Flying and TSA

Loudmouthbass

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2017
Location
Wilmywood
Haven't flown since 2012. Used to have TSA pre-check. Since this is last minute and holiday, can't get pre-check before flight. Love a job that let's you know on Wednesday you need to be in NJ on Monday.

Any tips, tricks or warnings anyone can share?
 
It’s not back pre 9/11 easy but it’s getting close. Minus the taking off shoes and belt bs.

In CLT you can arrive 50 minutes pre board and be fine.

Just park in long term the bus comes by every 5 minutes
 
bring snacks like granola bars etc. with you, (just don't bring liquid) I fly all the time and they are super stingy with drinks and snacks on all airlines.

wear comfortable clothes in layers as the don't seem to understand how to use AC or HEAT. they either freeze you or bake you.

oh and don't bring toiletry's that are over the stupid 3oz. some TSA people are A.. Holes and will make you throw it out if over.
 
BRUISER said:
bring snacks like granola bars etc. with you, (just don't bring liquid) I fly all the time and they are super stingy with drinks and snacks on all airlines.

wear comfortable clothes in layers as the don't seem to understand how to use AC or HEAT. they either freeze you or bake you.
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I carry an empty water bottle and fill once you pass security.

Also, comfortable shoes that are easily removable. If you normally carry a bunch of stuff in your pockets, put it in your carry-on so you don't have to empty everything.

The foil liner in dude wipes will get you pulled aside for a search of you forget them in your pocket...
 
Hide stuff in your butt. They won’t see it there.
 
The last few times I've flown this year pre check took longer than the regular security line. No matter what, flying this Monday is going to suck... Like ron said park in Long term (if they still have spaces) but id suggest earlier than 50 minutes
 
I dropped a coworker off at CLT on Wednesday at 11am. Came in the back way off of Billy Graham because traffic was so backed up coming from i85 and 74. Still took over 20 minutes to get to the terminal. I assume Monday will be similar. I’m one of the least cautious people you’ll meet when it comes to getting there early, but I’d plan for at least 2hrs in advance to mitigate the unknown of Monday after thanksgiving travel.
 
I didn’t consider holiday travel.
Fair points by dumb and dumberer .
Ignore my 50 minute suggestion.

If you wanna have fun …we’ve got a big ole country boy technician (prolly 6’4 and 425lb) who flew to WI for training. He got pulled for a pat down. He said the puny male tsa agent said “sorry sir I gotta check your waist line “ - Big Rodney allegedly said…” alright but I gotta warn ya. I’m going to see my wife for the first time in 3 weeks and I just took 2 viagra to make sure it’s good night. If you make it stand up you have to make it lay down”

They still give him shot about that. “Took 2 lately?”
 
We used to say in my sales dept that if you haven’t missed a flight, you spend too much time at the airport.

For CLT, I give 1.5 hrs for international. Park at long term lot 2, stop VV (2nd bus stop on return) and take the bus to the term. Bring an empty water bottle and fill it post-security. Empty all your pockets into your carryon while waiting in the security line. Don’t wear a belt. Do wear shoes that slip on/off. Don’t plan on hitting Chick-fil-A post-security because the line is always ridiculously long. Enjoy the ride.
 
Loudmouthbass said:
Thanks everyone. Wasn't sure how bad the no 'precheck' was going to be. I'll report back afterwards.
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Biggest hassle of non precheck is having to take all the liquids and laptop out and take your shoes off. That’s what slows the line down, and makes it more difficult to manage getting all the stuff on and off the conveyor. You end up with like 3 bins and there’s only loading space for 2 and everyone is pressuring you to hurry up.
 
jeepinmatt said:
Biggest hassle of non precheck is having to take all the liquids and laptop out and take your shoes off. That’s what slows the line down, and makes it more difficult to manage getting all the stuff on and off the conveyor. You end up with like 3 bins and there’s only loading space for 2 and everyone is pressuring you to hurry up.
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Nah, the biggest hassle is all the idiots who don’t listen or read the signs. Then get to the conveyor and get all mad they got to take their stuff off or out
 
Noel said:
Nah, the biggest hassle is all the idiots who don’t listen or read the signs. Then get to the conveyor and get all mad they got to take their stuff off or out
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This
 
The newer x ray machines with the blue lights on them are super slow. I had to add 20 minutes to my routine once they started rolling those out.
 
jeepinmatt said:
Biggest hassle of non precheck is having to take all the liquids and laptop out and take your shoes off. That’s what slows the line down, and makes it more difficult to manage getting all the stuff on and off the conveyor. You end up with like 3 bins and there’s only loading space for 2 and everyone is pressuring you to hurry up.
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I can't remember the last time I actually took liquids out of the bag and I don't have precheck.

Every airport also acts different about laptops, sometimes its take them out, sometimes not. There is no consistency.
 
Flight out Sunday wasn't bad. Shoes, jacket and belt off, body scan, carry-on and laptop bag/backpack scanned. Didn't even have to unfold/open the 'TSA Approved' laptop backpack. Did have to 'valet' the carry-on since it was a puddle jumper. Fly home on Fri out of PHL. Hopefully just as easy. NJ is still f*ed up 11 years later after the last business trip. Traffic sucks, no one is 'southern' friendly, a "y'all" gets you looked at, full service gas stations only, no plastic bags at Walmart and had to buy a reusable one, no SunDrop anywhere. And no, MelloYello or Mtn Dew ain't the same. The number of foreign speakers is amazing. I know I've heard Turkish, Yiddish, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Italian and Polish in 2 days.
 
Loudmouthbass said:
The number of foreign speakers is amazing. I know I've heard Turkish, Yiddish, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Italian and Polish in 2 days.
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Sounds like my last trip to Orlando. Pretty sure everywhere we went we were the only people to know English.
 
Loudmouthbass said:
Flight out Sunday wasn't bad. Shoes, jacket and belt off, body scan, carry-on and laptop bag/backpack scanned. Didn't even have to unfold/open the 'TSA Approved' laptop backpack. Did have to 'valet' the carry-on since it was a puddle jumper. Fly home on Fri out of PHL. Hopefully just as easy. NJ is still f*ed up 11 years later after the last business trip. Traffic sucks, no one is 'southern' friendly, a "y'all" gets you looked at, full service gas stations only, no plastic bags at Walmart and had to buy a reusable one, no SunDrop anywhere. And no, MelloYello or Mtn Dew ain't the same. The number of foreign speakers is amazing. I know I've heard Turkish, Yiddish, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Italian and Polish in 2 days.
Click to expand...

Funny because Sunday set the record for busiest air travel day ever. Good thing it worked out.
thehill.com

Sunday air travel set record: TSA

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that Sunday set an agency-wide record for the busiest air travel day ever. More than 2.9 million people were screened at airports ac…
thehill.com

Ron still would have made his flight, just have to hustle to the long term bus
 
I was really surprised this past Saturday (25th) when we dropped my step daughter off at RDU how quiet it was. The wife had her through security and to the gate in under 30mins then just had to sit and wait for her to get on the plane. We were there the recommended 2 hrs for flying minors.
 
Loudmouthbass said:
Flight out Sunday wasn't bad. Shoes, jacket and belt off, body scan, carry-on and laptop bag/backpack scanned. Didn't even have to unfold/open the 'TSA Approved' laptop backpack. Did have to 'valet' the carry-on since it was a puddle jumper. Fly home on Fri out of PHL. Hopefully just as easy. NJ is still f*ed up 11 years later after the last business trip. Traffic sucks, no one is 'southern' friendly, a "y'all" gets you looked at, full service gas stations only, no plastic bags at Walmart and had to buy a reusable one, no SunDrop anywhere. And no, MelloYello or Mtn Dew ain't the same. The number of foreign speakers is amazing. I know I've heard Turkish, Yiddish, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, Italian and Polish in 2 days.
Click to expand...

PHL was slightly different. Shoes, jacket, and belt off. Removed 'liquids bag' from carry-on, had forgot on flight out but nothing was said. Unfold 'TSA Approved' laptop backpack. Remove laptop from backpack and place in container. Forgot to add Joisey to the list of languages I heard. Good to be back in NC, C-Store was first stop for a Sun-Drop on the way home and heard Joisey. The world is almost right again.
 
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