Top Ten Tips To Get Through The Airport Checkpoint Quickly

By Author: Jeff Schuman
Total Articles: 3
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An air travel tip is something you can use to your benefit
when traveling by air. In this article we look at several
air travel tips.

Seems travelers love to hate the screeners at the airport. Keep
in mind, the front line personnel that you see as you make your
way toward the gate are just the worker bees. They're not
Congress and they're not the big wig decision makers. If at
times they seem like robots, deviating very little from their
spcheel, it's because they have procedures that they must follow
and deviating from the standard operation procedure is not an
option.

There are a number of things you can do yourself to speed things
along. Listed below are the top ten tips to help your visit to
the airport security checkpoint hassle-free.

1. Have your boarding pass and government issued photo ID readily
available. Some airports have someone checking your boarding
pass and ID as you first approach your concourse, then shortly
thereafter there is another employee asking for the same thing.

Actually they may be ...
... asking for the same thing, but these
employees, often one a federal employee and one a private company
employee, while looking at the same thing, aren't looking for the
same thing. Each person has a different role to fill. If you
have to dig in your purse or wallet for these items, that will
increase the wait time. Ensure your boarding pass is pulled out
of the airline envelope.

2. Wear tennis shoes or known airport friendly footwear so you'll
avoid setting off the alarm on the walk through metal detector.
Often the screeners will encourage you to take your shoes off
before passing through the metal detector. What many passengers
fail to recognize is that many, many shoe manufacturers place
steel shanks (supports) in the souls of the shoes. Just because
you don't see metal, doesn't mean they are metal-free.

3. Laptop computers and video cameras that use cassette tapes,
not digital cameras, need to come out of their carrying case
prior to passing through the x-ray machine. Have these items out
of the case before you reach the table to divest your items.

4. Only undeveloped film with a speed of 800 or higher should be
hand checked. All other disposable cameras, film of 100, 200 or
400 speed and digital cameras are safe to pass through the x-ray.
Know your film speed before reaching the x-ray machine.

5. If you have an inkling that your belt buckle or larger metal
watch may set off the metal detector, remove them while you're
waiting in line and have them ready to place into a bin.

6. Don't wear pants or suspenders that contain a lot of metal.
If you can't remove the metal prior to passing through the metal
detector, you'll be sent for additional screening, thus
increasing your wait time.

7. Most smell jewelry such as rings, necklaces and earrings will
not set off the alarm. Don't bother wasting time removing them.

8. Yes your fanny pack, hidden money belt and wallet on a string
around your neck must pass through the x-ray, have it ready to
place into a bin.

9. Leave all tools, Swiss army knives, pointed end scissors, and
bladed corkscrews in your checked bag. You may not bring them
onboard the aircraft in your carry-on bags. If your bag must be
searched to find these items, it's definitely going to increase
your wait time.

10. Strollers and pet carriers need to pass through the x-ray
machine. Remove your children and pets from this equipment prior
to reaching the x-ray.

If you're standing in line merely waiting for your turn to walk
through, use this time to your advantage. If everyone were
already ready to walk though the metal detector BEFORE it was
actually their turn, the wait times would be greatly decreased.

Next time you fly, instead of grumbling about the procedures that
neither you nor the front line screeners can change, try having
some fun, being prepared and perhaps even thanking the screeners
for doing their part of keeping the aircrafts safe.



About the author:
Jeff Schuman's small business resource website has the best of everthing to help you run your own small business.
http://www.sites-plus.com