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Packing Smart
by Laura Quarantiello
It's one of the most embarrassing things that can happen to you in a
security line at the airport: a hand search of your luggage. Security
officers may have seen something suspicious on the screening machine, or
you may have been chosen for a random search; either way, your personal
items are about to be removed from your luggage and displayed for
everyone in the immediate vicinity to see. While there's really no way
to avoid random luggage searches, there are ways to make your luggage
less suspicious and easier for security to check.
Use heavy-duty plastic bags to pack personal items such as shampoo,
toothpaste and other personals. See-through baggies help security check
your packed items quicker without having to remove everything.
Pack small items and plastic Baggies on top of clothes so they can be
seen and evaluated quickly.
Avoid packing radios, compact disc players, pagers, or laptop computers,
especially in carry-on luggage. These often set off screening machines
and may cause a hand search of luggage. If you bring electronics with
you, keep them separate from your luggage until you pass through
security, and be prepared to demonstrate that they work.
Pack all medications in their original bottles with prescription labels
to help avoid security questions. You should have a letter from your
doctor for any large amounts of medications that may raise suspicions.
Liquids should be packed in their original bottles (preferably plastic.)
Security may not allow certain liquids aboard if they deem them
suspicious.
Don't pack sharp objects, such as scissors, knives, and nail files.
Airline personnel will confiscate these.
If you are subjected to a hand search of your baggage, don't panic.
Experienced security personnel know what they are looking for and
usually make quick work of searches. Don't expect them to carefully
repack everything, however. If you have packed correctly and avoided
over packing items, a hand search shouldn't disrupt things too much.
And don't worry; you won't be the last passenger to have your personal
items aired in public.
About the author
Suffering from flight frustration? You probably haven't read Laura
Quarantiello's book "Air-Ways: The Insider's Guide to Air Travel" –
everything you need to know about getting there by air. For more
information visit
www.tiare.com/airways.htm
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