TSA offers tips for faster airport screening

(Washington Post) Here's advice from the Transportation Security Administration about what you can expect at airports - and how you can make the process a bit smoother. --The TSA's new screening techniques are in place at all domestic airports, even if security is handled by a private company instead of the agency. --Only passengers who set off a walk-through metal detector or advanced-imaging technology machine, or who opt out of the scanning machine, receive a pat-down. --Items that might set off an alarm on the metal detector include: keys; loose change; cellphones; pagers; heavy jewelry (including pins, necklaces, bracelets, rings, watches, earrings, body piercings, cuff links, lanyards and bolo ties); clothing with metal buttons, snaps or studs; metal barrettes or other hair accessories; belt buckles; and underwire bras. --Travelers are required to remove their shoes and put them through the X-ray machine for inspection. Slip-on shoes ease the process. --Prepare for screening by removing the contents of your pockets and alert the security officer if you have a hidden medical device. Less than 3 percent of passengers end up needing a pat-down, the TSA says. --Pat-downs will take longer than body scans. According to the TSA, body scans take about five seconds, with an extra 15 to 20 seconds for processing. Pat-downs take one to two minutes. --Pat-downs are conducted by TSA officers who are the same sex as the person being screened. --Children age 12 and younger who require extra screening will receive a "modified" pat-down. The TSA has declined to provide specifics of its pat-down procedures. Read more Today is "National Opt Out Day" at airports across the country. An estimated 24 million people will pass through airports over the extended Thanksgiving weekend. It's anyone's guess how many of them will opt out of the machines in favor of the pat downs to send a message to the TSA. Here's the group behind the protest: www.optoutday.com It doesn't take very many people to cause huge delays. The full body scan takes about 10 seconds. According to the TSA an enhanced pat down can take up to four minutes. In other words, it would take a total of around 15 minutes to put 100 people through a body scan - but at least 6 hours to pat down the same number of travelers. What if you aren't trying to make a statement? What if you just want to get to grandma's house as fast as possible? Ask any travel expert for advice. We have a couple of clients who can help and they've available for interviews today: Bob Diener (he's in Miami) Travel Expert (cell) 305-496-5774 bdiener@getaroom.com David Litman (he's in Dallas) Travel Expert (cell) 214-499-5986 dlitman@getaroom.com