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The thrill of air travel turns into stress when one has to stand in long queues during security check at the airport. Often, the passenger’s precious time is not only wasted in getting the bag reopened by the security personnel, taking out the luggage and repacking it, but also the fear of missing the flight starts troubling them. In most cases, this delay is not due to strict security rules, but due to disorganized packing done by the passengers. If international civil aviation standards and simple techniques are followed while packing bags, the security check can be cleared in a very short time and without any hassle.
X-ray scanners installed at airports display color images based on the density of the items inside the bag. When you randomly stuff clothes, shoes, metal objects and electrical cords into the bag, a dark and blurry patch is formed on the scanner screen. Seeing this, the security officers become suspicious and stop the bag for physical inspection. To avoid this, use layering technique. Place folded clothing at the bottom of the bag, arrange shoes and heavy items in the middle, and place items that may need to be taken out during inspection at the top.
Most of the time taken at the security check counter is to remove laptops, tablets, e-readers and cameras. According to the rules, it is mandatory to take these large electronic devices out of the bag and keep them in a separate tray. If the laptop is buried in the middle or bottom of the bag, the entire item will disintegrate while removing it. Always use a handbag or backpack that has an external, easy-to-access quick-access laptop pocket. Also, one thing to always remember is that power banks and spare lithium-ion batteries are never put in the check-in baggage (large suitcase); These have to be kept compulsorily in the cabin bag only.
Aviation security agencies are the most strict regarding liquids (Liquids, Aerosols, and Gels). No liquid, perfume, oil, lotion, shampoo, toothpaste or sanitizer in containers larger than 100 milliliters (100ml) is allowed in cabin baggage. Even if there is only 30ml of liquid left in a 250ml bottle, the security personnel immediately confiscate the container due to its size. So always use travel-sized containers of 100ml or smaller and keep it all in a clear, sealable ziplock pouch. This pouch can be kept out in the tray at once, so that there is no need to open the bag.
Mobile chargers, laptop adapters, data cables and earphones tangled inside the bag appear as suspicious wires in the X-ray machine, prompting the scanner operator to conduct additional checks. To avoid this problem, keep a small cable organizer pouch with you. Keep all your gadgets’ wires and adapters neatly wrapped in the same pouch. In this way, the pouch kept separately is clearly visible in the scanner and the security officer passes the bag without wasting any time.
The beeping sound while passing through Door Frame Metal Detector (DFMD) causes a major delay in the detection process. Be practical when choosing clothes and shoes on the day of travel. Remove belts with large metal buckles, heavy metal buttons, bangles, metal jewelery and watches before entering the security line and keep them safely in the zip pocket of your handbag. Also, avoid wearing shoes that have a lot of laces or metal buckles. Easy slip-on shoes or casual sneakers are best for air travel, as many airports require you to remove your shoes and be scanned.
Identity card (Aadhar card or passport) and boarding pass have to be shown repeatedly at the terminal entry gate, CISF checkpoint and boarding gate. Often, passengers standing in the queue get entangled in searching for tickets and ID in their pockets or big bags, due to which the queue of passengers standing behind also gets stopped. For this, use a small travel pouch, sling bag or a secure zip pocket of your jacket, from where important documents can be retrieved in a second. If you use the ‘DigiYatra’ facility, the time taken at entry and security gates is reduced to a great extent through facial recognition technology.
Violating the airlines’ hand baggage rules (usually up to 7 kg) often results in the airline staff sending you back to the check-in counter even after completing security, which poses a direct risk of missing the flight. Before leaving home, check the weight of your cabin bag with a portable weighing scale. Do not fill the bag beyond its capacity, because if for some reason the security officer has to open the bag, it takes a lot of time and effort to close the overfilled bag again.