Tips For Getting Through the Airport without Delay
Business travel post 9/11 is more difficult than ever. With the passage of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act and the switch from private security to government-employed screeners, business flyers are finding long lines and less convenience. So are the days of the quick business trip over?
Not if you take a few precautions. Here are four things you can do to get through security in this lifetime:
1. You can save about 10 minutes by flying light. All luggage, including checked baggage, is now screened for explosives. So if possible, only pack for carry-on.
2. Don’t wander around the airport with your cell phone on or with metal objects in your pockets. You can easily set off metal detectors at security checkpoints as you pass by. When that happens, a guard is likely to send you off to a “wanding” line for another once-over, which could take lots of time depending on how busy
the airport is.
3. Try to book your flights during off-peak hours, especially early morning and red-eye times. You avoid the tourist traffic and will be processed more quickly.
4. Try to book flights that take off and land in airports that have been “federalized” for a while. Many airports have not had time yet to work the bugs out of their security operation, while others are more experienced. For information on a particular airport, go the “Briefing Room” of the Transportation Security Administration’s Web site www.tsa.gov.
