How not to be that person in the airport security check line

Sarah Eaton
Journalism 132
Magazine Writing

How to not be that person in the security check
Pulling a balancing act with your purse and carry on, your license and plane ticket separate, is an all too familiar scene for anyone who flies. As you approach the security check line, the slithering line seems to be getting progressively longer. You look ahead to see what the holdup is and single out the person in the front of the line. Whether it’s a water bottle that has more than 3 ounces, scissors that are more than 4 inches, or a laptop bag that has a pocket or zipper on it, this small regulation violation postpones everyone from getting to their specific gate.
September 11th 2001 made a big impact on the airport security. A fee now goes on every airplane ticket to ensure that the quality of security has increased and the rules have changed dramatically. In a time when people could have their ski’s poles or golf clubs as their carry on, this has now been limited to only check in. Women need to recheck their purse to make sure they don’t have lotions or any makeup exceeding the limit of 3 ounces. Water bottles and other drinks need to be bought in the airport or drank before going through security. Following these simple rules can keep the line moving and save you time overall in your venture through the airport, giving you less hassle from the front of the airport to the gate.
It’s important to make sure you know the newest and most regulations that are available easily online or just a phone call away. September 11th brought on more strict rules but they have eased a little since then but how would you know this unless you were to look them up? No one wants to be singled out as the person who made the line go from 2 minutes to 15 all over a simple thing that you just didn’t know. The frequent flyers are aware of this because of the constant pattern of going from one airport security check to another. One rule that has been modified is the laptop rule. Once, this rule was that the laptops going through the machine had to be outside of the case, in a separate bin. However, now, in order to make the line go faster and a smoother transition, people with laptops are allowed to keep it in its case. Although this is a minuscule rule and hardly noticed by a sporadic flyer, it can save you the embarrassment
To avoid the glares of the line behind you, the hassle of having to return and check in your bag, and the time wasted, or if you are unsure about a particular item, make sure you check online to see the updates on the security line at www.tsa.gov. Also, prepare your outfit the night before including sandals instead of tennis shoes, and if possible, an outfit for limited pockets. By having fewer pockets, they’ll be fewer things you’ll store in them that could potentially hold you up. Checking in at least an hour before can make all the difference because you never know when there is a random busy weekend and you happened to be traveling on it. Don’t allow a few lines to have you miss your flight. Take responsibility for making your flight by being prompt and prepared. These simple habits of flying will ensure that you are not that person in the security checkpoint.