Airplane Travel

[Mr Light]

I'll be taking a flight tomorrow and I haven't flown on a plane in six years. What's changed? Anything I should be aware of?

---So you're supposed to arrive TWO HOURS before your flight? Is this true?

---I'm going to put locks on my luggage obviously. When I arrive at the airport are they going to ask me to unlock the locks so they can search my suitcase?

---And you can only have a 3 ounce liquid in a plastic bag? So if I bring a little thing of hand sanitizer I need it in a small plastic bag? This doesn't apply to things in your suitcase just carry-on items right? I can bring shampoo in my luggage right?

---Can you play a Nintendo DS on a plane in flight?

---Do they charge you for a soda and nuts now on the plane?

---Do they still make you take off your shoes? I remember they did that the last time I flew.

I had to a ticket with 48 hours notice because of my allegedly sick mother on Thanksgiving Week. I was shocked to find a) flights were even available and b) it only cost me $350 for the round trip. I thought airplane tickets had skyrocketed recently? Or did they just recently drop with the vast gas price drop and the Neo-Great Depression?

 

[All Seeing Eye]

What's changed? Anything I should be aware of?

Yes, they now randomly eject passengers out of the bottom of the plane just for lols.

 

[Captain Ice]

I'll be taking a flight tomorrow and I haven't flown on a plane in six years. What's changed? Anything I should be aware of?

---So you're supposed to arrive TWO HOURS before your flight? Is this true?

Not sure, but I'd recommend it.

---I'm going to put locks on my luggage obviously. When I arrive at the airport are they going to ask me to unlock the locks so they can search my suitcase?

Don't bother. They'll just cut them off.

---Do they charge you for a soda and nuts now on the plane?

Some do, some don't. Call the airline and ask.

---Do they still make you take off your shoes? I remember they did that the last time I flew.

Yes.

 

[Mr Light]

Seriously? I shouldn't lock my luggage? I don't have to worry about the 20 guys handling the luggage at the various different airports from stealing anything? Or the zipper somehow vibrating open and spilling my stuff everywhere? I thought everyone locked their luggage.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

ALWAYS lock your luggage, that's just like ya know, common sense.

 

[Small White Car]

Seriously? I shouldn't lock my luggage? I don't have to worry about the 20 guys handling the luggage at the various different airports from stealing anything? Or the zipper somehow vibrating open and spilling my stuff everywhere? I thought everyone locked their luggage.

Well, sure, worry about it. But the fact is, the TSA will cut them off. So don't bother.

What you can do is use plastic ties like these. They'll still get cut off, but at least your luggage is fairly secure up until they cut them off. So instead of 10 guys having access to your stuff it will only be 6. Or something.

Really, that's all you can do. It's something, at least.

Also, the DS is fine except for take-offs and landings. They'll say when it's ok to use it. Only things with radios (cell phones) have to stay off the entire flight.

 

[anais]

Seriously? I shouldn't lock my luggage? I don't have to worry about the 20 guys handling the luggage at the various different airports from stealing anything? Or the zipper somehow vibrating open and spilling my stuff everywhere? I thought everyone locked their luggage.

What you can do is get a TSA lock, they can be opened by airport security.

 

[Mr Light]

How recent is this lock thing? My GF flew home earlier this year I think it was and used locks and they didn't get cut off or anything.

 

[Squiggy]

---So you're supposed to arrive TWO HOURS before your flight? Is this true?

Depends on the airport and season. Two hours seems like a safe bet for Thanksgiving regardless of the airport

---I'm going to put locks on my luggage obviously. When I arrive at the airport are they going to ask me to unlock the locks so they can search my suitcase?

If they don't ask you to remove it when you check your bag, they'll probably cut the lock before they load it. You can get TSA locks at Walmart, among other places.

---And you can only have a 3 ounce liquid in a plastic bag? So if I bring a little thing of hand sanitizer I need it in a small plastic bag? This doesn't apply to things in your suitcase just carry-on items right? I can bring shampoo in my luggage right?

3 oz is only for carry on, correct. In your checked bag you can have whatever as long as it isn't hazardous.

---Can you play a Nintendo DS on a plane in flight?

Yes. The only electronics they don't allow are cell phones. Pretty much everything else can be activated once cruising altitude is reached.

---Do they charge you for a soda and nuts now on the plane?

Depends on the airline. I've never encountered this on Jetblue, Delta, Southwest, US Air, or Continental.

---Do they still make you take off your shoes? I remember they did that the last time I flew.

Yes, at security.

 

[Lindley]

The two hour thing is primarily due to two delays: The check-in line, and the security line.

There's not much you can do about the security line, but that's *usually* not so bad anyway. The check-in line wait you might be able to do something about.

Depending on the airport, some airlines may have a "bag drop" line separately for those who did online check-in at home. This line is frequently much shorter than check-in+bag drop.

Also, with enough experience at your local airport you can quickly identify which airlines don't tend to have long lines at the check-in desk and prefer to use them. For instance, at Washington Dulles, the JetBlue line is always far less crowded than the United line.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

A typical experience through security.


You'll need to have your gov't issued picture ID as well or you won't be able to access the "secure" area. "Papers, please, comrade"

At many airports, there are now separate security lines for families, basic travelers, and expert travelers.

If you take a laptop, you'll have to take it out of the bag and send it through separately, also your jacket will have to be scanned.

 

[Triskelion]

I fly from the US to China and back, and I never pack, except a fanny-pack sized shoulder bag for snacks and a book and magazine for the plane. Keys, phone, like that. I buy clothes at my destination. Breeze through customs and baggage claim.

Never wear a belt, ring or watch to beep in the detector, never have to stand aside for the wand, wear crocs on my feet, easy to kick off, and air out the dogs on the long flight. Pair of noise-cancelling headphones and I'm all set, easy-peasy. Last time I flew to China with 30 dollars in my pocket. No sweat, all I needed was breakfast in Chicago, plenty of money left over!

Safe flight!

 

[trekkiedane]

---Do they still make you take off your shoes? I remember they did that the last time I flew.

Yes.

Funny story: I was about to board a plane when the metal detector beeped and I was manually scanned; the guy asked me why I was wearing safety boots and I told him I didn't know they were, they were just my boots…
Two planes later I landed in Orlando and again a metal detector beeped when I passed through. This time I was told to take them off and put them through the x-ray machine

ALWAYS lock your luggage, that's just like ya know, common sense.

IFAIK it's been made illegal to actually lock suitcases.

 

[Roger Wilco]

I had no idea that luggage gets routinely opened on flights, I thought they just x-ray it or something and only open it if something looks suspicious.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

If it gets opened, the TSA should put a flyer in to let you know it's been opened.

Unfortunately, with luggage being unlocked the opportunities for opening and theft have gone way up all through the chain. Google "TSA Luggage Theft" to get an idea of the scope of the issue.

Make sure not to pack anything remotely valuable in your checked baggage.

 

[Mr Light]

--Will the X-Ray scanner do anything bad to my Nintendo DS and games?

I'm worried about luggage theft because I'm going home and I'm going to raid my possessions of everything valuable to sell online (comic books, books).

So if I buy these "TSA Locks" this is something that TSA can open and then re-lock without destroying them?

 

[Squiggy]

No...Xrays don't harm electronics.

 

[Professor Zoom]

--Will the X-Ray scanner do anything bad to my Nintendo DS and games?

I'm worried about luggage theft because I'm going home and I'm going to raid my possessions of everything valuable to sell online (comic books, books).

So if I buy these "TSA Locks" this is something that TSA can open and then re-lock without destroying them?

Yep. The locks are made so the TSA security people can open and then relock. You can get them at any store that has travel items.

 

[the 4th hanson bro]

I'm worried about luggage theft because I'm going home and I'm going to raid my possessions of everything valuable to sell online (comic books, books).

So if I buy these "TSA Locks" this is something that TSA can open and then re-lock without destroying them?

The TSA can open them, unfortunately, so can others with the right key.

The only way to truly protect your valuables is to ship them home via UPS or similar.

 

[Squiggy]

That's being a little paranoid.