I sit here
on a cold March day, when only a few days ago I was running my air conditioner.
Even with this back and forth weather, I’m getting a bit of the spring/summer
fever and it reminds me that many folks are currently planning travel for
spring break and the summer vacation season. So here are few travel tips and
other information to help you spring forward through TSA checkpoints and get
you to your destination safely.
The 4-1-1 on
3-1-1 (Liquids, Gels & Aerosols): If you’re checking a bag, make things simple by packing
liquids in your checked luggage. That way, you don’t have to worry about the 3-1-1liquids
rules. But I know that doesn’t work for
everyone; either your trip is a short one or you’re only bringing a carry-on
bag. If you have to take liquids in your
carry-on, please continue reading… 3-1-1 is a quick way to remember how our liquids
policy works. You can read here for more details, but here is the gist: each passenger
is allowed to take as many 3.4 ounce
or less sized containers that will fit in one
sealed clear quart-sized zip-top bag – and one
bag per person. Make sure you take the zip-top bag out of your
carry-on prior to sending it through the X-ray.
Here is some information on frequently asked liquid, aerosol and gel items:
- Suntan & Sun Block Lotion: Lotions fall under the 3-1-1 procedures that I mentioned above. So do the aerosol spray lotions. Sunblock sticks do not fall under this rule.
- Makeup: Any liquid makeup cosmetics such as eyeliner, nail polish, liquid foundation, etc. should be placed in the baggie. That goes for perfume as well. Powder makeup is fine.
- Beverages: Wine, liquor, beer, and all of your other favorite beverages are permitted in your checked baggage. You can also bring beverages packaged in 3.4 oz or less bottles in your carry-on bags in the 3-1-1 baggie.
Sporting
Goods: Golf clubs, tennis rackets, baseball
bats (including the mini slugger bats), cricket bats, bows and arrows, hockey
sticks, scuba knives, spear guns, etc. are all prohibited from being carried
onto the plane. However, you
can have them checked as luggage.
Destination
Weddings: Getting married soon? We’ve been asked
about it a lot lately on our MyTSA
app, so we wrote a post on it. Be sure to check it out
for some great tips.
TSA
Cares Helpline: TSA Cares is a new helpline
number designed to assist passengers with disabilities and medical
conditions to call prior to traveling. Read
more info here.
Spring Forward: If you haven’t moved you’re clock forward by now,
you’ve been really late to a lot of things.
The MyTSA App: Our
MyTSA
App (available as an iPhone or mobile web app) amongst other great features has
a “Can I Bring My…” tool. You can type in the name of the item you’re curious
about and it tells you if the item is permitted or not. Wondering if you can
take your bug repellant on the plane? Check the app
to find out. A wait time feature is also available on our MyTSA
application. It relies on crowd
sourcing which means the more people who use it, the better. Spread the
word, just like suntan lotion on your pale sun-deprived body.
Pat-Downs & Body Scanners: To
reduce the need for a pat-down, the most important thing you can do is take
everything out of your pockets before screening. You can put these items in
your carry-on bag. Don't wear clothes with a high metal content, and put heavy
jewelry on after you go through security. You will also receive a pat-down if
you choose to opt out of our Advanced
Imaging Technology. (Body Scanners) Check out this post to read some myths and facts about the
pat-down.
Kids 12
& Under can Keep Their Shoes on: As part of our move towards a risk-based security
approach, we rolled out revised screening procedures
for passengers 12 and under that include leaving shoes on. Click here to learn more about the revisions.
Taking
Your Pet with You? We’d rather not pull a live
bunny out of your bag; however, if you plan on traveling with animals please
refer to our “Traveling
with Pets” page or check with your airline carrier.
Camping,
Hunting, or Fishing?: If you’re heading to the great
outdoors, be sure to check
out this post for tips on traveling with camping, hunting, and fishing
gear.
Double Check Your Bag for Guns: Seriously!!! It
sounds silly, but if you read our Week in Review
posts, you’ll see that our officers find at least two guns every day somewhere
in the U.S.. A good percentage of those were loaded. The most common excuse is
that the passenger didn’t know or forgot it was in the bag. A good rule of
thumb is if you do keep a gun in one of your everyday bags you use, be sure to
double check it if plan on travelling with it.
Shaving
Razors: You can get
more info from our blog post on this subject where the pictures will answer
all of your questions.
TSA Pre✓™
Expedited
Screening: The
TSA Pre✓™
initiative allows certain passengers flying domestically to get streamlined
screening in select airports nationwide.
If you’ve been contacted by your participating airline (currently Delta
and American, with others joining later) or if you’re a current member of one
of CBP’s Trusted Traveler programs (Global Entry, NEXUS or SENTRI), be sure to
opt in and follow the simple directions to become eligible for expedited
screening. Click here to learn more
about where TSA Pre✓™ is and where it’s coming to.
Lost or Forgotten IDs: We’ve gotten many calls from people who’ve had a wallet stolen or lost on
a trip and have no ID for their return trip.
Don’t worry, if this happens to you, you’ll still
be permitted to fly as long as you help us verify you are who you say you are
by answering a few questions. It’s wise
to get to the airport a little earlier just to be safe.
If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.
