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Airport Security
- speeding up the process
There’s no doubt that
after events in recent years, airport security has become more
stringent than at any time in the history of air travel. Security
checks that normally took minutes to complete now can take on
epic proportions and require a fair degree of goodwill and patience
from both airport personnel and passengers alike.
Despite the extra security processes, debate
will rage long and wide as to the effectiveness of these measures.
The one thing however that most people can agree on is the time
these measures have added to the security processing required
for each flight has increased dramatically. |
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So what can be done to speed
the security process up? Well, airports and airlines themselves
are constantly looking for ways to speed up and enhance the security
processing of passengers with new technology and processes, but
there are a number of things that the passengers themselves can
do to speed things along if they were so inclined.
Tips to helping the security staff process your flight
faster:
Be aware that in the current climate it will take much longer
to get through security – allow plenty of time for this
before your flight. Those who queue-jump as they rush to meet
flights only cause further delays for everyone else.
Have all your necessary documentation already to hand ready for
inspection by security staff – don’t go fishing for
your papers only when you finally get asked for them, have them
ready beforehand. If you’re a regular traveller you’ll
know that it can often be difficult to search for your documents
while carrying your bags and any other items. You may want to
consider a neck wallet – a see-through wallet that you can
hang around your neck that you can place your boarding pass and
identification into. They’re relatively cheap and they can
save a lot of hassle. You can look for such items here
at Magellan's.
Try to wear as little jewellery as possible or, if you must, think
about which items might be likely to trigger the metal detector
and remove them.
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Wear sensible shoes and belts. These are the
latest items to warrant special attention from airport security
staff, so where possible avoid shoes and belts that are likely
to set the metal detector off. You might actually be a lot more
comfortable on the flight too.
Think carefully about the items that you pack into your carry
on luggage. Most airlines these days display a prominent poster
close to the check-in area stating what can and cannot be taken
on board an aircraft. Read it and think about the contents of
your bag. Any unsuitable items can and may be confiscated from
you. It is much preferable to simply pack the item in your main
luggage and retrieve it at your destination.
As you draw nearer the x-ray machine, take notice
of what the other passengers are being asked to do. If they are
removing jackets and placing them on the conveyor belt, chances
are you’ll have to do the same. Empty the pockets and remove
your jacket before you get to the machine, not when you get there.
As you’re waiting in line to walk through
the metal detector, start checking your pockets and putting the
contents of them all into one pocket. That way when you’re
asked to place the contents of your pockets into the plastic tray,
you only have the one pocket to check.
If you think an item like your belt or watch,
or even your shoes, will set off the metal detector, err on the
side of caution and remove it and place it on the conveyor. One
of the biggest causes of delay is when people are required to
walk through the metal detector a number of times due to something
causing the alarm to go off. Think ahead and save yourself some
time.
Laptops are required these days to be removed
from the carry bag and placed through the x-ray machine. Mobile
phones and other electronic gadgets should also be placed in the
plastic tray and sent through the machine. It pays to have some
sort of easy identification tags on your equipment. In some situations
the exit area of the metal detector and the x-ray machine can
get quite crowded and confusing. While it is extremely unlikely
that anyone will make off with your equipment, it is possible
someone might take an item of yours by pure mistake. Better safe
than sorry.
Don’t make jokes aimed at the security
personnel or relating to aircraft security. There have been well-reported
incidents where flippant or casual remarks made by passengers
have resulted in jail time and prosecution. Security staff take
their job seriously, and so should you.
Expect that your bags will be manually inspected
so avoid carrying wrapped up presents or other items that will
need to be opened or dismantled, and don’t lock the bags.
If you need or want to lock your bags wait until you’ve
passed through the security check area.
Remember, it really doesn’t take much to shave a few seconds
off your own processing time. Multiply that by the amount of passengers
on your plane and you suddenly realize there can be some significant
time savings to be had if more people were aware of the situation.
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