddit, TikTok and X to describe wildly different experiences within the same year or even at the same airport.

Some report being ordered to put shoes directly on the conveyor belt at one checkpoint, then scolded at another for not placing them in a bin. Others are told to remove laptops and tablets from bags at one airport, only to be chastised at another for taking them out when newer scanners can image electronics in place.

A traveler might breeze through one lane with a belt on and pockets partially filled, then trigger additional screening at a different lane’s body scanner for the same items.

In one widely shared discussion thread, a frequent flier recounted five sets of instructions from four U.S. airports: shoes in a bin at one, never in a bin at another; laptops always out of the bag at one checkpoint, strictly kept inside at another; bags required in bins at one location, banned from bins in a different lane a few weeks later. The traveler said they had never seen a clear sign listing what was expected until they were already standing at the rollers, with an impatient line behind them.

Other users chimed in to say they had similarly been rebuked or talked down to for following guidance that had been correct at their previous airport. The inconsistency, they argued, slows everyone down because passengers cannot prepare in advance. “It seems I do it wrong every time in this country and I don’t know how to tell what the rules are,” one international visitor wrote after several trips through U.S. airports.

Why TSA procedures do not feel the same everywhere

Security professionals and former airline security chiefs say the apparent contradictions have an underlying explanation, even if it is not always obvious in the moment. TSA regulations at the federal level have not changed as frequently as many passengers believe.

Instead, variations stem from the mix of technology installed at each checkpoint, differences in layout and passenger volumes, and the agency’s risk-based approach to screening.

Lanes equipped with advanced computed tomography scanners for carry-on bags, for example, often allow travelers to leave electronics and small liquids inside their luggage, because the machines generate detailed 3D images that can be rotated and analyzed.

Older 2D X-ray machines, still in use in many terminals, typically require laptops and other large electronics to be removed and scanned separately to avoid obscuring other items in the bag.

Similarly, whether passengers keep shoes on or off can depend on a combination of factors: whether they have been screened by a canine team in the line before reaching the belt, whether the airport is using certain types of imaging technology, or whether they are in expedited programs such as TSA PreCheck. Travelers aged 75 or older are often permitted to keep their shoes on, adding another layer of visible variation at the checkpoint.

Experts note that with hundreds of commercial airports and multiple generations of screening equipment in use, uniformity is difficult to achieve. Equipment upgrades are rolling out at different speeds, and some airports are still waiting for funding or installation.

Even within a single terminal, one lane might have the newest scanners while another relies on older systems, leading to different instructions just a few meters apart.

The human factor: communication, culture and courtesy

Technology is only part of the story. The tone and clarity of instructions vary from officer to officer, and that can shape how passengers interpret their responsibilities.

At some checkpoints, officers walk the line with microphones, repeating precise instructions about shoes, belts, laptops, jackets and bins, and reminding passengers whether to leave items in or out of bags. In others, travelers say they strain to hear shouted directions over background noise, or encounter scowls rather than guidance.

Travelers who posted about their experiences online described everything from patient, joking officers who helped families repack, to agents who “flipped out” when someone took off shoes or touched trays in a way that apparently broke an unwritten rule. The same behavior that earned praise in one city might draw a warning in another.

Supporters of TSA staff point out that officers must process thousands of people per shift while maintaining strict security standards, all under considerable public scrutiny. They argue that what some passengers view as rudeness can be stress or urgency, especially during peak holiday travel.

Others counter that inconsistent enforcement and sharp rebukes erode trust and make travelers less willing to cooperate, even on straightforward etiquette questions such as handling bins.

The courtesy debate cuts both ways. Many officers have said they appreciate when travelers clear empty trays, keep lines moving and pay attention to directions. At the same time, some make clear that they prefer passengers not to touch equipment unless told to do so, especially in automated lanes where a well-meaning gesture can disrupt the system. That tension is at the heart of the latest argument over whether stacking bins is helpful initiative or unwelcome interference.

Calls grow for clear, standardized signage at checkpoints

One idea has surfaced repeatedly as travelers search for a middle ground: prominent, airport-specific signs that spell out exactly what is required at each checkpoint, each day.

In multiple online forums, passengers have suggested a simple checklist visible from the start of the line: “Shoes: on or off. Belt: on or off. Jacket: on or off. Laptops: in or out of bag. Liquids: in or out of bag. Bags: in bins or directly on belt. Empty bins: leave or stack.”

Some travelers say they already see versions of these signs at their home airports, particularly where new scanners have been installed. Others insist that they have found minimal or outdated signage at the airports they use most often, leaving them reliant on hurried verbal instructions from staff. Even where signs exist, officers acknowledge that many people simply do not read them as they manage children, luggage and digital boarding passes.

Security experts warn that complete standardization of procedures might not be feasible as long as airports use different equipment. Still, they say better communication could reduce friction, especially for infrequent travelers and international visitors unfamiliar with U.S. practices.

Clear, lane-specific boards that reflect what is installed at that particular conveyor could at least give passengers a chance to prepare before they reach the bins.

Until that happens, the question of whether to stack trays is likely to remain a judgment call. Some travelers say they now glance quickly at the lane design: if bins seem to recirculate automatically, they leave them alone; if trays are piling up at the end with no return system in sight, they may take the risk and stack them anyway.

How passengers are adapting to a patchwork of rules

Seasoned travelers are developing their own survival strategies to navigate an environment where etiquette can collide with equipment. Some report treating every checkpoint as if it were the strictest version: laptops out, belts off, pockets empty, jackets removed, shoes ready to slip off unless explicitly told otherwise. When instructed to keep items in bags or on their feet, they comply but mentally note that expectations have shifted again.

Others say they have stopped trying to predict what individual officers will want and instead focus on watching and listening carefully. They pay attention to what passengers in front of them are doing and how officers respond, adjusting their own behavior accordingly. If the bins at the end of the belt are backing up, they may ask a nearby officer whether stacking is allowed before touching them.

Some travelers liken the situation to a constantly changing set of “house rules” that must be learned anew in each airport. The uncertainty, they argue, feeds anxiety for nervous fliers and adds to the overall stress of modern air travel.

Yet there is also a pragmatic streak: many say that as long as they reach their gate on time, they are willing to put up with a certain amount of inconsistency, even if it means abandoning their preferred notion of courtesy over a stack of plastic trays.

For now, the TSA etiquette divide appears unlikely to resolve itself. With new scanners rolling out unevenly across the country and officers under pressure to move growing passenger volumes, the bin-stacking question will likely continue to surface in crowded lines and comment sections alike.

Travelers may agree on one point, however: whether they stack or step away, they want to know what the rules are before they get scolded for following the wrong version.

FAQ

Q1. Why do TSA rules about bins, shoes and laptops seem different at every airport?
Variations usually come from differences in equipment and layout, not from airports inventing their own regulations. Newer scanners can see through electronics and liquids, so those items may stay in your bag, while older machines require them to be removed. Some checkpoints also use canine teams or specific body scanners that change what needs to come off or go into a bin.

Q2. Is it considered good etiquette to stack TSA bins after I go through security?
It depends on the lane. In older, manually fed lanes, officers often appreciate passengers stacking empty trays to keep the belt clear. In newer automated or continuous-flow lanes, touching or stacking bins can interfere with the system. If you are unsure, a quick “Do you want these stacked?” to the nearest officer is safer than guessing.

Q3. Why would a TSA officer tell me not to touch or stack the trays?
Automated lanes rely on sensors and a recirculating belt to move bins back to the start. When passengers lift, stack or wedge trays, it can trigger errors, cause small traffic jams in the system or confuse the tracking software. Officers in those lanes may ask you to leave the trays where they land, even if that feels less tidy.

Q4. How can I tell in advance whether I need to take out my laptop or liquids?
You often cannot know with certainty until you see the lane. Look for signs near the queue and listen to any announcements from officers. If the bins are large and every item, including roller bags, is going into a single tray, that is often a sign of newer CT scanners that allow electronics and liquids to stay inside bags. Smaller bins and older-looking X-ray machines usually mean laptops and other large electronics must come out.

Q5. Are TSA officers allowed to have different instructions within the same airport?
Yes. Different lanes may use different equipment or be configured for different passenger groups, such as standard screening, TSA PreCheck or premium lanes. That can lead to different instructions side by side. While the underlying security standards are national, the way they are applied can vary by lane and by shift.

Q6. Why is there not one standard sign at every checkpoint listing all the rules?
Travelers and some officers have called for clearer, standardized signage, but airports are at different stages of technology upgrades. A sign that is accurate for one lane might be wrong for the next. Airports and TSA also rely heavily on verbal instructions, although many passengers say those can be hard to hear when lines are busy.

Q7. What is the safest approach if I want to avoid slowing down the line?
Arrive prepared for the strictest scenario: have your laptop and larger electronics easy to remove, wear shoes and belts that are simple to take off, and keep small items consolidated in your bag instead of pockets. Once you reach the front, follow the specific instructions for that lane, even if they differ from what you expected. Paying close attention usually speeds things up more than trying to anticipate every rule.

Q8. Does TSA etiquette differ for PreCheck passengers compared with standard screening?
Yes. TSA PreCheck typically allows passengers to keep shoes, belts and light jackets on and to leave laptops and compliant liquids in their bags, unless otherwise directed. Bin etiquette can still vary, however, because some PreCheck lanes now use the same automated systems as standard lanes. Even with PreCheck, you should follow whatever instructions are given for that specific checkpoint.

Q9. If I see bins piling up and no officer nearby, should I step in and clear them?
It is understandable to want to help, but it is better to check with staff if possible. In a manual lane with a visible pile of trays and no automated return, stacking may be appreciated. In an automated lane, moving bins can cause issues even when it looks helpful. If no one is available to ask, leaving the bins as they are is generally the safer choice.

Q10. Are there any signs that TSA is working toward more consistency for travelers?
Security experts say that as more advanced scanners are installed nationwide, procedures could gradually become more uniform, especially around laptops and liquids. However, the rollout is uneven and may take years, so travelers should expect a patchwork of experiences for the foreseeable future. Calls for clearer, lane-specific signage and better communication are growing, and some airports are starting to respond with more visible instructions at checkpoints.