Nobody likes the added inconvenience of the Post 9/11 airport security screening under the watchful eyes of the TSA at airports around the country. However, we have adapted and accepted that this is the way it is going to be. While we can't change the circumstances, we can take steps to minimize the impact and give ourselves the best chance of avoiding waiting in airport security lines and going as quickly as possible through airport security screening while still complying with all the rules.
1. Timing. If you attempt to go through airport security screening at the same time as everyone else is, you will add delays. Improve your timing with these three things. First, consider the day of the week of your flight when you are planning your airport arrival time. You will find more leisure travelers flying on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. They are less familiar with the procedures and slow things down. Second, consider the breakfast, lunch and dinner departure times on any day of the week. They have a tendency to grow longer lines of people and increase delays. Third, if you are checking bags or buying a ticket at the airline ticket counter plan for a delay in line of about 30 minutes.
TIP: Everybody shows up at the airport about an hour before their flight and waits in line. Add some time (at least 30 minutes) and breeze through before the crowd hits. If you breeze through security, you have time for a peaceful meal or a needed phone call after the airport security checkpoint.
2. Avoid Contraband. You may not like the rules (no one does) but hoping you might get away with a pocket knife, scissors, water bottle or large tube of toothpaste will only cost you time and hassle as a TSA agent pulls your bag, searches it and removes the prohibited items. Take a look at the TSA website ( http://www.TSA.gov and click on "Prohibited Items") for an up to date list of items not allowed on aircraft and ensure that you don't have them.
TIP: Go through the laptop bag, purse or brief case that you usually take to work and make sure that there are no prohibited items before you leave home. You would be amazed at how many people forget to do this.
3. Follow the Rules. There are no exceptions and the TSA agents will notice that your shoes and coat are still on. They have a separate guy that specifically watches for that Metal detector. Instead, have your clear plastic toiletry bag ready and easily accessible to put in a bin for the x-ray machine. Be ready to take out your laptop and take off your shoes and coat.
TIP: If you can select one airport security line over another, always look at who is ahead of you. Are they ready to follow the TSA rules? If the TSA agents are sending them back to take off their shoes or coat, that will cost you time and delays also!
4. Minimize Metal. There is a certain amount of metal that you can have on and pass through the security scan without setting off the alarm. However, it is not much so you want to be sure and remove all the metal that you can. Don't forget the watch on your arm, belt buckle, change in your pocket and pens.
TIP: Plan ahead. Before you are standing at the airport security scanner remove everything you can such as watch, cell phone and change and put it in your coat pocket or a pocket in your carry-on bag. As you approach the scanner those are a few less things to slow you down. On the other side of the airport security scanner just grab your coat and go. When you have a chance later (maybe sitting at the gate) you can put watch back on and throw the change back in your pocket.
5. Order in for Order out. Usually there is a big bag jam after the airport security scanner as everyone waits to get their bags off the x-ray conveyor. If you can minimize your time waiting for your stuff you can save several minutes. The first item to place on the scanner conveyor belt is your roll-aboard bag if you have one. The next item going on the conveyor should be your laptop bag (or similar bag which you might hook onto your roll-aboard.) The last items are your laptop, shoes or coat bins. When your roll-aboard comes out, it comes off the conveyor and goes straight to the ground. The laptop bag then slips over or hooks onto the handle. Finally, grab your shoes, laptop and coat and get away from that area. A quick pause may be needed to put your shoes on and then you are off to the gate.
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