For a senior like me who has families and friends scattered all over the world, traveling must be the best part of the holiday season. Not only you get to go out and leave problems for a while but also you get to see your beloved ones as well as those new additions to the family such as grandchildren and pets. Of course, spending time with them, no matter how short the amount of time will be, highlights the season and make you look forward to next however, traveling still requires seniors some protocol to follow. Not following them will surely bring about delays which you, I’m sure, wouldn’t want to bump into.
Airport security people are merely doing their job, that is to ensure our safety while onboard. It is us passengers and travelers who should be following rules for a smooth and hassle-free travels. As a reminder to passengers, TSA or Transportation Security Administration updates their website on a regular basis. For more information on how to travel safely this holiday season, check out their website.
On the other hand, below are some helpful tips for Air travelers this holiday season:
• Avoid pat-downs. Pat-downs only happen when you triggered an alarm in checkpoints. It also occurs when a passenger refuse to be screened. Pat-downs are basically frisking by an authority to search for prohibited items. To avoid triggering an alarm, it is best to empty your pockets before going through a checkpoint.
• Provide necessary information for TSA’s Secure Flight program. By doing so, you avoid misidentification. Secure Flight program aims to identify questionable personalities before they board a plane thus decreasing the chances of breaching air security.
• Stay connected. There are many ways you can be informed even if you are already on your way to the airport. Laptops and handy tablet computers can get you connected to your airline’s website as well as your airport’s—your mobile phone can do that too.
• Never hand-carry your liquids, gels and aerosols since liquid explosives are still considered as a threat by TSA. To minimize the possibility of a delay, it is best to not bring them at all especially if you can buy them at your destination.
• Use family lanes if you really need to bring liquids and medications with you. Officers in charge of these lanes ensure a more leisurely pace when inspecting your baggage and during inspection.
• Bring gifts unwrapped. You can wrap them upon landing anyway. An officer may ask you to open wrapped gifts to be inspected thus causing delay. By not wrapping them at all, the officer will not have a reason to flag your package down.
