Traveling during the holidays is always stressful, but doing so during a pandemic makes it even more so. To help travelers prepare and deal with the struggles of flying this holiday season, the TSA has released a set of tips. They cover what to expect when traveling during the pandemic, reminders about what you can and can’t bring on flights, and tips for reducing your touchpoints at the airport.
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The TSA Released 5 Tips for Traveling During Thanksgiving Weekend
The TSA is primarily reminding passengers to prepare for a slightly different airport experience. It is giving travelers a heads up about what to expect on security lines, including TSA officers wearing masks and gloves, social distancing procedures, ID verification without physical contact, increased cleaning and disinfecting, and touchpoints. It also reminds travelers to wear masks at all times in the airport, and that bringing hand sanitizer aboard (up to 12 oz) is both acceptable and encouraged.
It’s also reminding travelers what foods they’re allowed to bring on board, since not all Thanksgiving foods will be acceptable. “If you’re traveling with food in your carry-on bag,” it says, “TSA recommends that you remove it and place it in a bin for screening because food items can trigger a security alarm. To reduce potential cross-contamination, we recommend that food items are placed in a clear plastic bag. Upon entering the checkpoint, remove that clear bag with food and place it into the bin.”
Additionally, foods that can be spilled, sprayed, spread, pumped, or poured should be packed in a checked bag, not a carry-on, which includes cranberry sauce, gravy, and wine in quantities larger than 100 ml or 3.4 oz. Cakes, pies, and casseroles can travel in carry-on luggage.
The TSA is also giving tips on how to make the airport experience smoother and stay up-to-date on the latest procedures. It’s encouraging everyone to enroll in TSA PreCheck to reduce touchpoints and get through the line quicker. It advises downloading the myTSA app and following it on Twitter for the latest airport security information or for last-minute questions. 