3 Tips To Speed Up Your Time At The Airport

Air travelers who follow three simple tips, which can be summarized as IN, OUT, and OFF, will contribute significantly to steps the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is taking to ensure aviation security and make travel as enjoyable as possible during any time of the year, especially during holiday seasons.

Air travel during any major holiday is expected to be heavy. The Transportation Security Agency (TSA) will do everything they can to help travelers move smoothly through security checkpoints. Employee leave will be restricted, managers will be working with screeners, and checkpoints may open earlier or close later, depending on the airport. Also, vendor deliveries will be scheduled during slow hours and extra attention will be given to preventive maintenance so screening equipment doesn’t have to be taken off-line when the checkpoint is open.

Following the three travel tips will prepare air travelers to go through checkpoints and drastically reduce chances of a more thorough secondary screening being required. Call it “Three for Three” - three tips that can avoid secondary screening that, on average, takes three minutes per person. The cumulative effect can be substantial, especially around the holidays, because travel is concentrated in only a few days.

Here’s what to do when approaching the checkpoint:

IN - Place all metal items IN a carry-on bag while waiting in line. This would include coins, cell phone, keys, lighter, and any other metal.
OUT - Take laptops OUT of their cases.
OFF - Take coats, hats and shoes OFF. It is also a good idea to remove your belt if you have a large, metal buckle.

During the holidays, there are always more people traveling, so the security screening can take longer than usual. You can help speed it up by following the rules, listening to the TSA personnel, and coming prepared.

If you come prepared and are ready to efficiently go through the checkpoint, it helps the security screeners immensely, allowing them to concentrate on their security mission while making the travel experience more pleasant for everyone.

It also is a good time to revisit the general TSA Travel Tips that are familiar to frequent fliers:

Everyone, even frequent fliers, should double check the content of their pockets and bags, particularly carry-on luggage, to ensure no prohibited items were inadvertently packed.

Think about what you are wearing before going to the airport. Metal clothing or metal jewelry are likely to require additional screening.

Pack undeveloped film in carry-on bags. Checked baggage screening equipment will damage undeveloped film.

Wrap gifts upon arrival at your destination. If gifts require additional screening, screeners may have to un-wrap them.

Do not over pack bags. If screeners have to open them, closing overstuffed bags can be difficult and result in delays for checked baggage.

If TSA screeners need to open a locked bag for inspection they may have to break the lock. There are now products on the market that have uniform locking systems that enable TSA during a required inspection, to open and relock the bag. Passengers without such devices should consider leaving bags unlocked.

Always check the TSA web site before you travel to make sure you have the most current rules and policies.

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By: Larry Westfall

When selecting a flight, remember that a departure early in the day is less likely to be delayed than a later flight, due to “ripple” effects throughout the day. If you book the last flight of the day, you could get stuck overnight.

If you have a choice between two connections and the fares and service are equivalent, choose the one with the less-congested connecting airport. This reduces the risk of misconnecting. Also consider potential adverse weather when choosing a connecting city.

Consider paying by credit card, which provides certain protections under Federal credit regulations. For example, in all recent airline bankruptcies passengers who had charged their fare and were not provided service were able to have their credit card company credit their account for the amount of the fare.

If possible, pick up your ticket from a travel agency or from one of the airline’s airport or city ticket offices. Airline procedures for replacing a ticket that you claim was lost in the mail can be inconvenient. Safeguard your ticket after you receive it; it is an accountable document and has value, much like cash. Keep a separate record of the ticket number.

Bring a photo I.D. when you fly. For security reasons, most airlines are requiring such identification at check-in. Also, airlines don’t permit tickets to be sold or given to other persons. Make sure your name on the ticket is exactly the same as it appears on the I.D.

As soon as you receive your ticket, check to make sure all of the information on it is correct, including your name. Have any necessary corrections made immediately.

Keep checking your fare after you buy your ticket. Fares change all the time and if that same fare goes down before you fly, the airline will often refund the difference. But you have to ask.

Call a day or two before your flight to reconfirm your reservation. Flight schedules sometimes change, and while airlines usually call to notify you if this happens, it’s wise to double-check.

Check in early. Airlines rescind specific advance seat assignments 30 minutes before scheduled departure, even if you already have your boarding pass. You can lose your entire reservation if you haven’t checked in 10 minutes before scheduled departure time on a domestic flight (longer on international flights). Allow time for traffic and parking problems. If a flight is oversold, the last passengers to check in are the first to be bumped, even if they have met the 10-minute deadline.

Check your ticket immediately after checking in for each flight on your trip. Airline agents accidentally lift two coupons instead of one on occasion.

If you are “bumped” because your flight is overbooked, read the Overbooking Notice in your ticket, and then ask for a copy of the rules mentioned in that notice. This information applies to over sales, where your flight operates and leaves you behind; it does not apply to canceled or delayed flights.

Before agreeing to accept a travel voucher as compensation for being bumped, ask about restrictions. For example, with some vouchers you can’t make a reservation until a few days before you want to fly.

Put a tag on the outside of your baggage with your name, home address, and home and work phone numbers. The airlines provide free stick-on tags. Most carriers also have “privacy tags” which conceal this information from passersby.

Put the same information inside each bag, and add an address and telephone number where you can be reached at your destination city.

Verify that the agent checking your bags attaches a destination tag to each one. Check to see that these tags show the three-letter code for your destination airport. Remove tags from previous trips to avoid confusion.

If your bag arrives open or unlocked, check immediately to see if any of the contents are missing or damaged.

Report any baggage problems to your airline before leaving the airport. Insist that the airline fill out a form and give you a copy, even if they say the bag will be in on the next flight. Before leaving the airport, ask the airline if they will deliver the bag without charge when it is found.

Open your suitcase immediately when you get to your destination. Report any damage to contents or pilferage by telephone right away. Make a note of the date and time of the call, and the name and telephone number of the person you spoke with.

Larry Westfall has been traveling to Thailand for over 34 years and owner of Pattaya-Resort
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By: Larry Westfall

Relatively few bags are damaged or lost. However, your chances of encountering this experience can be reduced even further if you follow the advice set out below.

Packing

Avoid putting the following in checked baggage:

- Valuables (cash, jewelry). Don’t rely on suitcase locks; they are easily defeated.

- Critical items (medicine, keys, passport, tour vouchers, business papers).

- Irreplaceable items (manuscript, heirlooms).

- Fragile items (camera, eyeglasses, glass containers). If these must be checked, wrap them carefully in padding.

- Perishables.
-
Carry the above items either:

- on your person,

- or in a small bag that you carry on board.

Even if a bag is not lost, it may be delayed for a day or two. It is wise to put items that you will need during the first 24 hours in a carry-on bag (toiletries, one change of underwear).

Don’t over-pack checked bags. This puts pressure on the latches, making it easier for them to spring open.

Your checked bags may need to be opened for a security inspection out of your presence.

If you wish to lock your bags, see www.tsa.gov for information on locks that security personnel can open and then re-lock. If you use an unapproved lock and your bag is selected for inspection, the security staff will break the lock if necessary.

Put a tag on the outside of your baggage with your name, home address, and home and work phone numbers. The airlines provide free stick-on tags. Most carriers also have “privacy tags” which conceal this information from passersby.

Put the same information inside each bag, and add an address and telephone number where you can be reached at your destination city.

Carry-on baggage advice:

Check with the airline for any limits it has on the size, weight, or number of carry-on bags. (There is no single federal standard.)

Inquire about your flight; different airplanes can have different limits.

If you are using more than one airline for a trip, check on all of them.

A heavy bag which fits in an overhead bin may still cause the bin to exceed its weight limit.

Don’t assume that the flight has unlimited closet space for garment bags; some may have to be checked.

Don’t pack anything in a carry-on bag that could be considered a weapon (e.g., scissors, knife).

Check-In

Don’t check in at the last minute. Even if you make the flight, your bag may not.

Make sure that you get a claim check for every bag that you check. Don’t throw them away until your bags are returned. Not only will you need them if a claim is necessary, but you may need to show them to security upon leaving the baggage-claim area. Don’t leave them in the seat-pocket on the airplane.

Verify that the agent checking your bags attaches a destination tag to each one. (Remove tags from previous trips to avoid confusion.) Check to see that these tags show the correct three-letter code for your destination airport.

Know where your bags are checked to. They may be checked only to one of your intermediate stops rather than your final destination if:

- you must clear Customs short of your final destination, or

- you are taking a connecting flight involving two airlines which don’t have an interline agreement (e.g., Southwest Airlines does not transfer bags to other carriers).

If you have a choice select flights which minimize the potential for baggage disruption. The likelihood of a bag going astray increases as the following numbers get higher:

- nonstop flights

- through flights (one or more stops, but no change of aircraft)

- online connections (change of aircraft but not airlines)

- interline connections (change of aircraft and airlines)

Buy “excess valuation” from the airline if your property is worth more than the airline’s liability limit. This limit is usually $3,000 per passenger for domestic flights ($2,800 for flights before February 28, 2007), or 1,000 “Special Drawing Rights” per passenger on most international trips originating in the U.S. See www.imf.org for the value of the SDR.

Your chances of recovery can be improved depending on where and how you bought your airline ticket. Some credit card companies and travel agencies offer optional baggage insurance; some others provide it automatically.

Claiming Your Bags

If your bag arrives open, unlocked or visibly damaged, check immediately to see if any of the contents are missing or damaged.

Report any problems to your airline before leaving the airport. Insist that the airline fill out a form and give you a copy, even if they say the bag will be in on the next flight. Get the agent’s name and an appropriate telephone number for following up (not Reservations).

It’s not unusual for the airline to take your claim checks when you report the problem; simply make sure this is noted on all copies of the report.

Before leaving the airport, ask the airline if they will deliver the bag without charge when it is found. Also ask about an advance or reimbursement for any items you must buy while your bag is missing.

Open your suitcase immediately when you get to where you are staying. Report any damage to contents or pilferage immediately by telephone. Make a note of the date and time of the call, and the name and telephone number of the person you spoke with. Follow up immediately with a certified letter.

Larry Westfall is a frequent traveler to the Land of Smiles - Thailand - and owner of Pattaya Beach Hotels
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By: Robert Locke,

Thousands of people every year go into a sort of depression, once fall comes. Thousands more suffer from jet lag which is the curse of modern day travel. These two problems are closely related in that their causes are similar. There is one solution for both problems and that is the use of a sad light box or lamp.

It is interesting to note that when there is snow on the ground, there is a fall in the number of people suffering from SAD- this is because there is so much light reflected from the snow, it seems almost like a summer’s day ! The SAD phenomenon almost always occurs in the days leading up to winter as there is less and less light and sufferers will miss the light and go into a sort of depression.

The precise cause of seasonal affective disorder isn’t known, but genetics and your age may be factors. The general recommendation for most people with seasonal affective disorder is to begin treatment with light therapy in the early fall, as soon as the earliest symptoms start. Light therapy in seasonal affective disorder is independent of time of day or circadian phase.

Our biological rhythms need natural light and sun. Changes to our clocks will occur when the days shorten or when our natural biological rhythms are disturbed, eg. on a long haul flight. So, when the natural light is fading, it is a really good idea to use a table lamp without turning on the main light.

You will need a specially made light box if you are to have natural light therapy -a normal table lamp will not do ! A thirty minute daily session during the fall and winter are usually sufficient. If you find that light therapy is improving your condition, then you can continue using it until spring comes.

How many times has a holiday or a business appointment been ruined by jet lag ? It can last for days after arrival. Every time we cross a few time zones quickly, then we are likely to suffer from this condition. It can have negative effects on your judgement in a business deal and can also make you feel even more depressed when you are trying to get used to your normal routine, once back at home.

Your body clock will not be able to keep with the aeroplane as it crosses several time zones very quickly so it will end up out of sync with the destination time. In addition changes to night and daytime come very quickly and the rhythms which normally decide our eating and sleeping routine are all out of gear. In addition, the rhthym of our body temperature will be skewed as well.

The best way to recover from jet lag and a SAD, is to invest in a sad light box or table lamp. No faddy anti-jet lag diets which you have to start way before the journey and continue afterwards. Some people take sleeing pills which can lead to fatal blood clots. Melatonin has been known to be effective. But the best, most natural way is the sad table lamp.

Before you decide, look at this great offer to solve all your jet lag and SAD problems with The Natural Light Therapy Lamp For Health Tips Visit The Wellness Bible

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