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Happy New Year, Road Warriors!
A reader recently sent me an email asking what he could do to fulfill the requirement for 1K status on United. He was just 5k away and looking for ideas before it was too late.
If you’re relatively close to the next status level, there are a few things you can try.
5 Tips for Making Status
Don’t wait until the last minute to find out you were 100 miles away from the next status level.
If you didn’t know already, Delta has a blog and a sense of humor! When traveling, you need patience and a good sense of humor. It helps to understand everyone is human, including the airlines.
Enjoy!
I do this twice a week, every Monday and Thursday, so I’d consider myself a seasoned veteran. I’ve seen less frequent travelers follow my lead and make it through security without a hitch. If you follow these steps, you should be able to get through security without any issues and minimize the chance of missing a flight if you’re running late.
Before you get to the airport, you need to do some things beforehand.
Preparation Tips:
- Checkin/print your boarding pass in advance and put it in an easily accessible location (e.g. coat pocket, purse)
- Ensure all liquids are in a quart-sized sandwich bag in an easily accessible location (e.g. front pocket of your carry-on, backpack)
- Wear shoes which you can slip on and off with relative ease
- If your belt buckle is Texas-style large, swap belts or don’t wear it
- Empty your pockets of all change or transfer your loose change to your bag or jacket pockets
Key Tips to Get Through Security:
NOTE: If you do get pulled aside for a bag check or a manual scan always cooperate, smile, and don’t try to speed up the process. You are not allowed to touch your bags while they are checking them. They are not concerned you’ll miss your flight. Let the TSA person do their job (even if they do it slowly) and you’ll get through the process faster.
Here’s hoping you always catch your flight.
Bruce Schneier, a well-known security and cryptography expert, interviewed Kip Hawley, the head of the Transportation Security Authority (TSA). Bruce asks the questions you and I have been asking ourselves as we stand in the security line.
Examples of the Poignant Questions:
Bruce Schneier: By today’s rules, I can carry on liquids in quantities of three ounces or less, unless they’re in larger bottles. But I can carry on multiple three-ounce bottles. Or a single larger bottle with a non-prescription medicine label, like contact lens fluid. It all has to fit inside a one-quart plastic bag, except for that large bottle of contact lens fluid. And if you confiscate my liquids, you’re going to toss them into a large pile right next to the screening station—which you would never do if anyone thought they were actually dangerous. Can you please convince me there’s not an Office for Annoying Air Travelers making this sort of stuff up?
Bruce Schneier: People regularly point to security checkpoints missing a knife in their handbag as evidence that security screening isn’t working. But that’s wrong. Complete effectiveness is not the goal; the checkpoints just have to be effective enough so that the terrorists are worried their plan will be uncovered. But in Denver earlier this year, testers sneaked 90% of weapons through. And other tests aren’t much better. Why are these numbers so poor, and why didn’t they get better when the TSA took over airport security?
And the one we’ve all been dying to ask…
Bruce Schneier: When can we keep our shoes on?
I thought the questions and answers were very informational, although I’m not thoroughly convinced all the procedures are necessary or beneficial. In any case, it helps clear up some of the confusion. Something to think about while you’re waiting in security. Happy travels.
I always avoid using cups and other “re-usable” items at hotels for good reason.
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