Airport security check point tips

The holiday travel season is a busy time.  Airports are crowded and lines are long. TSA has created a list that details what to do to make your security check in smooth and efficient.

Pack an organized carry-on bag using layers – a layer of clothes, then electronic, more clothes, and then any heavier items. This will help security officers see what’s in your bag.

Have your boarding pass and ID ready for inspection when you get to the checkpoint.

Remove your coat and shoes and place them in a bin.

Place any oversized electronics (laptops, full-size video game consoles, DVD players and video cameras that use cassettes) in a separate bin. iPods and other smaller electronics can stay in your carry-on bag.

Follow the 3-1-1 rule for liquids and put your one quart baggie separately in the bin.

When in doubt, leave it out. If you’re not sure about whether you can bring an item through the checkpoint, put it in your checked bag or leave it at home. Click here to see the list of prohibited items. 

Watch the TSA Video simpliFLY

Security Check Point Wait Times

Filed under: Air Travel, airline, airport security, airports

More on 3-1-1

I recently came across two pages on the TSA.gov website that refer to the 3-1-1 rule and how it will apply to international passengers. One page announces new regulations regarding liquids in carry on bags and the effect on duty free purchases and the other announces the “International Harmonization” security measures that will be implemented on November 6, 2007.

All duty-free items purchased in European airports will be placed in sealed tamper-evident bags and they will be permittted through the European security check points. Duty-free liquids purchased in US airports will be permitted only if the passenger flies nonstop to Europe. If the passenger is connecting to another flight in a European airport, US duty-free purchases will not be allowed through security because those items will not be in a tamper-evident bag.

30 countries will have similar security measures in place regarding liquids in carry on bags. The statistic that approximately one half of the world’s travelers will follow the 3-1-1 rule is impressive.

As for the duty-free prohibition on US purchases because of a connection, why aren’t US duty-free shops placing these purchases in the same or similar tamper-evident bags? It just doesn’t make sense.

These two pages aren’t linked and are found in different headings on the TSA.gov website. I found them by accident. I think the TSA.gov website very difficult to navigate through and pages like these should be linked. A redesign and reworking of this site is in order.

International Passenger Travel Alert
International Harmonization of Security Measures

Filed under: airline industry, airport security, airports, international travel security, tsa