Ordos Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 So I travel by airplane every year and this is quite a challenge. When going through airport security check; you have to put your hand luggage (and in my country even cargo luggage) through the xray and before going through the metal detector you must remove your jacket, hat and sometimes your shoes. You must empty your pockets (phone and wallet) and remove anything metal like watch and belt and in my case lapel pin. You place the items in a plastic box that also goes through the xray. As if that is not enough, if you set off the alarm, you get a pat down. You would be lucky if they only use a metal detector rod. All this while firmly holding your boarding pass and passport (domestic travel might require some other form of ID) in one hand and holding up your sagging pants in the other. But wait, we are not done! Sometimes you must remove your laptop computer from your bag so the xray can scan it individually from the bag! However, my main complaint is not the procedure in itself but composing yourself after security. How quickly can you do this? Grab your bags before another passenger's bag pushes it off the conveyor belt or have a smaller bag with fragile items crushed between bigger bags. Luckily there is usually a small space for composing yourself so you don't hold up the line. But you still have to deal with nagging travel companions shouting 'Hurry up or we will miss the plane!' What do I mean by composing yourself? I mean the following: Putting jewelry, watch and belt back on, putting wallet and phone back into your pockets, putting on items of clothing such as hat, jacket and shoes and finally putting your laptop back in your bag. And don't forget your passport and boarding pass that you might overlook in the rush to compose yourself. Edit: forgot to add; security will confiscate all your liquids: shampoo, liquid soap and bottled beverage. I've learned to put them in cargo, but the bottled soft drink I buy in the terminal while waiting I must dispose of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DireWolfSpirit Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 That sounds about standard operating procedure for the airports i've flew from in the last 10 yrs. It doesnt take me more than a few minutes (2-3) to do the compose myself thingy. I'm pretty conditioned to the routine, the courthouses have a pretty similar security setup in a few cities i've lived in as well. If I had the option for a flight with security and a flight with no security, im getting on the plane with the security, no question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baxus Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I usually travel in comfortable clothes with lots of pockets and I have a routine what goes into what pocket so that's over and done rather quickly. The only possible delays are putting my laptop back into my backpack and/or getting my headphones back in position (I put them under my t-shirt). If those things happen, I do them at normal speed, not in a rush. Airport security does not phase me one bit. It's a bunch of people doing their jobs, following certain procedures that are meant to make our flights safer, or at least give us the impression that our flights are safer. I'm not going to go out of my way to make their job harder by bitching about what they have as much control over as I do. Travel companions bitching about missing the flight? I'm usually the one advocating getting to the airport early enough not to have to rush things, so I'd remind them of that and leave them to their whining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ordos Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 I agree there must be security. I only wish that security AND the passengers would be more considerate and take their time. Make the conveyor belt longer or stop longer to make space between bags. After going through the metal detector, there should be a space for at least six people with a large table. After the passenger has picked up their bags, the officer can direct them to the space and say 'You can put your belt on over there. And hold on to your boarding pass'. Sure the line will move slower. But it's better than a mad rush to the waiting room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filippa Eilhart Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I really don't find this a problem at all, although I do get slightly embarrassed if someone needs to go through my dirty underwear. I am however surprised how many people don't know about the liquids and cosmetics rule after it's been in force for 15 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HexMachina Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 28 minutes ago, Filippa Eilhart said: I really don't find this a problem at all, although I do get slightly embarrassed if someone needs to go through my dirty underwear. I am however surprised how many people don't know about the liquids and cosmetics rule after it's been in force for 15 years. Yep. And in every airport ive been to its always been well signposted before you get to security. Also, maybe this is just a difference between countires but i've bever found security at my usual airport or any of the few ive been to in Europe particularly chaotic or rushed with security. And putting things through xray, everytjing just goes into a plastic tub,and you take the tub over to a table to sort yourself out at the other side. Never found it bothersome. Even when i travelled outside of Europe (Tunisia) i didnt really notice any issues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altherion Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I've gotten pretty good at this and it now only takes me 1 minute or sometimes even less to fully recover from the procedure. The key is to place things in distinct pockets in either your jacket or, in the summer, in one of the carry-on bags. I find putting the belt back on to be the most annoying part of it (even more than the shoes). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xray the Enforcer Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Depending on if I have a laptop with me, it'll take between 1 and 2 minutes to organize myself after the security checkpoint. (Getting the laptop back into its proper sleeve in my backpack can be tricky if I have packed a lot of other gear in there.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ordos Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 I'm with everyone else in that it takes a maximum 2 minutes to compose myself. The problem for me is that in some airports I can tell you that security is chaotic. There sometimes is not enough space for me to both grab my things and organize myself without becoming an obstacle to the next passenger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Filippa Eilhart Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 what I don't is that depending on an airport they either want me to take off my watch or not, take off my shoes or not, take out my camera or not... some clarity would be nice, people eta: oh and surprise security checks in connection airports. If I bought my precious water after security I expect to hold on to it until I arrive at my final destination, not give it up half drank at the connecting airport! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isis Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 51 minutes ago, Altherion said: I've gotten pretty good at this and it now only takes me 1 minute or sometimes even less to fully recover from the procedure. The key is to place things in distinct pockets in either your jacket or, in the summer, in one of the carry-on bags. I find putting the belt back on to be the most annoying part of it (even more than the shoes). Same. You just need to be prepared. Trouble is, some people for no good reason, are useless at preparing for anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arch-MaesterPhilip Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I don't travel by plane that frequently but I get my shit together rather quickly. I'm as relaxed as I'm going to be by the time I get to the waiting area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VarysTheSpider Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 My normal play is to gather everything off the belt into a huge pile in my arms, wobble precariously to the end of the room, dump everything down in a heap before reassembling. Irritation is then normally replaced by thoughts of the pre-flight beer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fez Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 This is why I got global entry and pre-check. Its not quite pre-9/11 security, but it still much less of a hassle. Even before I had it, I was able to get myself together after going through regular security pretty quickly; the problem was always how long the lines were due to other people not understanding what they're supposed to be doing. But it is nice not having to do anything other than empty my pockets and put my bags on the belt. And getting to just use an x-ray machine. On the other hand, it is a $100 and you have to go to an in-person interview; which was easy for me since there was a location just a few miles away from me, but can be quite a trip depending on where you live. Plus there's the background check and your fingerprints go on file, which I imagine some people would have a problem with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercenaryChef Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I am quite quick and efficient at getting back together and on my way to the airport bar before my flight. I never take my belt off as it doesn't set off the metal detector. my shoes slip on and off easily. a recent trip to montreal had a woman in front of us with two bags, a purse and a laptop. she was hopelessly frustrated and fucked up getting through security and becoming situated. preparedness, people! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S John Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 As a few others have noted, the key is to put all of your shit in either a jacket pocket or a backpack. So when I am standing in line for security I am simultaneously putting my wallet, keys, phone, belt, watch, sunglasses, etc into a pocket in my bag or jacket so that when I get up there I just have to put that item in a bin and I'm ready. At the other side you just scoop up the bag/ or jacket and GTFO of there. For a while I had even taken to burying my laptop between protective layers of clothing in my checked bag so that I didn't have to take it out at security. Unfortunately last time I went through a major airport, which happened to be LAX, they nixed that idea and made me take it in my carry on. Come to find out, the battery is the issue. Apparently if punctured they can create a nice lil' fireball. I guess the airline is cool with you having this flammable object in the passenger cabin, but not in the cargo hold where it might get jostled or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskaral Pust Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I agree, prep and practice make this easy. I'm a frequent business traveler so I paid for the pre-check program, which means I drop my wallet and watch into a pocket of my laptop bag and stroll through. I pick my bag up on the other side and keep walking without breaking stride. I retrieve my watch and wallet when I pause on an escalator or at the concession stand to buy water. If I'm traveling internationally and lose the benefit of pre-check, it still only takes me a few seconds to ungroup laptop, bag of liquids, and shoes. Belt, wallet and watch go into a pocket of my bag. So only a few seconds needed on the other side. Replacing the belt and lacing shoes is the slowest part but even that's about 30 seconds. My wife is not a frequent traveler and takes what seems like hours for the same process, despite not laces or belt, and usually breaks protocol in some way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskaral Pust Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Like most frequent travelers, I will judge you severely if you are dithering and delaying the line, or if you walk through with some chunky metallic object, leave a water bottle in your bag or some other breach of protocol that was specifically warned as you stood in line for the past 10-60 minutes. I hate TSA and their ineffectual security theatre, but right in that moment I hate you even more for not paying one iota of attention and consequently delaying everyone behind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercenaryChef Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 iskaral I agree completely. get your shit together people. keep the line moving. no, you still cannot bring that coke through. yes, you have to the tablet out of your briefcase. come on, people! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deedles Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 It takes me approx 30 seconds to get my stuff together. The night before I will go through my handbag and ensure no sweets / cosmetics / liquids in it. Kindle and iPad in a separate pocket. Lay out dress (no pockets) and sandals. Check and clear my coat of an miscellaneous in the pockets. Get to security, slip iPad out. Coat off. Sandals off if required. Stroll through. Coat back on. Done. If you take more than a minute or two, getting through I judge you. when I travelled with baby last November, I did much the same. She was in a fabric wrap. They checked my hands for residue but no issue otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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