Stop, Screen and Go: New TSA Website for Kids

If you and your children are new to commercial air travel, the new TSA website and this fun video may be of great help. It explains, in simple terms, what to expect at the security checkpoints during your trip.



Here's the new website. You'll find pages for children to color and a page for parents where most all your family travel questions will be answered.

New from the TSA: Snow Globes are a go! Cranberry Sauce is a no!

This snowglobe construction kit is available through dribble.com

I was checking out TSA information in preparation for a, gulp, commercial airline flight so see what was new. Of course I was hoping I no longer had to take off my shoes, my belt, my jacket, etc. I always am amazed by how some of us dress up to travel and then have to get undressed at the airport. No wonder I am disheveled by the time I reach my destination! No wonder I see people traveling in sweats and flip flops!

Here's what's new from TSA... "you may be surprised at what you can bring through security now. For example, the TSA has changed their rules, and now lets passengers bring snow globes in their carry-on luggage—the catch, however, is that the snow globe must be able to fit in the quart-sized liquids bag. You can also now wear gel insoles in your shoes (good news for those holiday high heel wearers). Bringing some leftovers on the flight back home? The TSA reminds you that solid foods (including turkeys!) are allowed, but check this list to see which foods are considered liquids and can't be brought in carry-on luggage unless it meets the 3-1-1 rule. (Sorry, cranberry sauce.)" Full article on Holiday Travel Tips

The TSA is really trying to help. They even have an app that will tell you if your item is prohibited or not. The app is called "My TSA." Of course you can check things out on their website as well.

One thing the TSA has neglected to do is help me with my memory. I have been caught going through the scanner with a knife in my purse (put in there after a potluck dinner where I brought the cheese and crackers), a bottle of water in my purse (pure forgetfulness) and a diet coke in my purse (more forgetfulness).

I am gearing up to fly again and have selected a direct flight. I may have to be cooped up with over a hundred total strangers but at least I only have to endure two airports!

Happy Holidays!

New Airline Boarding Schemes may include far out measures to seat passengers

Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

I guess I am not the only one who has issues about flying. The boarding process is as bad as the flights. But according to the writers at Lonely Planet, some airlines are really thinking outside the box about how to seat passengers. I'm still grounding myself, by the way!

...airlines are getting creative with the way they board passengers. Thankfully, some recent experiments aren’t direct attempts to extract more money from passengers: while some airlines are simply trying to be more fair and efficient, KLM is toying with the idea of allowing passengers to use social media to select seatmates, and Air Baltic is experimenting with seating passengers based on mood. Read more...

I have to say that I balk at providing my "pee frequency" information in order to obtain my coveted window seat. And do I really want people rating my attractiveness as a seat mate? Still grounded, here!

TSA Scans and Pat Downs - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

I have a hard time dealing with what I have been reading about the new TSA approach to travelers. While I appreciate security, it seems like some of the agents just don't use common sense. When that happens, things can get ugly.

Case in point: At my home airport, a woman is confined for an hour as she was legally bringing breast milk through the checkpoint and asked that it not be x-rayed. Here's the story about the woman who was held captive in "a glass cage" for over an hour. Here's the video of this story.

Next case: Also at my home airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor, a woman decides she has had enough with the TSA pat-downs and decides to draw attention to the issue by going through the checkpoint in nothing but a coat and undies. Apparently her wheel chair had traces of nitrates on it. That is a no-no. Here is the now famous video.

And of course we all remember the horrific story of the retired man who was roughly treated during a pat-down so that urine from his urostomy bag leaked all over his clothing.

And now for the good... Arthur Frommer, well-traveled, of course, reported that there was no drama or abuse during his recent travels. I have to concur. I have had no trouble during my recent travels either.

And for a little light-hearted fun, here's a video made by Radiant Church of Surprise, Arizona.

It appears that if something out of the ordinary is presented to the TSA, they do not have training or a clear process for handling the situation. Left to their own devices, they seem to get heavy-handed.