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TSA federal security directors on Tuesday shared some tips for travelers as they arrive at airport security checkpoints to help them stay healthy and stay secure as they travel during the pandemic.
By Forum Staff
Eight Transportation Security Administration federal security directors on Tuesday shared some tips for travelers as they arrive at airport security checkpoints to help them stay healthy and stay secure as they travel during the pandemic.
Here are some of the 12 submitted tips:
Wash your hands: Wash your hands often and bring your hand sanitizer and wipes with you. TSA is currently allowing one liquid hand sanitizer container, up to 12 ounces per passenger, in carry-on bags until further notice. Since these containers exceed the standard 3.4-ounce allowance typically permitted through a checkpoint, they will need to be screened separately. This will add some time to the checkpoint screening experience. Please keep in mind that all other liquids, gels and aerosols brought to a checkpoint continue to be limited to 3.4 ounces or 100 milliliters carried in a one quart-size bag. Bring your wipes along with you too. Travelers are permitted to bring individually-packaged alcohol or anti-bacterial wipes in carry-on or checked luggage. Jumbo containers of hand wipes are also allowed in carry-on or checked luggage. (Submitted by John Bambury, federal security director for John F. Kennedy International Airport)
Scan your boarding pass: The TSA IS looking to reduce touchpoints along the way, so now the agency invites passengers to scan their own boarding pass—paper or electronic—then hold it up to the TSA officer to visually inspect it. Doing so reduces a touch-point. (Submitted by Robert Duffy, federal security director for LaGuardia Airport)
Follow expert guidance: Travelers are reminded to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel guidance as well as local and state advisories regarding COVID-19. This is fairly simple. If you recently tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, are not feeling well, have recently been exposed to a person with COVID-19 or are running a fever, please postpone your trip and rebook your flight for another time when you are feeling healthy. Many airlines have eliminated rebooking fees, making it much more convenient to ensure you can travel when you are healthy. (Submitted by Bart Johnson, federal security director for all Upstate New York airports)
Expired license is OK: If you want to use your driver’s license as your government issued ID at an airport checkpoint and if your license expired, don’t panic. If your driver’s license or state-issued ID expired and you are unable to renew it at your state driver’s license agency, you can still use it as acceptable identification at the checkpoint. TSA will accept expired driver’s licenses or state-issued ID one year after expiration, although some additional ID may be required along with additional screening. When getting your license renewed, please consider getting a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license. The new deadline for enforcement of REAL ID is Oct. 1, 2021. (Submitted by John Bright, federal security director for all airports in Iowa)
For more information about TSA’s security screening process during the pandemic, visit: tsa.gov/coronavirus.
