Air Travel Tips

We are pleased to present below an air travel tips article written by Jamie Madison, a flight attendant. We hope you will find this item helps to ensure you experience a smooth passage through airport security checkpoints.

Don't forget to check out our other essential travel tips here too!




How To Breeze Through
The Security Checkpoint At Airports

Article about Air Travel Tips by Jamie Madison

Air travel is such a common method of transportation today, we sometimes forget the practical tips to help us enjoy a flight. The following tips will help you reduce your wait time at the security checkpoint.

What to do before you arrive at the airport.

1. Do not pack or bring prohibited items to the airport. Prohibited items are weapons, explosives, incendiaries, and include items that are seemingly harmless but may be used as weapons - the so-called "dual use" items. You may not bring these items to security checkpoints without authorization.

2. Place valuables such as jewelry, cash and laptop computers in carry-on baggage only. Tape your business card to the bottom of your laptop.

3. Avoid wearing clothing, jewelry and accessories that contain metal. Metal items may set off the alarm on the metal detector.

4. Avoid wearing shoes that contain metal or have thick soles or heels. Many types of footwear will require additional screening even if the metal detector does not alarm.

5. Put all undeveloped film and cameras with film in your carry-on baggage. Checked baggage screening equipment will damage undeveloped film.

6. Declare firearms & ammunition to your airline and place them in your checked baggage.

7. If you wish to lock your baggage, use a TSA-recognized lock.

8. Do not bring lighters or prohibited matches to the airport.

9. Do not pack wrapped gifts and do not bring wrapped gifts to the checkpoint. Wrap on arrival or ship your gifts prior to your departure. TSA may have to unwrap packages for security reasons.

At the Airport

Keep in mind that every adult traveler 18 years and older will need to keep available his/her airline boarding pass and government-issued photo ID until exiting the security checkpoint. Because of the differences in airport configurations at many airports, you may be required to display these documents more than once.

Place the following items IN your carry-on baggage or in a plastic bag prior to entering the screening checkpoint:

  • Mobile phones
  • Keys
  • Loose change
  • Money clips
  • PDA's (personal data assistants)
  • Large amounts of jewelry
  • Metal hair decorations
  • Large belt buckles

    Take your laptop and video cameras with cassettes OUT of their cases and place them in a bin which will be provided at the checkpoint.

    Take OFF all outer coats, suit coats, jackets and blazers.

    By following the suggested tips, you will breeze through the security checkpoint, which will help you to enjoy your flight.

    Copyright 2005. GetCheapAirlineTickets.com All Rights Reserved.

    About the Author:

    Jamie Madison is a flight attendant with a low-cost airline based in JFK. She enjoys consulting in the travel business and has provided a FREE website to offer consumers a stress-free way to make travel plans. Download your FREE "Travel Tips" Report by visiting http://www.getcheapairlinetickets.com)


    More Air Travel Tips:

    Gathered from around the Net the best tips from those who use the airways often:

    Planning and Booking Your Flight

    When choosing a potentially long flight recognize that there is a difference between 'direct' and 'non-stop' departures. Unlike non-stops, direct flights can touch down at other airports on the way to their ultimate destinations. Although the stops on a direct flight are built in to the total travel time, they can never account for potential hold-ups and delays. So the message is when available choose a non stop flight.

    When you book on-line be double sure you have used the exact version of your name that appears on your passport of you could be in trouble at check-in. At the least it could hold things up and at the worst you might even be refused your ticket. It sounds obvious but if you typically use a less formal version of your name than it's easy to forget that your passport may differ.

    Always make sure to stipulate special requirements on a flight when you book. If using on-line booking be sure to look out for small print requiring you to state your needs. This is especially important if you are disabled and require special help or seating. If space is limited and you fail to pre-book requirements you may find you cannot fly - or at the least be charged for any last minute additional requirements.

    Don't risk leaving your arrival for check-in too late. If you experience an unexpected hold up then you could easily miss the flight. This is another obvious tips but a large number of people fail to plan their timing and cause themselves problems or the airline delays in the process. Plan time for a relaxing coffee while you wait at the airport rather than cause the stress to mount for you and the check-in staff!

    When flying abroad and to more exotic destinations be sure you have checked any particular entry requirements. Some countries — like Chile, Kenya, and India — require a visa for entry; others, like South Africa, won’t allow entrance unless a traveler’s passport contains at least two blank, unstamped pages. You need to make sure you can fulfil requirements before you complete a booking. You can investigate entrance regulations at www.travel.state.gov/travel.

    When it comes to Packing

    Spot your luggage on the carousel easily by making sure it is distinguishable. But think twice about simply tying a colored ribbon on it as this has become popular and you may be one of a number - plus these can cause problems in handling and get ripped off. It is better to have brightly colored luggage if you want to spot it easily. But otherwise try and add some permanent decoration that will be easily seen but can't be easily pulled off or removed.

    Try and get hold of travel sizes in any toiletries and personal care that you love to use. If you can get free sample sachets all the better - but otherwise look out for smaller versions of the products you like to use to save luggage space and weight. Some excellent 'organic skin care' travel items can be obtained from http://www.naturaltravelessentials.com all in travel sizes.

    Carrying some disinfectant wipes can prove a boon - not so much for your hands but to wipe down surfaces. With the best will in the world the service turnaround on many flights is so quick these days that dining trays/tables are rarely disinfected adequately and you might be the unlucky one to sit where a messy child has left his/her mark.

    When packing your essential electrical goods make sure that they are padded between clothes to avoid damage and try and lay them in one neat layer - so that it is easier for an x-ray check to see what is there. This will speed up transit time through check-in if applicable to you!.

    Always double-check that you have not left the type of things that might cause delays and /or confiscations when you pass through check-in such as — nail scissors, hair scissors, other sharp pointed items or small knives (fruit knife, or perhaps a penknife). It is really annoying to lose a favorite item this way and costs you money, time and embarrassment.

    Have You Some Pointers?

    If you have any additional air travel tips, or indeed any useful ideas about how to make traveling easier and trouble free, please share them and send them in via our review or 'contact us' page.

    The Team at VtDR

    (Dear Visitor: If our air travel tips page helps you plan your Dominican Republic vacation, or business visit, please consider making a small donation HERE to support the continued viability of this voluntary project. Thank you. Ruth)




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