iPad owners may get a (very) small reprieve when going through security checkpoints at US airports. The Transportation Security Administration told the Associated Press that iPads generally do not need to be removed from carry-on luggage when going through X-ray screening.

The TSA said that the iPad is much smaller and thinner than laptops, making it easier to see on the scanner. Also, the organization said that iPad users generally would not be carrying multiple bulky accessories, such as hard drives and chargers, which might otherwise obstruct a clear view of the device as it passes through X-ray equipment.

That "generally" qualifier is important, however. The TSA still reserves the right to ask you to remove your iPad from any bag if screeners can't get an unobstructed view of the device. This same exception is true for laptops that are carried in supposed "checkpoint friendly" laptop bags manufacturers began making available last year.

A spokesperson for the TSA told Associated Press that it is communicating its iPad policy to screeners. The policy will have no effect on the need to remove your shoes at security checkpoints or prevent you from being subjected to a potentially embarrassing full-body scan, however.