How to prepare for holiday travel when the rules aren't crystal-clear

An 82-year-old Seattle Times reader called the other day to ask if she could bring an orange on the plane when she visits relatives for the Thanksgiving holidays.

That was easy. "Yes," I said. "Solid food is still allowed." "What about vitamins with fish oil?"

That was trickier.

I ran down a list of 40 items the Transportation Security Administration classifies as "Makeup and Personal items," including hair detangler, gel-filled bras and toy transformer robots.

There's an allowance for "non-prescription liquid or gel medicines," such as cough syrup and gel cap pills. Are vitamins the same as medicines? It's a gray area, and probably not a point she would want debate with a TSA inspector while dozens of people wait in line behind her. I advised her to pack them in her checked luggage.

And you thought all you had to worry about when it comes to flying over the holidays is what to do if you're bumped from an overbooked flight.

Flying has become more complicated in the past few months, mainly due to new rules on what can and can't be taken aboard in carry-on bags, and how liquids and gels have to be transported.

There have been no changes in what can go into checked luggage, but with planes flying full this Thanksgiving, airport officials worry that confusion could lead to longer waits in security lines.

"Our biggest concern right now is travelers coming out and being aware of the changes," says Jennifer Peppin, TSA spokeswoman in Seattle. "Right now, we're seeing that a lot of them aren't."

Average wait times at security checkpoints at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport during the busiest travel periods doubled in the past three months compared to last year, with passengers waiting an average 20 minutes in line in October compared to 24 minutes in September and 33 minutes in August.

Airports nationwide are girding for record crowds over the holidays. Sea-Tac officials expect as many as 120,000 passengers a day to come through the airport on the busiest days, traditionally the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday and Monday after.

"Once they find something in a bag that doesn't meet the test, they have to stop the lane and everything backs up behind it," said airport spokesman Bob Parker.

"If we have 60,000 outbound passengers and we lose 10 seconds on each passenger, we've got lines out to the garage."

TSA will be fully staffed at Sea-Tac checkpoints, Peppin said, and use its "Blue Shirt Team," a group of office staffers who help passengers in line.

You can eliminate some of the hassles and help speed up the lines by boning up on the new carry-on rules, and using time-saving shortcuts such as printing your boarding passes at home.

Here's a checklist for flying defensively over the holidays:

Packing

The recent changes went into effect in response to a British terrorist threat in August to planes bound for the United States. They only affect what you can put in your carry-on bags.

Gels and liquids (this includes some food items such as soup) must be in containers of 3 ounces or less and be packed in one quart-size plastic bag to be presented at security for inspection. (See the accompanying article for details. A list of what you can and can't bring in carry-on and checked baggage is at www.tsa.gov. ) TSA calls it the "3-1-1" policy — 3-ounce or smaller bottles; 1 quart-size, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger. Problems come up when inspectors themselves don't have all the information or interpret the rules differently.

"Evidently not all TSA employees are on the same page," said Gretchen DeRoche, of Seattle. She was told by a TSA agent in Palm Springs that larger bottles were allowed as long as they fit in a one-quart bag. Not true. The 3-ounce size is a security measure.

If you're checking a suitcase, the easiest thing is to put most everything in it with the exception of valuables and any emergency items you might need if your luggage is lost or delayed.

When it comes to checked luggage:

• Pack valuables such as cameras, electronic equipment, cellphones, etc. in your carry-on. Airlines take no responsibility for these types of items in checked bags.

• Make sure your checked baggage meets your airline's weight limits. Most limit coach passengers on domestic flights to take two checked bags, weighing no more than 50 pounds each. Contact your airline for details.

• Lock your bags. Use Transportation Safety Administration-approved locks (available at stores that sell luggage, REI, travel stores and other retailers). These allow TSA inspectors to open and then relock your bags if they need to inspect them. Only a small percentage of bags are opened.

• Place identification tags inside and outside your bags.

• Leave gifts unwrapped so they can be inspected.

Before you leave

• Call your airline or go to its Web site to confirm your flight and check on schedule changes. Weather affects schedules, and delayed or cancelled flights throw off others.

• If you have electronic tickets, save time by printing out boarding passes at home.

• Don't bring water or any other drinks from home. Only drinks purchased inside airport security areas can be brought onboard.

• Allow enough time to arrive at the airport two hours early.

At the airport

• Avoid the lines at the ticket counters by using a kiosk to print out your boarding passes if you haven't already done this at home.

• Save time by using curbside baggage check services, but be prepared to pay extra. Most airlines charge $2 per bag.

• Make sure you have your boarding pass and a government-issued picture ID before leaving the ticketing area and going through security.

• Eat or buy snacks or food. Most airlines no longer serve meals in coach.

Going through security

There are three security checkpoints at Sea-Tac, and the airport often opens a fourth when things get busy. Passengers can use any of the lanes, so if one looks busy, go to another.

Be prepared to show your boarding pass and picture ID, take off your shoes and jacket, take out your laptop and show any of the gels or liquids you have.

Some airports (not Sea-Tac) may ask you to pass through a "puffer" machine that scans for explosives. Inspectors select some travelers for secondary searches.

At the gate

Flights are full, and some will be overbooked. In this case, airlines will ask for volunteers to give up their seats and fly later in exchange for a free ticket, cash or both.

Don't settle for a puny offer. The average advance round-trip fare for Thanksgiving was $434, up 15 percent from last year. When it comes to voluntary bumping, airlines are willing to negotiate.

Hopefully, there will be enough volunteers and you won't be "involuntarily" bumped.

If you're flying Delta or Continental, chances of this happening are greater than if you're flying Alaska, Northwest or United, according to statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation for July, August and September.

It helps to know your rights. Federal law requires airlines to offer different types of compensation, depending on the delay.

Information is at the Department of Transportation's Web site, http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/flyrights.htm#overbooking

On the plane

• More people mean more germs. Bring saline spray and hand sanitizer and use it often.

• Be considerate of fellow passengers. Bring food that doesn't smell of garlic or other strong odors. Recline your seat just a little instead of all the way.

Relax. Make use of the alone-time to do some reading or listen to music. You made it. No more hassles, at least for the next few hours.

Carol Pucci's Travel Wise column runs Sundays in the Travel section. Comments are welcome. Contact her at 206-464-3701 or cpucci@seattletimes.com