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Passengers urged to prepare for busy travel season
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Posted on Nov 17 2005
The Transportation Security Administration urged air travelers to prepare for longer lines at security checkpoints during the holiday season.
The federal agency expects heavy passenger volume throughout the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
However, travelers can help make passenger screening as efficient as possible by following a few simple guidelines, according to TSA customer support manager Viola Sablan.
TSA’s Holiday Checklist includes these reminders:
– Double check the contents of your pockets, bags, and carry on luggage to ensure no prohibited items were inadvertently packed. Lighters, firearms or other weapons are prohibited as carry-on items.
– Firearms placed in checked bags must be properly declared to your airline.
– Get to the airport in plenty of time.
– Take laptops and video cameras out of their cases.
– Do not wrap gifts.
– Do not pack fragile or valuable items in checked baggage. Ship or take them with you in carry-on baggage.
– Put undeveloped film in carry-on baggage. Screening equipment will damage film.
– You are not required to remove your shoes. However, may types of footwear with metal, or thick soles or heels, may require additional screening even if the metal detector does not alarm.
– Do not overpack bags. Closing overstuffed bags can be difficult and may result in that checked bag being delayed.
– Do not lock your bag unless you use a TSA-approved lock.
– Passengers selected for additional screening have the right to request it be done in a private location.
Sablan also urged travelers to remove outer coats and jackets for X-ray before proceeding through the metal detectors. That includes suit and sports coats, athletic warmup jackets and blazers.
A discussion in advance of airport security may be helpful for people traveling with children. At the checkpoint, children will need to temporarily part with such things as blankets and stuffed animals, and older children need to know that any comment suggesting a threat to an aircraft or its passengers is taken seriously be TSA security officers.
