Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

Original post by WithThisRing

Feb 12, 2003 09:34 AM

When traveling, to ensure a safe and quick check in here are some tips FI told me. He is a baggage screener in terminal 8 at JFK

- have your boarding pass and ID ready at all times
- when packing your non carry on, try not to over pack it. Over packing it will make it look suspicious.
- DO NOT LOCK your luggage. I repeat, DO NOT LOCK your luggage. The lock will be clipped and your bag will be searched
- Shoes. When you wear big chunky shoes there is metal in the heal and in the base of the shoe for support. Wear sneakers or shoes that do not have metal in them
- pack your shampoo, conditioner, etc... in a clear zip lock bag
- If you have any questions direct to the ticket counters. The TSA people can not answer any questions. Always go to your ticket counter for any questions or concerns
-domestic flights arrive 2 hours prior to depature and international 3 hours prior to depature
-DO NOT BRING ON THE PLANE: nail filers, sewing kits, knitting needles, pocket knife, and any sharp objects. They will be confiscated.

If you have any questions about what to and what not to bring on a plane send me an FM and I can double check it with FI

edited for spelling mistake

WithThisRing Posted: Feb 12, 2003 10:31 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

wow thats good that they didnt give you a second look about the hangers.

its always better to be safe then sorry.

I forgot about the lighters. the fluid is extremely flamable and if you have too many on the plane, you can cause a huge explosion. This is why its the 1 per person.

you're only allowed one bottle of nail polish remover as well.

Security is always getting tighter and tighter. Brian told me about this machine they are using for checked luggage. its about 7000 pounds and its like a cat scan for luggage. It scans your luggage in levels this way no odd object will be getting on the plane.

reallybehind! Posted: Feb 12, 2003 10:32 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

i've flown about a billion times since 9/11 (and i'm getting really sick of it!). and i've only had a few problems. i'll be brutally honest, i don't personally feel any safer. yes they check a lot of people and open bags etc. but from what i've seen it's all kind of for show, imo unless you're going to check every single person then you never really know what's slipping through.

my biggest problem came last october, when they decided to do a bomb scan on my tiny little purse (the only thing i was carrying). i hadn't set off the metal detector or anything so i can't imagine what made them pick the tiny little blond girl and not the scary looking guy behind me but whatever. my bag tested positive for some odd reason (they say fertilizer or asbestos can set it off). once they got the positive reading for explosives all they did was take everything out of the bag, fill out a form and send me on my way. the bad thing was i gave them my license and when they asked if it was my current address i said no b/c it's not. so they asked for my real address. ummmm, couldn't i have made anything up? how would they know? and wouldn't they want some real proof? it was just all really strange to me. they didn't question me or anything.

anyway, i noticed that when i packed in my hiking backpack and things are really packed in close they tend to stop you. so use a roller bag and spread things out. also makeup looks really weird on the scanner so try to spread that stuff out too if it's in your carryone.

and honestly the airports have gotten so much faster that usually and hour to 1.5 hours is plenty of time, at least for southwest, especially for bwi and islip and especially if you have no bags to check.

sorry this was so long, hopefully it was helpful to someone :)

WithThisRing Posted: Feb 12, 2003 10:33 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

I forgot, if you are bringing a gun with you, you need to tell the airline when booking your flight. there will be a special mark on your boarding pass to let the crew know you have a gun that will be checked in a lock box.

You bring the gun and the box and when you are checking in you show the ticket which will have the special marking, you show them the gun and the box and you placing the gun in the box and locking it. you then hand it over to them where they will place it in your luggage.

For those that scuba dive, if you bring your knife with you make sure its with all of your scuba equipment and you let the ticket agents know.

Julybaby Posted: Feb 12, 2003 10:33 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

I heard about not locking your checked luggage - I believe that advice was given to the public after the first of this year. Last year I went to Germany with 190 NYC high school students and was stopped twice at JFK and scanned. When the lady scanned my chest, the scanner beeped, so she had to feel me (a couple of students waited for me and witnessed everything - thank God these students were female). Basically, the wire in my bra was setting the scanner off. I was a little taken aback at first, but I understand that they need to check out EVERYTHING! It was quite amusing!

flyin'bride Posted: Feb 12, 2003 10:34 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

Chippa, this was a good topic to post. For girls that have specific questions you can go to the TSA website, they have travel guidelines posted.

http://www.tsa.gov/public/theme_home1.jsp

nybride2003 Posted: Feb 12, 2003 10:36 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

i have a quick question. I'm flying to NY from TX and I would like to carry-on my favors. It's about 120 of those mikasa bottle stoppers. I've already wrapped them. Do you think I'll have a problem? I imagine they will see what they are when they scan them.

WithThisRing Posted: Feb 12, 2003 10:40 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

I think I actually feel safer about flying because FI tells me there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes. They have special machines that scan luggage and check for chemicals, they have bomb sniffing dogs, if they open your luggage in the back they will put a note in your bag that says they opened it and did a search. Also those people go through a lot of training. FI has been training for 3 weeks, 5 days a week 12 hours a day. He's been training on all different shifts, doing different things and learning about the machines. I dont know when he will be on his own, but he's been doing so much in classroom and on the job training.

even 1 penny in your pocket will set off the detectors. they are very sensitive.

WithThisRing Posted: Feb 12, 2003 10:44 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

its an obscured looking object, you may get asked questions.

For example FI was traveling with his bowling ball and didnt check it and because its round he was pulled aside and asked a million and one questions. he was detained for about 30 minutes.

i would double check this with the airlines prior to checking in.

I know around the holidays they told people not to wrap gifts

Rob-luvs-me Posted: Feb 12, 2003 10:45 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

Chippa sent you FM
I would say they may or may not but since they tell you not to wrap anything b/c they will make you unwrap it. So they may or may not make you unwrap them. What about shipping them? That might save you a big headache just make sure they are wrapped super carefully

WithThisRing Posted: Feb 12, 2003 11:01 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

right back atcha with the FM

IrishTracy Posted: Feb 12, 2003 11:04 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

Another BIG tip!!! Our regular luggage had to go through a scanner as well in JFK. And after John put all the bags through he THEN saw a sign that said film will be destroyed. We had 8 rolls of unused film that we couldn't use. I will take a roll of BS photo's just to see if it really is. SO carry your film in your carry on!!

JoRo Posted: Feb 12, 2003 11:05 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

thanks so much for this post. the only thing i would add would be to remember totake your pepper spray out of your purse before flying
seriously, i forgot once and i got a huge lecture from one of the TSA guards (plus they threw it away). Apparently, pepper spray is a big NO NO!!

also, try to go through your purse and not have too much stuff in therebefore hand. just make sure that you take out anything you wouldn't want everyone to see (in case they go through it and empty it out. the first time, i had all these gum wrappers and just crap in there. now, i use a really tiny purse when i fly that only fits my cell phone and wallet and lipstick. DONE. (but they still always check it -- i think my cell phone and lipstick together must look liek a gun?!)

balilove Posted: Feb 12, 2003 11:12 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

Chipp can you ask your FH about the film in cameras? The security people tell you that the machines don't mess up the film but I have had several rolls screwed up by the machine already.

Also on a side note, I am thrilled that the security is tight. On a recent flight, the bobby pins in my hair went off, I was checked and I was happy about it. I don't mind the inconvenience of all the checking, I'd rather feel safe

WithThisRing Posted: Feb 12, 2003 11:12 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

JoRo very good points.

Yea pepper spray big no no. I almost forgot to take my pocket keychain knife off my keys. Luckily dad was driving me to the airport and when I had to get something out of my bag i noticed it and gave it to my dad.

WithThisRing Posted: Feb 12, 2003 11:16 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

Bali: i definatly will. I have a list from the girls of questions. I will definatly post those answers this afternoon when I speak to him

ChristineC68 Posted: Feb 12, 2003 11:18 AM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

Bali - I read that you should carry on any film because the new big screeners for checked luggage will definitely ruin it.

Thanks for all these tips!!!!!!!!!!!!

WithThisRing Posted: Feb 12, 2003 12:23 PM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

A follow up thread has been posted

What-Now Posted: Feb 12, 2003 01:05 PM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

So, where do you put film so it doesnt' get ruined ruined if they scan all the luggage?

WithThisRing Posted: Feb 12, 2003 01:07 PM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

Do not pack film in checked luggage. Bring it with you on carry on.

If the film is over 400 speed film pack it in your pocketbook and when you go thru the check points tell the person you want a manual search of your pocket book because you have film in your bag

What-Now Posted: Feb 12, 2003 01:10 PM

Re: Some tips when traveling. FI is a baggage screener and told me this

Thanks, Chippatrid! And they make you rip out the matches? GOD! I collect matchboxed and was hoping to bring some from our honeymoon in Italy! I can't believe it! Even if it's in checked luggage?