Flying during the holidays is never fun thanks to the crowds, but airport security policies are going to make things even more unpleasant. If you're prepared for this year's security theater hijinks, however, you can avoid some of the misery. Here's how you can deal with all the crap at the airport this holiday season.
Airport Security Is Unpleasant, But You Shouldn't Be
Despite how it may seem, it's not the Transport Security Administration's (TSA) intention to make your holiday travel miserable. While we think many of the policies they put into action are a little ridiculous, and security theater at best, your experience at the airport is going to be worse if you approach the situation with anger and frustration. The TSA agents are people, too, and they most likely know you're not looking forward to the security process. One of the best things you can do for yourself and everyone else in the security line is be kind and polite. Airport security isn't fun, but you can always expect it to be awful if your approach is decidedly negative. This post is about easing the pain, and not getting frustrated over what may seem like (and probably are) stupid policies. With that in mind, here's what you need to know before you set foot in an airport this holiday season.
Don't Wrap Your Gifts
According to the Consumerist, the TSA warns that you shouldn't wrap your gifts if you plan to take them through security. This sounds pretty ridiculous, but the TSA's explanation is actually reasonable:
Wrapped gifts are screened just like any other item. We can see through the paper just like we can see through luggage, but just as we have to open a bag when it requires a search due to an anomaly or an alarm, we have to open wrapped items as well if they alarm or require additional screening.
We want your gift to arrive wrapped just as much as you do. Just know the possibility is there that if the item alarms, we might have to open it to resolve the alarm. We don't enjoy unwrapping presents that aren't for us, but if an anomaly is detected inside, we'll have to unwrap it in order to determine what it is so we can clear it for travel.
Basically, don't travel with a knife set or bomb making kit and you'll probably be fine with a little wrapping. That said, be prepared to re-wrap your gift should a TSA agent feel the need for further inspection.
Use the Right Security Line
Are you traveling alone? You probably don't want to deal with the massive family in front of you who's trying to dump their bulk package of juice boxes before heading through the scanners. If you're a family, you probably don't want to be rushed by all the single people either. In most cases your airport security checkpoint should now have separate lanes for regular travelers and families:
[Family lanes are] designed to let families take their time and ask questions without feeling rushed by the experienced frequent flyers who can zip through a checkpoint in no time. Also anybody carrying medically necessary liquids, aerosols and gels in excess of 3.4 oz may be directed to a Family Lane.
In my experience, these lanes are often unmarked but tend to fall on the left or right side of the checkpoint. It's always best to ask, but if you're unable to find anybody to help you then just look for the line with lots of children. Chances are that's the one you should join if you're a family and avoid if you're not.
Don't Take Your Kids' Shoes Off
Good news! Your kids' shoes aren't bomb-laden, presuming they're 12 years or younger. The TSA has decided that young children can leave their footwear attached to their feet when passing through security. Although this is a generally positive change, the TSA warns that your kids may be asked to remove their shoes under certain circumstances and they may receive a pat-down if they cause an alert. (The TSA is using the word "alert" to mean security concern, by the way, so keep that one in your vocabulary.) So if your child looks particularly evil or forgets to pack his/her pocket knife, remember to prepare them for a pat-down. Parents are allowed to be present, and it's a great opportunity to have that good-touch-bad-touch conversation, right?
Don't Worry About Embarrassment from Body Scanners
Remember all the fuss about the body scanning machines that showed some unpleasant renderings of what we look like underneath out clothes? The TSA actually paid attention and offered somewhat of a compromise. When you go through these new scanners you're no longer naked-ish:
TSA has upgraded all millimeter wave body scanner units nationwide with new software to further enhance privacy protections by eliminating the image of an actual passenger and replacing it with a generic outline of a person. You step into the Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) machine and the new software will auto-detect potential threats and show their location. The image is on a monitor that is attached to the AIT unit in public view so that passengers can see what the officer sees. Because this eliminates privacy concerns, we no longer have to place an officer in a separate room to view the images.
This still doesn't eliminate the concerns of having a fairly frequent low-level x-ray, but at least you'll look more like a cartoon than a fat blob to your onlooking TSA agent.
For more information about holiday travel, the TSA has posted a full guide. We've covered the important stuff, but if you want a look at some of the basics and enjoy bad turkey jokes you should check out their post. Additionally, if you're still not sure what you can and cannot bring on a plane and have a smartphone, you might want to grab the MyTSA app. It'll let you type in an item and see if it is approved. Now all that's left is making sure you picked the right days to fly. Happy travels everyone!
Photo by Baloncici.
You can follow Adam Dachis, the author of this post, on Twitter, Google+, and Facebook. ?Twitter's the best way to contact him, too.
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