3 Tips for Hassle-Free Flying, Articles, living

3 Tips for Hassle-Free Flying

by Mariève Inoue
published May 17, 2012

rating: (123 Ratings)

How not to get held up at airport security

Your tickets are booked, your suitcase is packed, and all the loose ends are wrapped up at work. V (for “vacation”) Day is finally here! But before you arrive at your destination, don’t forget that you still need to get through airport security and onto the plane. Check out our tips for getting yourself organized, and making your time at the airport a breeze.

It’s all about what you (don’t) wear.

Airport security: it’s bad enough when you have to wait after people who take forever to strip themselves of their three jackets, lace-up boots, empty the change from their pockets, and forget to take out their laptop from its case, so make sure your time spent there is minimal. Here’s how:

DO wear something comfortable for the plane ride.

DON’T wear a belt: you’ll have to take it off to go through security anyway. (And, if you ask us, you’ll be more comfortable without it.)

DO wear shoes that easily slip off and on. You will most likely need to take them off at security.

DO empty out all of your pockets before you leave home. No loose change, no keys, etc.

DON’T wear any extravagant jewellery for the trip—you’ll need to take it off anyway at security.

Know what’s in your carry-on.

That nail file you always keep in your purse, just in case? Slip it into your checked luggage, because you don’t want to be caught with anything pointy in your carry-on at security. Same thing goes for scissors. Also, don’t forget about the restrictions on liquids, aerosols and gels being stored in your carry-on luggage. In short, you shouldn’t have anything on you in a format over 100mL. Carrying a laptop or tablet computer? Make sure it’s easily accessible, because you will need to take it out. And don’t forget to finish up and get rid of that bottle of water you always keep in your bag.

Keep everything simple and well-organized.

Keep all your travel documents in one place (ideally, a travel wallet): your passport or government-issued ID, your boarding pass, your e-ticket confirmation, your baggage check ticket, and anything else you might need. You will be asked for your boarding pass at several points throughout the security and boarding process, so have it close at hand.

Tag(s): living, travel, packing, flying, airport etiquette

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May 18, 2012 at 10:27 am

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ddkitty
May 22, 2012 at 6:35 am

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Tip #4: Get there in plenty of time before your flight so if there's a wait at airport security there's isn't a chance you'll be late for your flight. Being anxious, irate, pissed off or impatient will only make it more stressful and make you possibly suspicious to airport security, so don't give them a reason to suspect you by getting impatient. If they suspect anyone they can do anything they want and that will put a damper on your vacation plans.
kerrismom
May 24, 2012 at 9:57 am

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10 others heart this

Also removers tweezers from your make-up case.

about the author

Mariève Inoue
Editor in Chief

Follow Mariève on Twitter: @glittermess