Don't let waggy tails draw you in. @TSA K-9 handlers say working dogs should not be addressed or petted. @TSAmedia_LisaF @WTOP pic.twitter.com/2Yn164praT
— Kristi King (@kingWTOP) December 20, 2017
DULLES, Va. — Thursday and Friday are expected to be the busiest days of the year at airport security checkpoints, according to the Transportation Security Administration. So everything you can do to speed up the security line helps.
“We’re expecting to see 400,000 people per day additional than we would on a typical Thursday or Friday,” TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said.
With that in mind, the TSA’s tips to help the flow include arriving at the airport two hours early, approaching security checkpoints with ID and Boarding Pass in hand and being ready to take out electronics.
“We have a new policy this year … you should be taking out any small personal electronic devices larger than a cellphone from your carry-on bag and putting them in a bin with nothing above them and nothing below them,” Farbstein said.
The helps assure an X-ray image can confirm electronics such as an Xbox actually are what they appear to be.
Some more carry-on item FAQ and TSA tips:
Should you wrap gifts?
Wrapped gifts are okay, but not recommended. There’s a chance the effort will be wasted if an item needs closer inspection. And if that happens, that will slow down security lines.
Can you bring Christmas cookies on a plane?
Yes. Cookies, fruitcake and holiday treats are allowed. Bring on the ham, turkey, cakes and pies. Food items that can be spread or poured have to follow the 3-1-1 liquids rule to be carried on to the plane.
What about snow globes?
Snow globes are permissible if they pass the 3-1-1 liquids rule. Snow globes smaller than a tennis ball are likely to contain 3.4 ounces or less of fluids and would be okay. Larger than that, and they’ll need to go in checked baggage. Good luck with that.
How can toys be terrible?
Toy guns, swords and other items that look like weapons can be misinterpreted as the real thing in X-ray images. That can lead to calls for the bomb squad, evacuations and delays. The TSA would prefer you put any toy that looks like a weapon in checked bags. Toys that talk or make sounds are okay.
Are batteries okay to carry on and to pack in checked luggage?
Most batteries are allowed, such as those used in cameras, personal electronics or other battery-operated equipment.
TSA agents at security checkpoints want you to know ahead of time what is and isn’t allowed so you don’t cause delays at lines.
The most frequent annoyance? Pocket knives, water bottles and pockets that are supposed to be completely empty that still have paper, trash, tissue and coins.
“So, please. Everything out of your pockets,” TSA Officer Anne Voigt pleaded. TSA Officer Angela Medrano is tired of seeing people forget that a water bottle is in one of their carry-on bags.
“People complain about how slow it is, but that’s why the process is slower — because we have a lot of water bottles people forget about or think they can come through with,” Medrano said.
A tip from Voigt is to bring an empty bottle with you that you can fill at the water fountain once you get past security. “You don’t have to pay $4 on the other side,” Voigt said prompting Farbstein to chime in: “Yeah, you save some money.”
