They're still working... most of them. Some agents are staging a 'sickout' but we don't fly without Transportation Security Administration (TSA) ensuring air passengers safety. During the shutdown as well as 'normal' times we need to be up to
date on how to comply with the TSA regulations. Let me share some tips.
Show up early. The general rule is
to show up 1 ½ - 2 hours early, however, with the lines and staff
shortages during this shutdown, you should probably give yourself 3
hours just to be on the safe side. If your
airport has multiple checkpoints, ask airline ticket-counter agents
or airport customer service reps if one has a shorter line than
another. Sometimes walking to an alternate checkpoint can save time.
Operations all over the country are running smoothly and quickly as
this is written, but the consensus remains better safe than sorry.
One good way to get through quicker, regardless of the shutdown, is
to sign up for TSA Precheck. If interested, click this link
www.tsa.gov/precheck.
Check your
airport’s website to see if it posts TSA wait times. Many do now,
although the information can be dated. You may see no wait when you
leave home but encounter a long wait when you arrive at the airport.
In the best of times, it is important to be mindful that the items
you are packing are quickly scanned and in compliance with TSA
guidelines. You can go to their website to see a simple and
straightforward list of items that are prohibited.
Remember to
dress for traveling. It always is smart to wear easily removable
shoes and leave the heavy metal jewelry at home! Belts will need to
be removed as well as jackets and hoodies so be prepared by wearing
appropriate clothing.
Thankfully,
January is a slower travel month after the busy holiday season.
Travel starts to pick up with the President’s Day Holiday and
spring break vacations. You may be asking yourself if it is safe to
travel during the shutdown? Quite frankly, it is as safe as any
other time. Much of the screening is done by dogs that detect
explosive materials leaving the human decision making less vital.
The machines are equipped with software that can flag things for the
human screeners to look and evaluate.
Technology is
our friend while traveling and downloading the TSA mobile app is a
must. It is free and offers a 24/7 air travel guide as well as
airport delays, security wait times, videos and weather. You can
also type any item in the “Can I Bring” section and get an
instant answer.
Happy
traveling! #travelforless
Image Teri Virbickis, used with permission
No comments:
Post a Comment