I have found that Airports equipped with the better Smiths hi-scan machine, laptops can stay in the bag. Screeners also seem to let a lot more through. I travel with a ton of cameras and equipment and when I see a modern Smiths machine, my bag makes it through much easier.

Many European countries require taking your shoes off. At the very least, I have had to do it every single time at multiple UK and Polish airports in the last couple of years.

I've gotten in the habit of doing it the last couple of years as a matter of course, since I wear steel-toed shoes so often. Doubt they'd set the metal detector off, but I'd rather not check.

Would reccommend to anyone who moves servers around frequently.

Few months ago at Amsterdam's Airport security sakd I could keep the water. I was mad at myself for being so happy about it.