Airport security is a tough nut to crack sometimes as various countries have differing rules on what can or can’t be brought through security. As well as rules on whether you must take off your shoes and belt. And rules on what kind of batteries can be brought on a flight or how many. Okay, there’s just a lot of rules to airport security is what we’re trying to say.
So, it’s no surprise that standing in line waiting to get through airport security can be quite the long chore in your travel time. You’re tired and dreading the 20 questions the security agent may ask you. Suddenly your turn takes 15-minutes and your travel companions have left you behind.
It can get easier and faster however, and here’s how.
1. Get a checkpoint friendly laptop bag
A lot of people like to travel with their laptop, we presume to do work stuff while on vacation; though you should really try to just be on vacation while away from work. If you’ve gone through airport security before with a laptop you probably had to take your laptop out of your bag and that can take up some time if it’s hard to access.
There are some bags designed specifically with airport security in mind, some even make it, so you don’t even have to take the laptop out of the bag as it can be scanned easily through the bag.
Otherwise a good tip is to always keep your laptop in its own compartment in your bag. A soft case for the laptop itself is a good idea too if you must remove it from your bag so the case protects it on the hard surface of the conveyor belt. Prepare what you need regarding your laptop before it’s your turn to go through security to make it even easier!
2. Dress for the airport
Image Source: A.Aruninta
Alright, fashion police incoming. Wear comfortable easy to slip-on shoes, don’t wear a belt unless you need to, minimize jewellery, and if you wear a jacket make sure it has big pockets. For that last point we’ve talked about it before in an article. The basic gist is that you want to keep stuff like your keys, wallet, watch, and phone in your jacket pockets instead of your pants pockets.
You’ll be asked to empty your pockets at security checkpoints, so the easier method is to just take off your jacket which has all your used pockets. The other items of wear are also things you may need to remove at checkpoints so if you don’t have to spend an extra 10-minutes taking off and putting your shoes back on, then all the better.
3. Read the rules
As we’ve mentioned earlier, different airports in various countries have variations on their rules for airport security. It’s always a good idea to go through the official rules of what to do, what not to do, and what you can’t bring through security.
By the way, not all airport security agents tend to know the entirety of the rules and their standard operating procedures (SOP) given how their SOP can end up being hundreds of pages long. If you know for a fact that an item is allowed through airport security, just be polite and ask them to call their supervisor and check with SOP. Do note that this will eat up some time but at least you won’t have to trash an item you like.
4. Avoid peak flying times
Image Source: George Parrilla
This may seem obvious, but having less people travelling at the time means less people lining up at security checkpoints. Try to book your flight late at night or in the wee hours of the morning. You’ll usually end up with a short line or a non-existent one in some cases.
Alternatively, for smaller airports, if you arrive a few hours earlier than your flight time and go through the security checkpoint into the terminal right away you’ll usually avoid a long line as well. Just make sure you’ve got something to do while waiting in there.
Cover Image Source: Danjo Paluska