Getting Through Security

When going to the airport for your impending trip, the best thing to do is prepare yourself for long lines. There might be lines checking in for your flight (although now, you can check in for your flight from home) and checking luggage. Additionally, there are usually long lines at the security check points.

The following are some ways that will help get you through security check points a lot faster.

• Pack your carry-on bag smartly
  

• Make sure clothes are folded neatly

• Tie up cables and cords
  

• Remember you'll have to take your laptop out of your carry-on
  

• Remember the 3-1-1 rule

• Make sure to have your boarding pass and ID out
  

• Wear comfortable shoes which are easy to remove
  

• Remember you'll have to take off your coat as well
  

• Make sure you are calm and courteous to the TSA workers (think before you speak)

Hopefully these hints and tips will help you get through security faster and make your next trip less stressful.

A New Year, A New Liquid Rule (It's Not Bad)

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced (via their blog) that restrictions on carry -on liquid items will be eased next year at major U.S. airports, and that they plan to lift the restrictions all together by 2010. The TSA will be introducing a new advanced technology (AT) X-ray machine that will be installed in all major airports by fall of next year. This new X-ray will allow for the removal of size restrictions on carry-on liquids. All liquids that will be carried onto plans will still have to be put into separate bins for X-raying. By 2010 air travelers will be allowed to keep their non-hazardous liquids in their carry-on bags when going through security check points.

Currently, travelers are still restricted to the 3-1-1 rule. The 3-1-1 rule states that an airline passenger can only have 3 ounces of liquid or less in 1 quart size bag per traveler. These new rules will be a big weight lifted off of the shoulders of travelers all across the globe. When this new rule is in effect, it means that we will no longer be required to throw out our water bottles before the security gates. This also means that if we were to buy an expensive wine from Italy, we will not have to check it in our bags.

Expanded Use of Paperless Boarding Passes

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is planing on expanding their electronic boarding pass program nationwide over the next year or so. Earlier this year, the TSA tested their paperless boarding pass program in a select number of airports across the country. Currently, Delta Airlines are utilizing paperless boarding passes at LaGuardia, and will soon use them in Atlanta, Orlando, and Salt Lake City.

Boarding passes are e-mailed to passenger's cellphone and will appear on the screen as a bar code. When going to a security checkpoint, the passenger has to show the screener their cellphone with the bar code visible, and the screener will scan it. Once scanned, the scanner's hand held device will show the passenger's name and flight information, which is then cross-referenced with the passenger's ID. The traditional boarding pass is still available? Those that would most likely utilize the paperless boarding passes are business travelers and those who are frequent fliers and who already carry their electronic devices with them.

Before an airline can use paperless boarding passes, the airline has to get approval from the TSA. The TSA wants to make sure that the bar codes meet certain criteria, in order to prevent forged boarding passes (which will be a lot harder once they become electronic)

Europe is hoping to make paperless boarding passses stanadard for all flights within the the next two to four years.

You May No Longer Have To Remove Your Shoes!

Just like having to remove your laptop from your bag is starting to become a thing of the past, the TSA has taken the first steps of having to remove your shoes a thing of the past as well. Earlier this week, the TSA announced on their website that they have been testing shoe scanning technology at Los Angles International Airport (LAX). 

Currently, the TSA has placed two units at LAX which they are using to collect data on how well the scanners work. For those of you who are departing from LAX may encounter these scanners. Since the TSA are still in the early phases of testing, passengers will still have to remove their shoes once they have passed through the new shoe scanner. These scanners are on loan to the TSA from L3 Communications. 

Registered Travelers Have It So Easy

Recently, the Transportation Security Administration announced that they would be expanding their Registered Traveler (RT) program. Currently, RT is being run at nineteen airports in a pilot program. Now that the TSA has announced the expansion, any airport who is interested in the program may participate, which will be exciting news for the roughly 135,000 who are already registered with the program. 

The TSA developed the RT program "to provide expedited security screening for passengers who volunteer to undergo a TSA conducted security threat assessment (STA) in order to confirm that they do not pose or are not suspected of posing a threat to transportation or national security." In order to enroll in the program, applicants have to provide biographic and biometric data, as well as pay $100 for the first year; (The TSA has removed their $28 fee) If the applicants are accepted, then they are given high tech cards which will allow them to quickly get through security. 

Some of the benefits of the RT program are: 

• Fast passage through airport security

• Access to a designated security lines
  

• A stress-free airport experience
  

• Discounts for service or concessions

No Longer Will We Have to Remove Our Laptops!

As mentioned earlier, the TSA has announced that passengers would be able to keep their laptops in a specially designed bag. Prior to this announcement travelers were required to remove their laptops from their bags and place them into the security bins. Although one can not prove that this was the reason for an astonishing number of laptops being stolen from airports this past year; it would make sense. 

Briggs & Riley has been working with Travel Sentry to design and develop these laptop sleeves. When Travel Sentry released the standards for these bags, Briggs & Riley was the first company to submit their design. The new "Speed Thru" sleeves will be integrated into Briggs & Riley's At Work and Verb collections starting August 15. 

So no longer will we have to remove our laptops from their snug travel confines; we will be able to leave them in our bags (as long as it is in a TSA approved bag)

No ID? Now You Have To Answer My Questions....

When traveling via air, it is necessary to be able to identify oneself. Airline security wants to make sure that John Doe is really John Doe and not someone else. In the past if someone forgot their ID, they would be subject to an extensive search of their carry-on and most likely a pat-down. 

Now, if someone forgets their ID not only will they have to endure the extra screening, but they will have to be able to answer questions about themselves. Questions could range from their previous address to their wedding date. Airline security will have access to your information through the Lexis Nexis database.

Now airport screeners will have access to your information which will expose passengers more than the new x-ray machines. What, or who, is going to stop a screener form obtaining private information about you? Is this steeping over the line? Should airport screeners be asking us private information in order to make sure we are who we say we are. Here is an idea: Don't lose your ID and make sure that you have it with you at all times.

It's Travel Time: Do You Know Where Your Laptop Is?

A recent study sponsored by Dell and conducted by the Ponemon Institute indicated that on average over 10,000 laptops are stolen from airports each week. This calculates out to about 60,000 stolen laptops a year. Out of the 10,000 laptops stolen each week, only about 30% are recovered and returned to their owners. Sometimes laptops are recovered, but they stay at airports until they are disposed of.

The majority of laptops that are stolen are at security check points. It is not hard for a thief to grab one's laptop and claim it as their own; airport personnel are too busy to remember if a person had a laptop with them or not. 

For travelers (both social and business) loosing a laptop could mean a heap of trouble. There are a lot of valuable and personal information in one's laptop such as credit card information, identifying information, and even private company information is usually located in one's laptop. The research showed that the majority of travelers (about 65%) do not take precautions to secure or backup their data; most people think that it will not happen to them.

The following are some steps, taken from Network World, that one can take to help avoid their laptop from being stolen. 

• Place your laptop in the second bin. Sandwich it between other personal belongings. 

• Mark your laptop with stickers or other identifying markers. DO NOT put any personal information that thieves can use to identify you. 

• If you lose your laptop, contact airport security immediately

• If you are a frequent flyer, you might want to invest in one of the new TSA approved laptop bags

Fido To The Rescue!

Today  The Washington Times , announced that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)  has certified the use of canines (and their super noses) to sniff cargo containers that will be loaded onto passenger-carrying planes. The fist canine team is all set and ready for work at Washington-Dulles International Airport. Miami International Airport is anticipated to be the second airport to implement canine teams. 

These special dogs had to participate in a 10 weeks in a training course at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. The TSA hopes to train over 400 teams, consisting of one dog and one handler, over the next two yeas.  If this program goes well, the TSA is hoping to implement the canine team to aid at security check points. 

"Carry-On Cops" To Examine Your Carry-On Luggage

According to Good Morning America, some airlines have started to hire "Carry-On Cops". These cops responsibilities are to check and make sure travelers' carry-on bags are not bulky and to prevent travelers from sneaking extra bags onto the planes. Since more and more airlines have started to charge a fee to check bags, more and more travelers are trying to find ways to avoid checking their bags. Some travelers are accomplishing this by over stuffing their carry-on bags, or using a carry-on bag that is too large. This is not fair to those travelers who have paid the extra money to check their bags or to the ones who have made sure their carry on bag is the appropriate size. 

With these new cops at airports one would hope that their traveling experience would improve. The truth of the matter may be different. Now when going to the airport one will have to check their bag, get through security, and have another officer check their carry on bag to make sure it is not too bulky. It is understandable that airlines (as well as passengers) are tired of having the overhead bins over stuffed, but will having a "Carry-On Cop" solve the problem, or will it just create new ones? 

American Airlines will charge passengers $15, at the gate, if their carry on is discovered to be too large. Whereas U.S. Airways will not charge you extra money. With U.S. Airways not charging their passengers, what is going to stop travelers from bringing the bags that they intended to check and having them get checked for free at the gate?

Each airline has different rules when it comes to the size requirement for their carry on. For United, American Airlines, and Delta the limit is 45 linear inches. For U.S. Airways and Continental the limit is 51 linear inches. To figure out the linear inches for your bag use the following formula: height + width + depth

Identification is Required to Pass

According to the TSA and many other articles, the TSA will begin a new ID requirement. This new requirement will take effect on June 21, 2008. According to the TSA website: "Passengers that willfully refuse to provide identification at security check point will be denied access to the secure area of airports." This new rule does not apply to those individuals who simple forgot or misplaced their ID and are cooperative with security personal. These individuals will have to go through an additional screening process but will be permitted (if they pass the security checks) further into the airport. Before you leave for the airport double check that you have your ID with you, you'll most likely need it when you get to your destination anyway.

Self Select Lanes Similar to Ski Icons

According to the New York Times, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has developed a way for travelers to get through checkpoint procedures quicker. Travelers can now choose a different line to wait in according to their traveling experience. The different lines that one can choose from are similar with how ski slopes define how challenging their runs are. These new lines were first introduced in Salt Lake City and Denver this past February. As of right now, these self select lanes are in 21 different airports across the continental U.S. The following are the different lines one can choose from (the visuals are our interpretations):

The Green Circle is for families and individuals who feel like they need more time. The Blue Square is for casual travelers who know the security process and are comfortable with the procedures. The Black Diamond lines are meant for frequent flyers (defined as those who travel more than twice a month). 

Paperless Boarding Passes

Having to carry around a paper-boarding pass is starting to become a thing of the past. Now, more and more airports are adapting the paper-less boarding passes offered by Continental Airlines. Currently these new paper-less boarding passes are being used at Huston’s Intercontinental, Reagan Washington National, Boston’s Logan Airport and Newark Liberty International.

According to the TSA, These new boarding passes will be in the form of two-dimensional bar codes, which will be e-mailed to the passenger’s cell phone. Travelers will still have to show proof of identification when passing through security, but will no longer have to carry a paper-boarding pass. Security personal will be able to quickly scan the passenger’s cell phone with little hassle. Unlike flat bar codes (the ones consumers see daily) two –dimensional bar codes can carry more information and is harder to tamper with.

According to the New York Times, if the 240 members of the International Air Transport Association start using these bar codes that it can save the airline industry roughly $500 million annual! The hope is that once these two-dimensional bar codes are being used exclusively, that foreign airlines will begin to use them as well. One just has to remember to pack extra batteries and/or their charging cables so your phone will not loose power.

Airport Security Approved Laptop Bags

The Transportation Security Administration, (TSA) just announced that they would be allowing passengers to keep their laptops in specialty designed laptop bags when they go through x-ray machines. The TSA has given design guidelines to manufactures such as Skooba and Targus who will be taking the first stab at designing these new bags. These new laptop bags will allow passengers to keep their laptops secure while stilling letting security officials x-ray your laptop and the bag.

The TSA is hoping that these new bags will make the screening time quicker, since passengers will no longer have to remove their laptops. Unfortunately, some passengers may try and sneak their laptops in bags that do not meet these guidelines. This will in fact make the screening time longer since security personnel will have to remove the laptop and thoroughly check the bag and laptop.

Until the TSA has approved these new bags, the best thing to do would be to be prepared to take your laptop out of your bag. If you have your laptop ready for screening you will be able to get through security a bit quicker since you are already prepared.

Getting Through Security

One of the greatest stressors about traveling by plane is getting through airport security. Going through security can take a long time and can be very intrusive. There are some ways that one can expedite their security check. Here are some suggestions on how to reduce your stress.

• Plan ahead when choosing the clothes you will wear on the airplane

• Be aware of any metal items that you are wearing i.e. belt buckles, steel toed shoes, watches, body piercings, hair clips, jewelry, etc.

• Don’t over pack your carry-on

• Remember that anything that you pack in your carry on might get handled by security personnel

• Be prepared to take off your shoes

• If carrying medication with you, make sure that it is clearly labeled

• If carrying any type of electronic equipment (laptop, camera, cell phone, PDA, etc.) be ready to remove them from your bag and place them in a bin to be x-rayed

• If bringing a gift, don’t wrap it until you get to your destination

• Double check what items are prohibited

• Remember 3-1-1

• Make sure you have your boarding pass and ID ready

• Remember to take a deep breath; everyone has to go through security

Are the New Full Body X-Ray Machines Too Revealing?

Recently, the TSA has installed new x-ray machines and full body imagers in airports. These new x-ray machines are more advanced than the current ones and allow security personal to screen carry-on bags more clearly and efficiently. The new x-ray machines will limit the number of hand searches that are conducted on passenger’s carry-on luggage. The new full body imagers will allow for TSA personnel to quickly and thoroughly screen travelers, limiting the number of pat-downs.

The new x-ray machines are already being used in Philadelphia, Washington Dulles and Reagan, Los Angeles, Denver and Las Vegas. The full body imagers are currently being used in the following airports: Phoenix, Los Angeles- LAX and New York’s JFK. Within the next couple of weeks, the full body imager will be installed at Dallas- Ft. Worth, Miami, Detroit, Las Vegas, Washington-Reagan, and Denver, as well as other airports.

Some privacy issues have been expressed regarding the use of the full body imager. There is an example of such an image at Evolution of Security . This is an example of what security personnel will see when a passenger is being screened.

As you can see, it can feel a bit exposing. Be assured that the individual who is screening the image is located in a separate room; they are unable to see you and they are the only one who sees the image. The image is examined to see if the passenger has any metallic and/or non-metallic items (prior to entrance, the passenger has to empty all items from their pockets). Immediately following the screening, the image is deleted. Feedback from passengers has indicated that they prefer this method; since it does not require any physical contact from security personnel and it is much faster (total screening time is approximately 3 seconds) than a manual pat down.