Haven't flown since before 9/11... any tips?

[gmoney]

Any tips on flying or airlines or such? I'm planning to wear shoes that easily slip off and leave my Swiss Army Knife at home, and get to the airport stupidly early, but beyond that, any clues or insight?

Have the dreaded "electronic ticket" that just has "vaporware" written all over it (or it would, if in fact there was something to write on). Can't believe they wanted to charge me $100 for two sets of "paper" tickets. I just hope Diebold doesn't make these machines, or I may end up in Jacksonville instead of Connecticut.

[Elad]

1. Don't worry about it, it's a breeze

I've flown many times since 9/11, and every single time, I had no problems, no hassles, went right through in record time.

[Generic Other]

6. you aren't on a "no-fly" list?

Running subversive websites and such?

[Elad]

11. lol, I actually worry about that occasionally

But so far, I've had no problems. :)

[MichaelHarris]

2. its as safe as it ever was

don't let Faux News scare ya. But, order a full can of coke, don't open it and if the guy next to you tried to light his shoe smack him in the forehead with the can of coke. I find that coke works best.

On edit: the smack in the forehead will also work well if Bill Oreilly sits next to you.

[Nimrod]

3. If you can manage

Just take a carry-on bag. Not having to check luggage will save you a LOT of time.

Oh, and obviously, no jokes when they ask you who packed your bag for you.

[LastKnight]

4. its much like flying before 9/11

still a headache, but no more of one than it was before, at least in my expierence.

-LK

[carpetbagger]

5. The only difference is this...

They open your damn luggage, and then they put this plastic tie around it. At least, since I usually carry binoculars in my suitcase to do some birdwatching on the side, MY luggage always gets opened.

The punch line is that since you can't take scissors or knives with you, there's no damn way to get the tie off without begging someone for a knife.

Other than that, not much difference. A bit longer to check in.

[napi21]

7. You shouldn't have any problems.

You probably know the drill. Don't carry a lot of change in your pocket, check to be sure you don't have any weird stuff like a little pocket knife on your key chain, don't wear the big metal buckle, or anything metal that triggers the alarm.

I've have had no problems at all. The goofy stuff I listed above are the things my husband had to be manually scaned for having. He's learned too.

[NMDemDist2]

8. don't wear shoes with steel shanks eom

[alittlelark]

9. Real Advice

Wear slip-on shoes, or on s that are easy to get off at least.

When you are done being checked, don't stand in the security area to put your shoes back on!! It will annoy everyone.

Bring your own food. Few airlines serve more than peanuts and pretzels anymore - even on long flights.

[amazona]

10. e-tickets are the standard now

Unless you are going somewhere really exotic. I did have to get physical tickets to Nairobi but there was no extra charge because they're still a paper ticket airport. Where e-tickets are the standard (most places) they work very well and are not "vaporware" at all.

If you are a woman, wear a sports bra not an underwire bra, no matter how much support you need, because wires in bras set off some metal detectors and I have seen them cause women to get secondary searches.

If you are a man, leave the steel-toed shoes at home!

Gold doesn't usually set off the detector but heavy silver jewelry may. Don't take off gold jewelry unless they ask you to, because there has been a theft problem. Some security people have even specifically told me NOT to take off my gold rings, etc. Silver jewelry, yes, take it off and put it through with your keys -- who's going to steal silver anyway?

Also, don't forget, unless it's an international flight, you have to bring your own meals so pack a picnic lunch to bring with you. Don't bring peanuts. If someone with a peanut allergy is on your flight, they might collect all the nuts while you're boarding. Bring a sandwich, some crackers, maybe some fruit, something like that. Some people bring water but water is too heavy so I'm afraid I have to annoy the flight attendants and kindly ask them to bring me water as needed.

Most flights are crowded now because airlines have cut back so much (they're all in bankruptcy, seems like) so if you are in a situation where you are bumped, ask for the voucher for $300 or $400 off your next ticket, instead of a free ticket. It is very hard to cash in free tickets but very easy to use the vouchers.

[TrogL]

12. take off your belt

so the buckle doesn't set off the detector

[The empressof all]

13. It took me a while to get back on a plane

It was really no more frightening than I found it to be before 911. I take my ativan and cringe until I'm in the air. For me the take off is always the worst part.

[daisygirl]

14. If you smoke, don't bring a lighter

or only bring one you're willing to part with. Last time I flew, in Columbus they let me on the plane with a lighter, but in Boston they confiscated it. (bic lighter, nothing weird)

But what was I going to do with a bic lighter? Singe somebody?

[greatauntoftriplets]

15. When I flew to Seattle last September...

did curbside check-in both at O'Hare and Sea-Tac. No problem. In Chicago, I did have to take my shoes off and walk across this semi sticky stuff. I did set off the buzzer walking through the metal detector. I was wearing two gold chains around my neck, plus a couple bracelets, ring, earrings and watch.

The machines are a lot more sensitive than they used to be. Took the chains off on the way home -- no problem.

Pack the Swiss Army Knife in your checked baggage. Depending on the time of day and distance you are traveling, but breakfast, lunch or dinner for yourself. The food on the 3 1/2 hour trip to and from Seattle to Chicago was a joke. United Airline personnel even told us to bring our own before the flight. And they were correct.

[Cheswick2.0]

16. If your name isn't Ted Kennedy you are probably okay

If it is you are on a no fly list.

[Obamarama]

17. Some tips to make your security check go quickly....

These really applied BEFORE 9/11, but are especially helpful now that security is tighter and takes longer to move through. I fly about 20 times a year, anout 8 to 10 of those being international trips. I take the following measures on EVERY trip and always breeze through security:

1) If your pants are not going to be in danger of falling down, put your belt in your carry on and put it on AFTER you go through security.

2) Put a clear-ziplock bag in your carry on. Before going through security line, put your watch, coins, rings, etc in the bag and put it in your carry on. Then you don't have to hassle putting it one of those little plastic bowls and then having to quickly grab everything back out of it while a line of other people gather behind you. You can then retrieve your jewelry and change from your carry-on AFTER you have gone through security.

3) Take your shoes off WHILE you're waiting in line. You know you're going to take them off, and it's not going to kill you to stand on the airport floor in your socks.

4) Traveling with a laptop? Take it out so it's ready to go in one of the x-ray trays when you get to the front of the line.

It's annoying when people stand in line for five or ten minutes staring into space when they KNOW they are going to need to do all or most of this stuff when they go through security. They get to the front of the line and they spend forever relinquishing everything, as if they had no clue whatsoever this was going to be required.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

20. I flew this summer once

I never had to take my shoes off. I guess it depends on the airport you go to. I flew from Orlando to Detriot to Manchester, NH and then Manchester, NH to Lagaurdia NYC to Orlando. I wouldn't assume that you have to take off your shoes until someone asks you.

I didn't have to wait in any long lines for security, but it depends on what time of day you are flying. I've been told by others to get to airport about 1.5 hours early.

At Manchester, NH, they took some extra time checking out a cooler that we were bringing on carry on. It didn't delay us that much at all.

[trof]

22. Very good, and 2 more.

Did the baggie thing a few weeks ago and it really helps.
1. WEAR SOCKS.
2. Go to Ofice Depot and get a clear plastic badge holder that clips on your shirt. Put you driver's license in it and wear it. The security people really liked this.

[69KV]

18. Some of the airlines have replaced their clerks with kiosks

Watch for that when you check in at the ticket counter. There are kiosks now where you insert a drivers license or credit card and confirm your flight number to get your boarding pass. You don't deal with a live person unless you're checking any bags. Delta does this now and some of the other airlines may be too.

[leftofthedial]

19. e-tickets work fine

but my advice is drive.

[gmoney]

21. Thanks to all!

Not so much fear on my part as just NOT wanting to be the guy that didn't know something EVERYONE ELSE knows. I just haven't flown because I've been too BROKE to go anywhere!