Avoid The Headache At Airport Security
Since September 11th, 2001 air travel ceased to be an exciting and fun experience for many Americans. Long gone are the days of coming to the airport 30 minutes before the flight to catch a plane that is about to leave. The whole feel at the airport has changed from one that was exciting, accommodating and drenched with customer service to a feeling of high pressure, security and tense nerves. In fact, you are even advised against talking about certain topics at the airport for the fear that someone will blow your conversation out of proportion.
In any case, the skies are safer now and it’s because of the stringent security measures that have been employed since the fateful day of September 11th, 2001. Safe does come at the cost of convenience. Aside from allowing yourself extra time when you come to the airport, you can also take these measures to avoid any hangups at security checkpoints.
Recommended Clothes
As you may or may not be aware of, everyone must pass through metal detectors a before entering the gate. Being mindful of what you will wear on the plane can save you some trouble when you pass the metal detectors. I feel that anyone entering an airplane should be wearing comfortable clothes. If the planes crashes and you die, it will be nice not to be stuffed up in a suit and tie, or an uncomfortable tight fitting business suit for women. As ridiculous as that sounds it is one factor that I weigh in while deciding what to wear when I will fly. A good rule of thumb is to wear clothes that do not contain any metals. Clothes such as jeans with metal fasteners, any jackets with heavy metal latches or belt buckles that cowboys wear that can stop a bullet will certainly set off the metal detectors. You will then be flagged for additional screening, thus delaying you at security.
Bag Contents
Check with your carrier before the day you plan to fly and find out what the latest regulations are with regards to bringing particular items on board. At the time when this article is written, it is forbidden to bring lighters on board the airplane. So if you are a smoker with a special lighter, leave it at home or store it in your checked luggage. You can count on it being confiscated if you are caught with it at the security check point. Additionally, ensure that you do not have any sharp objects in your carry on bag that are prohibited on board. Items such as scissors, nail clippers or pocket knives will all get you held up at the checkpoint. The best advice is to call your carrier and find out the specific rules because they may have changed by the time you read this article.
Standing In Line
While in line waiting to be inspected from head to toe, along with all your bags, jackets and accessories, you can prepare yourself as you move to the front of the line to be ready to walk straight through. The main idea here is to keep the metal detector from going off at all costs. This means removing all the metal possible from your body. Of course if you have a plate in your head you will not be able to remove that but items such as loose change, watches, or money clips can be easily removed and placed in your carry on bag. For one, if you are wearing a belt with a metal fastener, remove it and place it inside your carry on bag. After your bag with your belt in it passes through the x-ray machine you can get your belt again and put it back on, along with all of your other items.
Secondly, airport security requires travelers to remove their shoes now. So instead of having the security personnel ask you, just remove it beforehand. Any interaction you can avoid with the security personnel will help you get through and to the gate faster.
Furthermore, before getting to the actual inspection you can place your cel phone, ipod or other electronic equipment in your bag. Essentially you only want to pass through the metal detector with as minimal amount of objects on your body to guarantee that the detector will not alarm. For me it’s kind of like a game. I win if I don’t set off the alarm.
Even with all the new security measures at the airport, you can still find room to enjoy yourself. For some these added security measures are a hassle, for others they are a welcome addition. In any case, use the tips listed in this article to guarantee you less headache while passing through the security checkpoint.
