Fly through airport security

(NC) – The holidays can be stressful enough without facing long lines at the airport security checkpoints. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) says that most of the delays at security can be avoided by following some simple rules. “Passengers will have a more pleasant experience at security screening if they know what to expect and what they can and can’t bring on an aircraft,” says Yves Duguay, senior vice president of operations and customer experience for CATSA.

If you’d rather spend your time sipping a café latté by the boarding gate than keeping a nervous eye on your watch at the security checkpoint, follow these quick and easy tips:

• Don’t wrap gifts ahead of time. Their contents may need to be inspected. Make sure any toys that look like weapons are placed in checked bags.
• Liquids, gels and aerosols in your carry-on baggage (including personal toiletries) need to be placed in containers that are 100 ml or less. All containers should then be placed into a clear resealable 1 L plastic bag.
• Liquids restrictions apply for food items such as cranberry sauce and maple syrup.
• Laptops and/or gaming consoles should also be packed in your carry-on baggage. Make sure they are accessible, because you will need to remove them from their case and place in a bin. Other electronics such as your cell phone, MP3 player, portable DVD player and e-book reader can stay in your bag during screening.
• If you are travelling with kids, strollers or have a particular medical condition, major airports in Canada now have dedicated screening lines for families and passengers with special needs.
• Passengers with Nexus card can use a dedicated security line.

More tips and tools can be found at catsa.gc.ca or on the mobile site at m.catsa.gc.ca.

Support Our Sponsors