How to Survive Airport Security and Other Tips for Hassle-Free Flying

Summer's nearly upon us, and that means vacation travel. Many people will choose flying over driving as their preferred mode of travel. With all the security rules and regulations currently in place for airline passengers, some travelers can spend more time checking luggage, going through security, and waiting to board their aircraft than they do actually flying! During a recent trip, I experimented with a few things and found that I greatly reduced the time and trouble involved in my flight experience. I'm sharing these suggestions with you in hopes that you will utilize a few and save yourself some unnecessary grief on your next airline trip.

Keep your identification and boarding pass available at all times. You know you'll need both when you check in, when you go though security, and when you board the plane. Don't waste time tucking them away and then having to pull them out again. Use them as bookmarks in the book or magazine you're bringing with you to read during the flight. (And memorize the page number you were on before you do!) And do everyone a favor and READ YOUR BOARDING PASS before you get on the plane! I couldn't believe the number of people who had to change seats (and in one case delay our takeoff) because they had the idea they were in one seat but were actually assigned to another. Some feel it's embarrassing to ask a flight attendant for assistance; it's even more humiliating to have the attendant tell you to move your behind because you're sitting in someone else's seat...with everybody in the plane watching!

Check your bags. Yes, I know airlines are now charging per bag, and for some spending that extra $30 round-trip is a deal-breaker. But you delay yourself (and other passengers) when you stand in the aisle of the aircraft and struggle for 15 minutes to cram that overstuffed rolling suitcase in a bin that won't hold it, and end up paying the fee to have the bag checked anyway. If you really want to avoid that fee, do what I should have done, which is...

Pack sparingly. On my last trip, I packed six days' worth of clothing for a four-day visit. As it turned out, I wore only half of the clothes I packed. I could have used a smaller bag and saved myself that $30 in bag checking fees.

Dress down. Unless you're arriving for an interview or a business meeting, dress casually in comfortable clothing. Wear footwear you can remove and put back on easily. Ladies, this is not the time to carry a big purse loaded to the brim with junk; gentleman, ditto with briefcases. The more you wear, the more you'll have to mess with should you be randomly tagged for a more thorough security check. And if your clothing has pockets, you might want to consider this timesaver...

Unload your pockets ahead of time. Before you walk out the door and head to the airport, everything goes into a freezer bag -- wallet, keys, pocket items, cell phone, MP3 player, digital camera, any other electronics devices -- anything you can carry in a pocket. Why? Empty pockets can't set off metal detectors! (I have a serious problem forgetting to remove my cell phone.) When you get to the security desk, dump the contents of the bag into the tray and send it through the X-ray machine. Once on the other side, put everything back in the bag. After you reach your gate, you can reload your pockets at your leisure and not hold up the rest of the passengers. (Next time I'm going to try leaving everything in the bag and see if security accepts it; if they do, it saves that much more time.)

Know where you are and where you need to go. As I stated earlier, read your boarding pass. Check the flight boards that show arrivals and departures. Find your gate, and if you have questions, ask airport personnel. Don't do as one family did on my last trip and stand in the middle of the terminal arguing with each other about which direction they were to go to find their flight. Guys, we have particular problems with asking for help. But I'd rather take a hit in the pride department and be in my seat when the plane takes off, as opposed to feeling great and having to pay an additional fee for a later flight.

Drop the attitude. Sure, having to deal with the extra security is frustrating. But copping an attitude about it with the airport and especially security personnel can create extra hassles for you. I've seen it happen: Somebody makes a nasty comment to security, and suddenly they're in the "special line" where everything you have with you is searched in minute detail. Snide comments and crude jokes about hijackings or bombings could get you thrown off the plane and out of the airport, and possibly into jail. If you can't control your temper for the few hours you'll be in the hands of the airlines, maybe you need to consider going Greyhound instead.

If you don't mind standing in line for hours, being routed to special security areas, facing the wrath of your fellow passengers, and possibly missing your flight altogether, then ignore everything above. On the other hand, what could it hurt to try something that could save you a little time and a lot of irritation? And if you have learned some special tricks to make your air travel easier, please feel free to share them with us. In the long run, we all benefit!