View Full Version : If going to FL by airline, read....
Some important info (http://www.cnn.com/2001/TRAVEL/NEWS/10/09/rec.luggage.rules/) from CNN about airline luggage.
About that, i flew down to florida over christmas break, and while yes, it is more strict, you don't have to worry too much. A large group must leave LOTS of time for seurity. By the one carry on and one personal item, it's basically still two carry on items, just rephrased. i don't belive you need photo ID if you're under 16, although bring your school ID card, your SME card, and a license of some sorts (if you have one). My mom was stupid when we went, and forgot her driver's license, but she got lucky and we were able to convince the security people that she was my mom (and yes, she's never going to live that one down :D).
about packing for florida, any sharp items must go in a check bag. do not just bring all your stuff in carry on, cause if the random number is you, then you have to open your bag for the entire world to see. because of that, it's easier in the long run to just pack a checked bag, and put eveyrthing but a cd player, book, cell phone, and maybe a video camera in that. the rest pack in your school bag (empty it out first though :p). also, make sure no bags are more than 70 lbs, or else you may have to pay extra money, for some airlines at least. don't ask why, but when i went down, we had one bag at 65, and one at 75. we had to repack at the check in counter so they both were 70.
if yo uare picked for the random screening, jsut do what they say and it will go faster. once your on the plane though, you just sit down, and have fun. don't poke fun at the national guard either. those guns are real :D. flying in today's world isn't that much different from before 9/11, but it is a lot more secure. be ready for the unexpected, and make sure you don't do anything stupid. if you say "bomb" you probably will force an early landing and be taken off the plane in handcuffs. doesn't sound like fun. so, while the rest of the time, you can have fun, if theres one time to be serious, it's during the plane trip.
Originally posted by Ian W.
also, make sure no bags are more than 70 lbs, or else you may have to pay extra money, for some airlines at least. don't ask why, but when i went down, we had one bag at 65, and one at 75. we had to repack at the check in counter so they both were 70.
Actually, that's a federal law, not airline policy... You just can't carry any volume heavier than 70 lbs.
Katie Reynolds
07-04-2002, 16:01
Originally posted by Ian W.
...make sure you don't do anything stupid. if you say "bomb" you probably will force an early landing and be taken off the plane in handcuffs. doesn't sound like fun. so, while the rest of the time, you can have fun, if theres one time to be serious, it's during the plane trip.
Yea - so if your team (for some strange reason) actually filled out a BOM, you might want to refer to it as Bill Of Materials in an airport/plane ... I can just see a teammate yelling to another (across they plane), "Hey, did you remember to pack the BOM?" Yeah, that would suck. Another thing - if you have a Leatherman/multi-tool of some sort, MAKE SURE IT GOES IN YOUR CHECKED BAG!!! Otherwise you'd lose it. I'd hate to be in the pits without my multi-tool, heehee!
- Katie
Originally posted by Ian W.
about packing for florida, any sharp items must go in a check bag. do not just bring all your stuff in carry on, cause if the random number is you, then you have to open your bag for the entire world to see. because of that, it's easier in the long run to just pack a checked bag, and put eveyrthing but a cd player, book, cell phone, and maybe a video camera in that. the rest pack in your school bag (empty it out first though :p).
Do they check any carry-on with any electronics in it, or is it all random like you say? Do they check checked luggage also (will we be stopped on a plane cause we have some wires and misc electrical equipt we are bringing) ?
There are two ways to be 'picked': One is by the random screening, and the other is if you're carrying something suspicious with you and the X-ray detects it. For example, one of our mentors had to show everything in his bag because the X-ray found he cas carrying more than 10 medals for the team members that couldn's flight. But, on the other hand, another mentor could board the plane carrying baseball bats and tennis rackets, showing that the inspection is very detailed in normal cases. He had to leave those items in the pilot cabin to be picked up later, although.
If you have a laptop or other big device, it will probably be taken out and x-rayed seperatly. if you have a cd player, they'll probably notice it and move on. the wires and everything else, you might want to check that :p. nervous people, and well, yeah, check anything that is electrical in nature and that you won't need on the plane (except if it's valuble and fragile).
also, about the 70 lbs thing, that was for a checked bag, and they said we'd have to pay like $50 more if it's over 70 lbs.
Well, the 70 lbs. limit may also be related to the maximum amount of cargo an aircraft can hold, and how that relates to each individual passenger.
But, otherwise, just use common sense.
If, by chance you're flying Delta (as we are), this may be of some use to you:
http://www.delta.com/cwswaittime/travel/wait_time/index.jsp
Orlando Int'l Airport's code is MCO. You're own your own for local airports. I'd probably expect it to take a bit longer than what's posted, but I have no real clue as to how accurate their numbers are.
I don't know if other airlines have anything similar on their websites.
Finally, I'd heard that they make you turn on any suspicious electronic equipment to prove that it is what you say it is.
SharkBite
07-04-2002, 19:03
remember though, the airline security is ruthless and will not make any exceptions........ in febuary i was flying home from florida and was practically immoble with a stomach bug...... well guess what i got chosen for the random check and the lady forced me to stand (she literally held me up) and searched me....... at this point i was so green i couldnt take a sip of the water i had and they took it away because "it could be a dangerous sunstance" .... of course my family wasnt going to step in and take a sip to prove it was water either because they didnt want to risk getting sick
i cant say i blame the airlines, its just that these security restrictions can be very unpleasant
Mark Hamilton
07-04-2002, 19:22
When we flew out of FLA airport (south Florida about 4-6 hours away from Orlando) we didnt have any problems. The 70 lb rule is true for all airlines, but some enforce it mroe then others I think. IF all else fails shift some stuff into other's bags. The main thing to remember is take off EVERYTHING that might set off the metal detector. The reason for this is if you walk through the detector first try security is not likely to bother you. I made it through with a laptop and laptop bag with tons of cables and stuff, my keys (force of habit), and my steel toed boots without gettting stopped or even looked at, cause I took it all off and sent it through the xray machine first try. Oh, and experience has tought us wallets (even completely cloth ones) will set off the metal detector, so stuff it in your carryon bag.
Alfred Thompson
07-04-2002, 20:31
If you have a laptop and are going to carry it on the plane they WILL make you take it out of the bag and x-ray it outside the bag. If you carry a bag that you use for other things make sure you go through it carefully. They will take and keep anything with a point or an cutting edge. Pack and check your tools.
If you have a wise guy who likes to crack jokes about guns, knives, bombs, etc leave him home. :D
You can carry own two items if one of them is small and "personal." That does not mean a small suit case and a back pack. I tried. :mad: It means a small suit case and a pocketbook or a very small briefcase. Maybe. It depends on the airline to some extent. If there are things that you really must carry on (medicine - always carry on medicine - the last thing you want is to be 1000 miles from home with meds that you need to stay alive on) than put them all in one bag.
Lots of electronics will often kick off a complete bag search. I've seen it happen so I nolonger carry on the 10-port hub and extra ethernet cables I used to keep in my back pack. I check them.
Thanks for posting tips. There were some good things to keep in mind, I'm sure everyone appreciates them. :-)
arctic warrior
07-04-2002, 21:59
Do they have any objection to bringing soda or water on the plane? I know last year we brought down food and drinks. Can we do the same this year?
Alfred Thompson
07-04-2002, 22:21
I've made three trips by air in the last six months and have brought food or drinks on the plane a couple of times. This does not seem to be a problem. THough I'm not sure how they would feel about glass bottles or cans. Stick with plastic bottles and you should be ok.
As on another posting there is a important to remember, take off your buttons :) , they are metal !! Also if you are packing strange robot parts in your check-in leave a note explaining what it is ;)
Is there any problem with locking you check-in luggage?
there's no problem with locking anything, as long as you can open it if they ask you to :p. probably not a bad idea to lock it, especially if you have robot parts in it. :D
Jeff Waegelin
09-04-2002, 17:15
Do they make you turn laptops or other electronics on to make sure they are, in fact, electronics? My laptop won't run on battery power anymore (and I'm too cheap and lazy to buy a new battery), and I don't want to have to plug it in to power it up.
there's a good chance they will at least make you take it out and x-ray it sperately. if they feel the need, they might ask for you to turn it on. if that's the case, explain to them the problem, and ask if they can plug it in for you. don't say you NEED to plug it in, explain the problem politely. and don't get mad if they start to piss you off. if the national guard comes over, that's gona just piss you off even more, and waste even more time. i'd say just hope they don't make you turn it on. :D
Rob Jenkins
12-04-2002, 10:36
The last time that I flew was something like a year and a half before September 11th and all of the heightened security. I had a camera with me and I had to turn it on and show that it worked, then they wiped it for traces of explosives. It was fine with me cause it was obviously just a camera, but I would hate to go without a battery or something. I honestly don't know if they will let you plug in a lap top to show that it works...same thing with cell phones. So I'm getting an extra battery before nationals for my phone, and bringing 2 sets for anything else that I might be bringing electronic. With the heightened security I just don't think it's worth risking it, especially when these people are just doing there jobs and trying to keep everyone safe.
Alfred Thompson
12-04-2002, 10:46
They frequently ask you to "do something" that changes the display on your cell phone. I make sure mine is turned on to save time. Usually a scroll through the menu is fine.
Laptops are x-rayed outside their carry on case. I haven't been asked to turn it on or anything though I suppose that could happen.
Even before September 11th, I was periodically asked to turn on my laptop for security, so I would not at all be surprised if they ask you to do so now. My advice would be to buy a battery.
Joe Matt
12-04-2002, 11:26
They usually don't make you turn on your computer now. They use an electronic nose to test for anytype of residue (bomb making stuff, anthrax, etc).
Also, don't bring much on carry-ons, except for a laptop, books, and other things that could be taken out easily and dosn't have other things with it (extension coards, cloathing, etc)
Joe Ross
12-04-2002, 11:51
I live across the country from where I go to college, so I've flown several times, both before and after 9/11, both through large airports (LAX, Dallas/Ft Worth, Chicago) and medium size (Rochester). My sister has also flown through Long Beach (small) and JFK. The following are the results of her and my experiences, which should be taken with a grain of salt, but are a good indication of what you might encounter.
When they say 1 carry on and 1 "personal item", they really mean 1 item that can go in the over head bin, and one that will easily fit under the seat in front of you.
The smaller airports are much more picky in screening. The big ones have to get a whole lot more people through, and don't have as much time to be thorough on everyone. Don't expect this though, because I have been carefully searched at LAX, although only once, as compared to every time at Rochester.
I travel with a laptop and palm pilot. Before 9/11, I just had to send the laptop through the x-ray machine, still in the case. I was allowed to pass the palm pilot around the metal detector, as long as I turned it on to show them that it worked. Since then, they make me remove the laptop from the carrying case and x-ray it seperately. I also have to x-ray the palm pilot. I have not had them ask me to turn either on since 9/11.
If you are flying in a group or out of a large airport, you definetly need to allow more time then if you are flying alone out of a smaller airport. 2 hours is the suggested time, but I've often used less at Rochester, although all 2 hours are often needed at a larger airport.
I've noticed that people using passports as ID are much more likely to be picked for the "random" screening, then people using a drivers license.
They do random checks on the checked luggage, but are much less stringent. I did get pulled aside once and have to explain something that was in one of my bags, but it was at the destination.
I hope this answers some of the questions, at least
Hehe... Thanks for the heads up... I'll have to remember that when I pack my stuff...
Hrrm... I need to take a dremel and, hopefully, the laptop... this is gonna be a difficult one...
Pat Sarmiento
15-04-2002, 02:38
It's not that difficult. Having traveled by air numerous times with the team and for personal reasons shows pretty much everything you can do at the airport to save time as well as pass security. (e.g. my mom thought we had to leave 2 hours before departure at O'Hare and Boston Logan, but we had an hour to burn at the gate each time...)
- Have your ID ready and reachable at ALL TIMES. They check it at check-in, security, and on boarding, and if everyone has to take a minute to reach it, it can slow things down.
- Know exactly what's in every bag, especially if you're checking a bag or box for your team. Check-in personnel will ask what's in non-suitcase baggage, and if you don't know they may have to resort to opening it. Don't worry about tools and pieces of metal and the like. As long as it's declared and safely stowed (and isn't part of the illegal materials list...and it mainly concerns explosives and chemicals), it should pass. One suggestion is to have the contents taped to the box, or the person who packs it checks it.
- At security, know how you're going to get everything through security. By the conveyors, they have taken airline food storage trays (yes! they really are!) and placed them there for use though the conveyor. Have your personal items on one tray(wallet, keys, etc...you might be able to pass them around the metal detector), your laptop in its own tray, your carryons, and your jacket/coat.
- This has already been said many times, but if you're chosen to be searched, don't complain and do exactly as they say. Laptops' ports and keyboards are usually swabbed and scanned, and for bag checks point out all pockets. Searches are mostly conducted at security and boarding, so keep this in mind.
And thus ends my long and extremely thorough tips for saving time at the airport. Although you can probably tell that I must have been extremely bored to type all this... oh well :D
See you all in Florida, and have a safe flight!
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