If you've done air travel since the new rules, please check in here:

[RickinNYC]

Hi! Thanks for checking in. I'm sure quite a few folks, myself included, have several questions to ask that go above and beyond what the written regulations state on the site. I thought that it might be helpful to get it straight from the source.

Perhaps if you can include the airline you flew, what airport you flew from, how long screening took, checkin, and what happened that might be out of the ordinary, etc... it would be a great help!

I actually do have specific questions for folks that might have recently flown, particularly out of LGA in NYC.

Were you allowed to bring on a portable DVD player?

Silly question but how about books and magazines?

Did they serve drinks onboard the flight or none at all?

Did you have difficulty with bringing along prepackaged sandwiches or snacks?

How long did you stand in line for check in and for the security check point?

Any insight would be great!

ETA: I know that most of these questions can be answered at the TSA website, but I also know rules change on a whim, particularly on the whim of the agent or the airline or even the particular airport you fly out of.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Rick,
There are no issues except with liquids. Electronics, book and magazines are just fine. Drinks are served on flights like always. The only snacks you will have issues with are jello, pudding, yogurt, gel power bars and anything else that is of that consistency.

 

[ducklite]

I flew MCO/PHL/MCO last weekend.

Were you allowed to bring on a portable DVD player?
If my laptop counts, yes.

Silly question but how about books and magazines?

DS and I both had magazines.

Did they serve drinks onboard the flight or none at all?

On the MCO to PHL leg, yes, as much as you wanted. On the PHL to MCO leg, only one cup, which when you take into account it had ice and they only fill it 3/4 full, it was about three ounces of liquid and they would not give "seconds" or "the can."

Did you have difficulty with bringing along prepackaged sandwiches or snacks?

No, in fact DS had dried fruit and Rice Krispies Treats and they didn't give them a second glance--which I thought odd as dried fruit has the consistency of a lot of gels.

How long did you stand in line for check in and for the security check point?

We used the Elite check in lines, which were empty, but the lines for regular check-in looked long--at least half an hour. Security at MCO was about 15 minutes or so, at PHL there was no line, which was very odd for that airport.

 

[Alexander]

We flew on Delta from MCO to ROC on Friday, August 11th. We checked in at OKW before we left. There is no problem bringing any electronic devices. I'm not sure why the media was making such a deal out of this, it is okay to bring them onboard. The only things forbidden are liquids and gels. It's really quite simple. If you have any of those type of items, put them in your checked luggage. Food brought on board is fine, just nothing liquid or gel-like. I had three 8oz cans of infant formula that the TSA agents at MCO could have cared-a-less about. So much for having them inspected and possibly tasted.

Our wait times were minimal. I had to print one boarding pass at the airport (seat wasn't assigned and they wouldn't let OKW print one). We did this at the kiosk and didn't wait in the line at the counter. The Delta agents were moving people as quickly as possible to make everything go smoothly. They were actually very, very helpful. We had a 5:40 PM flight, so we decided we had better head to security by 4:00 PM in case it took an hour to get through. We were through security and putting our shoes back on at 4:05 PM. They were actually the shortest security lines I have ever seen at MCO, and we fly in and out of there 3 times a year.

Drinks were served and the flight attendant came back by and asked if we would like refills. Then about 45 minutes later she came by with bottled water on a tray. As far as I can see, Delta is really working hard to keep customers satisfied. I know others haven't had the good experience we had, but our trip was made very pleasant, and I'm grateful since I was traveling alone with a 3 month old, and a 7 year old.

 

[nuke]

I had a client tell me yesterday that the lines at Chicago Midway were less than 5 minutes.

 

[CarolA]

May I suggest www.flyertalk.com

Reading the postings on those boards is going to give you a much clearer view of what is going on then the VERY limited postings here. That site is frequented by business travelers who travel A LOT! (Try the Travel & Security and Travel News forums and the specific airline forums for your airlines)

 

[kidsister]

Flew on Friday, 'the day after' out of DIA (Denver) .
No wait at security...just walked through. Normally, the wait is about 15 minutes .

Checked everything but my purse. THey had no issue with a sandwich I bought after security clearance. Airline (SWA) served normal drinks.

Flew home on Monday out of Chicago Midway. Longer at security, but jeez, they only had one machine open!!!!. Everything seemed much laxer as far as food and drinks.

 

[dgaston]

Flew Midwest Express from Kansas City to Logan on Monday 8/14. Very speedy check-in and xray of (now) checked baggage. Going through security easy, even with hand check of my injectible drugs for diabetes. Only had one labeled with my name as we left home prior to the new rules. Regular beverage service on flight. All in all, it wasn't as bad as I expected. I did, however, speak to a man from Germany who had tried to fly through Heathrow on last Thursday for a funeral in Kansas and spent 14 to 15 hours at London. He booked through England because the times were better!

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

We were in Disney World when the TSA changed the rules. Saratoga Springs Resort printed a letter explaining the new restrictions and placed it in the room on two consecutive days.

When we checked our bags with Disney's Magical Express at SSR, they told us we couldn't have aerosols, liquids, or creams in our carry-on luggage. They asked us to make sure there was nothing else we needed to put in our checked bags before they took them. There were also several quickly-printed signs about the new restrictions taped up in several places around the check-in desk.

At the Orlando airport, there were temporary signs everywhere and announcements over the public address system. You couldn't take drinks, liquids, or gels of any kind through the security checkpoint.

It was also mandatory to take off your shoes and place them directly on the belt (not in a plastic bin) when going through security.

As before, laptops and camcorders need to be removed from their cases.

We saw them taking spray deodorant from one person's bag and the mouse pad from someone's laptop case. (The mouse pad had one of those gel things at the end for resting your wrist on. Into the trash it went!)

The signs said that solid cosmetics, lipstick in a tube, and solid deodorant were permitted. There were exceptions for a small amount of prescription medicine (in the name of the traveler) and for a small amount of breast milk or formula for infants.

My roommate was panicked about the inspection, because we'd been passing a few hours before our DME bus at the pool. We had damp bathing suits in a plastic bag in our carry on. It wasn't an issue. We also had sandwiches and fruit from our last counter service meal with us in a plastic bag. (We drank the bottled drinks before going through security.) No problem.

Other than that, everything was the same. I had a large camera bag full of all kinds of cameras, lenses, chargers and cables - no problem. I just had to take out the camcorder (but not the still cameras) and place it in a plastic bin. (I did notice that bag was inspected for a long time before it came out of the x-ray machine.)

The check-in and security screening didn't take any longer than normal. Leaving SSR on DME three hours before our flight, we had about an hour and three quarters to wait at the gate after going through security. (We spent about ten minutes relaxing on the chairs before security finishing our drinks.)

Once through security and at the gates, there are still places to buy drinks. However, you need to finish them before you board the plane. You can't take them on with you.

 

[Evil Queen]

Hi! Thanks for checking in. I'm sure quite a few folks, myself included, have several questions to ask that go above and beyond what the written regulations state on the site. I thought that it might be helpful to get it straight from the source.

Perhaps if you can include the airline you flew, what airport you flew from, how long screening took, checkin, and what happened that might be out of the ordinary, etc... it would be a great help! Southwest, out of Nashville to Ft. Lauderdale, 10 minutes to check baggage, 5 minutes to screen us. We flew the same morning of the new restrictions. We flew out at 9:45 a.m. CST/.

I actually do have specific questions for folks that might have recently flown, particularly out of LGA in NYC.

Were you allowed to bring on a portable DVD player? Can't answer, but DS10 was able to bring and use DS.

Silly question but how about books and magazines? We both had mags.

Did they serve drinks onboard the flight or none at all? We ordered sodas.

Did you have difficulty with bringing along prepackaged sandwiches or snacks? DS10 brught airport bought pizza, I brought 2 BBQ sandwiches, bought at airport onto plane.

How long did you stand in line for check in and for the security check point? See above.

Any insight would be great!

ETA: I know that most of these questions can be answered at the TSA website, but I also know rules change on a whim, particularly on the whim of the agent or the airline or even the particular airport you fly out of.

I know we saw many items being thrown out, but this was the same morning, so there seemed to be some confusion.

 

[zippnby]

Hi! Thanks for checking in. I'm sure quite a few folks, myself included, have several questions to ask that go above and beyond what the written regulations state on the site. I thought that it might be helpful to get it straight from the source.

Perhaps if you can include the airline you flew, what airport you flew from, how long screening took, checkin, and what happened that might be out of the ordinary, etc... it would be a great help!

I actually do have specific questions for folks that might have recently flown, particularly out of LGA in NYC.

Were you allowed to bring on a portable DVD player?

Silly question but how about books and magazines?

Did they serve drinks onboard the flight or none at all?

Did you have difficulty with bringing along prepackaged sandwiches or snacks?

How long did you stand in line for check in and for the security check point?

Any insight would be great!

ETA: I know that most of these questions can be answered at the TSA website, but I also know rules change on a whim, particularly on the whim of the agent or the airline or even the particular airport you fly out of.

My husband flew from EWR to West Palm (continental) on Monday for business. Normally he would just have a carry on and his laptop. He deicided to check his bag this time. (Why invite trouble???) But he did bring his laptop on the plane with no problem. He said security at Newark was not a big deal. We flew out of Newark 1 month to the day after 9-11. He said that security was no where near that the level then.

We actually are flying from philly to go to WDW next Tuesday on US AIRWAYS. I am fine with not bringing liquids on board the plane, but I hope the airlines compensate with a more liberal beverage service.

 

[Snoozan]

I know the TSA site says "solid lipstick", but does that mean I can bring my Chapstick? that's solid. Would it help if I left it unopened in the blister pack? I didn't know about solid deoderant was allowed. Guess I won't worry about this for a while as I don't fly for another couple of months.