How To Survive TSA for the Holidays
Image via Wikipedia
- Don’t pack anything they won’t let you bring on board.
- Don’t carry wrapped presents. They may unwrap them, and even if not, your wrapping will look fresher if you do it when you arrive at your destination. (Or “wrap” them in an eco-friendly, sewn bag!)
- Carry TSA-friendly kid snacks. One staffer actually had me open every SEALED squeeze pouch of applesauce and eat a little. You never know what they’re going ask you.
- Pack an empty water bottle to fill up from the water fountains on the other side.
- Empty your pockets. Take off your shoes. Take off your belt and sunglasses. Hold your ID/passport and ticket in your hand. Get these things ready before you get to the conveyor.
- If there’s a family line and you have kids, pick that lane. Both TSA and other passengers will be thanking you under their breath.
- Carry your child through the metal detector and opt out of the AIT scanners. Know your rights about pat-downs.
- Load your items on the conveyor in this order: shoes in bin, belts/sweaters/extra items in next bin, laptop in next bin, carry-on bag. If they want to rescan your bag, this won’t hold you up on getting dressed on the other side.
- Double, triple, quadruple -check you have everything with you before you leave the checkpoint. On the plane is too late to realized you’ve left behind a loved toy or your cellphone.
Official travel guides from TSA:
Advertisement
“Double, triple, quadruple -check you have everything with you before you leave the checkpoint.”
Not that anyone ever would have left behind a bag with toys or diapers for the plane in security!
ask
December 16, 2011 at 6:55 am
Great info! I actually had to toss about 10 jars of baby food I was taking home after a vacation in Florida. The TSA guy at the gate said, “You can only take as much as you need to get through the flight,” and handed me 3 jars. The rest went in the trash. Live and learn! Now my kids are 5 and 8, so it’s crunchy snacks all the way.
MommaJam
December 16, 2011 at 1:28 pm
Wow, that’s awful! When was that, out of curiosity? Sometimes I think they’re lightening up a little, and then something like that happens…
vahnee
January 17, 2012 at 8:22 am