What's in Your Bag?

what's In Your Bag? For years, the TSA has worked continually on revising its policies to insure the safety of all travelers. However, this has caused some confusion and frustration among pas- sengers. Here's what you need to know before you even leave for the airport. Here are some tips to make sure you and your carry-on luggage can get through security without a problem. TSA PACKING TIPS & GUIDELINES Do not wrap gifts. By organizing your packed items, security officers can easily see what's in your bag. Wrap electronics' cords so they aren't loose in All coats and jackets must be x-rayed; pack them in checked your bag. luggage if possible. Oversized 1 quart electronics, including laptops, must be removed from your bag and x-rayed separately. Since August 2006, the TSA has determined that it's safe for limited quantities of liquids, aerosols and gels to be brought - on-board an aircraft. Passengers can remember the requirements by thinking 3-1-1: 3.4 oz bottle or less by volume; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in a screening bin. 3.4oz WHAT SHOULD GO IN THE BAG? - Stick deodorant is fine in any size - Gel or aerosol/spray deodorants must be 3.4 oz or less - Liquid make-up like eyeliner should be in the bag Perfume should go in the bag TIP Travel expert Rick Steves recommends packing minimally and purchasing anything you may need, especially toiletries, once you arrive at your destination. EXCEPTIONS Medications, baby formula and food, and breast milk are allowed in reasonable quantities. Declare these items at the checkpoint. The TSA offers a full list of prohibited carry- on items on their website; however, whether or not these items are prohibited can change at any time and vary from airline to airline. "ALLOWED & PROHIBITED ITEMS ALLOWED DEPENDS PROHIBITED Knitting needles Small hand Knives Flammable tools Items clippers and eyebrow cissors (shorter than 4") Car parts (Decided at checkpoint) Gel-type candles Hockey sticks tweezers Batteries (AA, AAA, C, D) Corkscrews Razor-type blades Ammunition (without a knife) & firearms Sometimes, no matter how well you thought you packed, security may have to confiscate one of your items. What are your options and what happens to it? Between 2005 and 2006, TSA confiscated 13 million prohibited items. CONFISCATED ITEMS LB Of those items, Each month, the Hartsfield-Jackson In 2011, TSA officers confiscated more than 1,000 One of the most Other common 11,616,249 were common: Swiss contraband items: lighters and 1,607,100 were knives (lighters are no longer prohibited). Atlanta International Airport confiscates 1,000 Ibs of items. Army knives, or bats, clubs, knives similar multi-use and blades. guns. pocket tools. When a prohibited item is found at a checkpoint, the passenger has four options: CONFISCATED TI Go to a mail facility in the airport and ship your item home. If someone is seeing you off, you can give the item to them. If your car is at the airport, you can take the item to Take the item to the ticket counter and check it in your baggage. your car. *However, not all of these options may be available / feasible depending on how much time you have before your flight. Once confiscated, the items become property of the federal government. Each day, week or month, these items are picked up and are disposed of or donated to non-profit organizations. The TSA does not sell or profit from the sales of the property. 30 states have arrangements with their airports and TSA to take the confiscated items and sell them at auction. Some states donate items to schools, fire departments and charities. Where to buy TSA confiscated items that are for sale: http://www.eyeflare.com/article/where-buy-goods-confiscated-tsa/ tsa.gov | cnn.com | apps.tsa.dhs.gov | blog.tsa.gov | ricksteves.com RAVEL SOURCES: airsafe.com (travel.usatoday.com | abcnews.go.com | wgal.com | consumerist.com | eyeflare.com Information provided by: http://www.travelinsurance.org