The Transportation Security Agency was created in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in an effort to strengthen airport security and prevent similar events in the future. Flash forward to present day: Security checkpoint lines can be endless, inexperienced travelers can slow things down and screaming children can turn the process into a nightmare. But while some travelers view it as an inconvenience or just another obstacle in the way of their next vacation, airport security is a serious matter. To get the scoop on what a job in airport security entails and everything travelers should know to keep their security screenings quick and painless, U.S. News spoke with TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein, Anthony Hutchinson, a Transportation Security Officer at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and William Covieo, a TSO at Washington Dulles International Airport. See: How to Fly Through Airport Security TSA agents’ skills are tested regularly In addition to undergoing several weeks of training prior to starting their jobs, plus another month or so of on-the-job training with an officer, TSA agents are tested on a daily basis, according to Hutchinson. He said advanced technology forces them to keep their skills sharp and their eyes peeled for threats. “On the X-ray machine, there’s a program that’s built in to the system that allows us to be tested … to make sure we’re looking at the screens,” said Hutchinson, who’s worked as a TSA agent at Reagan National Airport for nearly 11 years. “We never know when [the alert] is coming through, which is a great thing because it keeps us on our toes.” TSA offers tools to help you breeze through security The TSA provides seasonal checklists travelers can consult to prepare themselves before arriving at the airport. For example, the summer checklist implores fliers to make sure any luggage locks are TSA compatible, to not pack fireworks in checked or carry-on luggage as they are not permitted, and to have an ID and boarding pass ready for inspection before entering the TSA checkpoint, among other tips. The free My TSA app for smartphones also offers numerous features to aid in a smoother security screening process. Fellow travelers can input security line wait times and you can check to see if there are general airport delays ahead of time. Plus, the “Can I Bring …” search function allows you to type in an item and “right away you can figure out if you can put it in your checked bag, your carry-on bag, either or neither,” Farbstein said. Knowing and following the 3-1-1 rule will make your life easier The 3-1-1 rule refers to the amount of liquid, gel, aerosol, cream or paste (most often travelers’ toiletries) allowed in a carry-on bag: it’s 3.4 ounces or less per container, placed in one quart-sized clear plastic zipped baggie. Remember: this rule applies to various items of the same consistency, not just toiletries....
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Set up a Tweet deck and email alerts If you’re truly dedicated to finding cheap flights, it has to be a lifestyle. Keyes has alerts and a Tweet deck filled with airlines and websites that he follows to discover affordable tickets. Your odds of scoring bargain tickets will also skyrocket if you set up newsletter alerts from travel websites like Airfarewatchdog and The Flight Deal. You can even sign up to get emails from Keyes himself when he stumbles across a deal. Search for flights from all nearby airports This one might seem obvious, but if you’re flying from a hub like New York City, make sure you’re not only searching flights leaving from JFK or LaGuardia and include the nearby Newark airport, too. “If you live in an area or are flying somewhere where there are a lot of airports, search them all,” Keyes advised. This could save you hundreds of dollars, even if the airport is a little out of your way. Do a ‘month search’ on your itinerary Websites like Kayak and ITA Matrix allow travelers to search their itinerary and destination for an entire month’s worth of travel so you can discover the cheapest possible airfare. “I flew to Costa Rica once a couple years ago and I did a month search on ITA Matrix,” Keyes told us. “Instead of going in the first week of April, I realized I could go in the second week of April and save over $100.” If it doesn’t make a difference when you get to your destination (even if it’s a matter of getting in Thursday instead of Friday), searching for an entire month can save you a significant chunk of cash. Compare prices on Southwest separately Affordable airline Southwest will not show up in aggregate search engines such as Kayak or Orbitz. It’s annoying, but always worth it once you find a decent-priced domestic flight to see if Southwest has something even cheaper. This goes for all budget airlines that may not be showing up in search engines, too. Always check for “throwaway tickets” Throwaway tickets are flights you purchase to an unpopular destination. Let’s say you’re traveling from New York to Chicago — those tickets are going to be quite expensive. But New York to Milwaukee will be less expensive since fewer people will be traveling there. A throwaway ticket would be if you found a flight from New York to Milwaukee with a layover in Chicago. Then instead of getting on the plane to go to Milwaukee, you would throw away that leg of the ticket and exit the Chicago airport. “This one can be a huge money saver,” Keyes said of the hack. If you want to find throwaway tickets, check one of Keyes’s favorite websites Skiplagged that specifically searches for them (though due to a lawsuit, you currently can’t buy the tickets through Skiplagged, but...
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It was the 11th hottest (1.7 degrees above normal) and 45th wettest (5.01 inches of rain) July in Washington in records dating back to 1872. July marked the second month in a row that Washington, D.C. (as observed at Reagan National Airport) experienced both above normal temperatures and rainfall. Read full story...
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Thank you Business Insider for the healthy travel...
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The easiest way to disperse an advertising message around an airport is through mobile messaging on Baggage Carts. Available in two of the most desirable markets – New York and Miami – advertisers can saturate highly-trafficked areas of the airport while providing a crucial service to passengers.
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