Thanksgiving Air Travel | Things You Should Know Before You Fly

Air travelers may carry liquids, gels and aerosols in their carry-on bag when going through security checkpoints.

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All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be three ounces or smaller.

All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag.

Each traveler must remove their quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items.

There are exceptions for baby formula, breast milk, and other essential liquids, gels, and aerosols, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines (see details below).

Please keep in mind that these rules were developed after extensive research and understanding of current threats. They are intended to help air travelers bring essential toiletries and other liquids, gels and aerosols for short trips. If you need larger amounts of liquids, gels and aerosols such as toothpaste or shampoo, please place them in your luggage and check them with your airline.

To ensure the health and welfare of certain air travelers, in the absence of suspicious activity or items, greater than 3 ounces of the following liquids, gels and aerosols are permitted through the security checkpoint in reasonable quantities for the duration of your itinerary (all exceptions must be presented to the security officer in front of the checkpoint):

Baby formula, breast milk, and juice for infants and toddlers.

All prescription and over-the-counter medications (liquids, gels, and aerosols) including petroleum jelly, eye drops, and saline solution for medical purposes;

Liquids including water, juice, or liquid nutrition or gels for passengers with a disability or medical condition;

Life-support and life-sustaining liquids such as bone marrow, blood products, and transplant organs;
Items used to augment the body for medical or cosmetic reasons such as mastectomy products, prosthetic breasts, bras or shells containing gels, saline solution, or other liquids; and,
Frozen gels/liquids are permitted if required to cool medical and infant/child exemptions. Frozen gels/liquids for any other purpose are not permitted.

You are allowed reasonable amounts over 3 ounces of the items above in your carry-on baggage, but you will need to perform the following:

Separate these items from the liquids, gels, and aerosols in your quart-size and zip-top bag.

Declare you have the items to one of our Security Officers at the security checkpoint.
Present these items for additional inspection once reaching the X-ray. These items are subject to additional screening.

We have also taken steps to ensure the security of the boarding areas after you pass through our security checkpoints. Therefore, any liquid, gel or aerosol, such as coffee or soda, purchased in the secure area beyond the security checkpoint is allowed aboard your plane. Please note that if you have a layover and are re-screened at your connecting airport the current rules (see above) for carry-ons apply.

You are permitted to bring solid cosmetics and personal hygiene items as such lipstick, lip balm and similar solids.

From all locations, except India and the United Kingdom
(special rules apply to those countries)

1 bag and 1 personal item (see description below)

For travel on or after Nov 1, 2008 - 45 linear inches or 115 cm (L + W + H)

40 lbs or 18 kg

In addition to the one carry-on item, you may bring free-of-charge the below items:

one small personal article such as a briefcase, purse, day planner, small laptop computer, camera case, compact disk player or similar sized personal entertainment item

personal aid devices such as wheelchairs, braces, canes, crutches, prosthetic devices and walking sticks, provided passenger is dependent on them
one infant article such as a small collapsible stroller, a diaper bag or a government approved child seat (larger strollers can be checked in the jetway prior to boarding the aircraft)

full-size video game consoles (for example Playstation®, X-box®, or Nintendo®), full-size DVD players, and video cameras that use video cassettes (must be removed from carrying cases and submitted separately for x-ray screening)

CPAP breathing machines (must be removed from carrying case and submitted separately for x-ray screening)

Small and portable electronic items do not need to be removed from their carrying cases.

Note: Most knives are not allowed past the security checkpoint (including, but not limited to, pocket knives, folding or retractable blades regardless of blade length or composition, box cutters, X-Acto knives, scissors with a pointed tip, straight razors, Leatherman or Swiss Army Knives). Plastic and round-bladed butter knives are permitted in carry-on baggage.

Gifts and packages are subject to the same inspection as your carry-on baggage.

To reduce delays at the airport security checkpoint travel with your packages unwrapped. This will allow for easy inspection, if necessary.

Effective Aug. 16, 2008, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will allow passengers to leave their laptop computers in bags that meet new "checkpoint friendly" standards. For a bag to be considered checkpoint friendly, it should meet the following standards:

A designated laptop-only section

The laptop-only section completely unfolds to lay flat on the X-ray belt

No metal snaps, zippers or buckles inside, underneath or on top of the laptop-only section

No pockets on the inside or outside of the laptop-only section

Nothing packed in the laptop-only section other than the computer itself.

For details of checkpoint friendly designs and guidance on use, go to TSA.

Economy Class - travel exclusively within 50 U.S., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada

For customers who purchased tickets on or after Sept. 6, 2008 for travel on or after Oct. 7, 2008

First Checked bag - $15

Second Checked bag - $25

Each bag at a maximum 50 lbs (23 kg) and 62 linear inches (157 cm) (total length + width + height)

Carry valuable items such as electronic equipment, cameras, film, cash, jewelry, medication, prescriptions and keys with you on board the aircraft.

Place your name and address on the outside of your baggage. Nametags are available at all airport baggage check-in locations. I also recommend that you place your name and address on the inside of the bag.

Be sure to inform airline staff of your final destination if you are connecting so that your baggage will be checked to your final destination.

Claim your baggage immediately upon arrival at your destination.

Be aware of what items are restricted to be in checked baggage. If you are not sure, review the list of items permitted and prohibited shown on the Transportation Security Administration Website.

Allow enough time for your checked baggage to be accepted. See the guidelines below:

Flights within the 50 U.S. except the following destinations: Atlanta, GA, Denver, CO; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA and Tampa, FL. Customers must complete baggage check-in at least 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure.

Flights at the following U.S. destinations: Atlanta, GA, Denver, CO; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; Orlando, FL; Philadelphia, PA and Tampa, FL. Customers must complete baggage check-in at least 45 minutes prior to scheduled departure.

International Flights to and from the U.S. Customers must complete baggage check-in at least 60 minutes prior to scheduled departure.

From the ticket counter or skycap podium, your baggage is placed on a series of conveyor belts. The conveyor belts transport baggage to a location where bags are loaded into carts according to flight number and destination.

In large airports, automated scanners read the code on the bag tag and direct the bag to the correct loading area. Your bag will go through a series of conveyor belts, chutes, and other mechanisms before reaching the point where it is loaded into a cart and taken out to the aircraft.

Tip: Please remove any straps, hangers, and protruding objects from your bag before checking it. These may get caught in the baggage system and cause damage to your bag. Bags that are bulging or are not sufficiently constructed to support the weight inside may split during the trip through the bag belt system.

All checked baggage is screened by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Refrain from locking your checked baggage or use a TSA Accepted & Recognized Lock. TSA is mandated by Federal law to screen 100% of checked baggage.

If your baggage alarms and TSA cannot gain access to your checked bag, unrecognized locks may be broken. TSA will not reimburse passengers for unrecognized locks broken as a result of the security screening process.

The baggage is loaded in the cargo compartment of the aircraft, usually using another conveyor belt. Due to the amount of space in the compartment, bags may have to be placed flat and stacked on top of each other. Although the baggage compartments are secured with nets or straps, bags can shift during flight due to the plane's angle during take-off.

Tip: As this is the standard or normal way all bags are transported, breakage or damage to fragile items may be unavoidable. Do not pack fragile items inside your checked baggage.