Flying from SLO for the holidays? Save time and trouble with these holiday travel tips
If you’re heading on a plane this holiday season, knowing what to bring and what to leave at home can save critical time and prevent major potential hassles.
Some basic travel tips can get you in and out of the airport without the headache of having an item confiscated, losing a possession, or even getting arrested, according to the Transportation Security Administration and the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport.
These are some of the don’ts when it comes to air travel and making your experience go smoothly:
▪ Don’t bring scissors.
▪ Don’t bring any kind of weapon (pocket knives included).
▪ Don’t bring fireworks.
▪ Don’t bring liquids of 3.4 ounces or more per container.
Some of the do’s are the following:
▪ Do pack liquids, gels and aerosols in a clear, plastic bag.
▪ Do bring your medications (no need to present them to a security official).
▪ Do get to a flight early (90 minutes beforehand is recommended for SLO).
▪ Do consider signing up for TSA PreCheck to get through security faster.
TSA PreCheck allows people to funnel through security lines faster than standard check-ins, with 93% of participants waiting less than five minutes in November, according to TSA officials.
“After years of taking off your shoes to go through airport security, the most noticeable difference might be that you can finally just leave them on when using TSA PreCheck,” TSA states. “Additional perks include leaving on light outerwear and jackets, belts, and keeping laptops and small liquids in your bag.”
Tips to check in quickly
Craig Piper, assistant director of the SLO County airport, told The Tribune that he’s seen all kinds of bizarre things come through airports in his career.
“I don’t do security checks anymore, but in the past I’ve seen people with some really weird stuff, like gooey food and things like that,” Piper said. “You wonder why people pack certain things.”
Piper said that anything potentially illegal, such as a gun, can result in law enforcement being called in to interview a traveler.
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Still, people can transport a firearm that’s legally registered and declared as an item in checked luggage.
“Firearms are only allowed in checked baggage and must be unloaded, placed in a locked, hard-sided container and declared to your airline,” according to TSA’s travel tip website.
Slip-on shoes to quickly get on and off, socks to ward off the cold, and fancy jewelry are all okay.
It’s easy to leave loose change behind, and it’s annoying to get it in and out of a pocket. More than $869,000 in change was lost by passengers at checkpoints in 2017, according to TSA.
The lost change tally amounts to 86,000 Netflix subscriptions, 86 million pennies and 10,117 TSA PreCheck memberships, according to TSA.
SLO County college students among travelers
Piper said that he has seen a number of students flying out of SLO in recent days, as well as holiday travelers.
“We’ve seen a lot of college kids going back home,” Piper said. “We’ve also seen more people traveling who don’t normally travel. You start to recognize seasoned travelers from those who haven’t traveled a lot. They’re not as used to the policies and procedures.”
Piper said that while SLO can check people in relatively quickly compared to most places, some arrive too late and can’t board.
“Thirty minutes before a flight is the cutoff for check-in, and some people think they have the time because SLO isn’t as busy as other airports, but they miss their flight,” Piper said. “You might as well get there 90 minutes before. You can read or get a snack or use your computer. We have plenty of charging stations to charge up your phone or device before you board.”
The airport’s new San Diego flight will begin in January, and its Portland flight starts in June, both with Alaska Airlines.
The Las Vegas flight through Contour Airlines launched in October.
In December 2018, the airport added a new American Airlines flight to Dallas, a hub that connects San Luis Obispo to dozens of other destinations.
The airport added a second daily flight to Denver in 2018.
This story was originally published December 20, 2019 at 5:00 AM.
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