Iowans who will be flying for Thanksgiving need to follow a few basic rules to smoothly navigate through bustling airport security lines.
Jessica Mayle, regional spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration, says passengers should arrive at the airport two hours before the flight is scheduled to depart, and she says to pack your carry-on and checked luggage with care.
“Start with an empty bag. When you grab that bag from your last trip, maybe it was a driving trip or a hunting trip, you don’t really remember what’s inside of it, and then you get to the checkpoint and we find something that you’re not allowed to bring through,” Mayle says. “Start with an empty bag. Only put in the items you need. Putting in that time at home really saves you time when you’re at the checkpoint because nobody wants to make that decision, ‘Do I want to check this bag? Do I want to run it back to my car,’ when you’re trying to get to your gate.”
Updated Iowa driver’s licenses have a gold circle and star in the upper right corner, signifying they’re a certified Real ID. Mayle says you’ll need to show one of those or a valid passport.
“Real ID enforcement has been in place since May. It’s going really smoothly. We’re seeing high compliance rates, but just a reminder for those people who will travel in November who haven’t traveled much of the rest of the year, make sure you have that gold star,” Mayle says. “Other acceptable forms of ID include a passport, there’s a few others, if you go to tsa.gov, but passport and driver’s license are the most common ones.”
Passengers who didn’t pay extra for the TSA Precheck status have had to remove their shoes before passing through security since shortly after the Nine Eleven attacks, but that shoe removal requirement is no longer being enforced.
“Absolutely, that also started this summer, so shoes on for everyone,” Mayle says. “It’s a good reminder for people to know because sometimes they come through, they take their shoes off and we say, ‘Hey, put them back on,’ and that takes longer. Make sure you keep them on, unless you’re given instructions by the officers to remove them if they need extra screening for some reason.”
When packing for the big trip, she says there’s one other important item to bring along:
“Pack a little patience and kindness. Those people who get here on time or early, they come through with less stress when they have a little more time to get through,” Mayle says. “It’s a holiday for our officers too. It’s a holiday for all the gate agents who want everyone to get where they’re going safely. So anything you can do to play your part, we really appreciate it.”
The TSA estimates it will screen nearly 18-million people nationwide during the Thanksgiving week, with three-million-plus expected just on Sunday, which should be the busiest day of the holiday.