A few of the many oversized liquids, gels and aerosols that have been removed from carry-on bags. TSA officers give travelers the choice to re-pack them in a checked bag, return the item to their car, hand them off to a non-traveling companion or voluntarily surrender them to TSA for disposal. (TSA photo)
NEW YORK-- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is prepared to handle an increase in the number of travelers who will be flying this summer out of the three major airports in the New York City region—John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International and LaGuardia Airports—even with anticipated passenger volume expected to return to near pre-pandemic levels.
“The continued recovery from the low travel volumes during the pandemic may require more patience and planning than was necessary before the pandemic, which is why I strongly recommend getting to the airport a minimum of two hours prior to a domestic flight and three hours prior to an international flight,” said John Bambury, TSA’s Federal Security Director for JFK Airport. “Getting to the airport an hour before your flight just isn’t enough time to fight traffic, park a car and check bags all before heading over to the security checkpoint.”
The summer travel season, which begins this upcoming weekend and extends beyond Labor Day weekend, covers three full months and four major holidays, which includes Juneteenth as the newest federal holiday.
“The Port Authority’s three major airports -- Newark Liberty, John F. Kennedy, and LaGuardia -- continue to see an increase in passengers that is nearing pre-pandemic levels,” said Charles Everett, Aviation Director at the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. “We want to ensure a smooth, seamless experience from curbside to gate and are continuing to work with our airline and federal partners to make sure travelers allow enough time to complete the airport screening process and get to their gate.”
Passengers who haven’t traveled recently are somewhat “rusty” in terms of remembering security checkpoint protocols, especially when it comes to remembering not to place prohibited items in a carry-on bag. “Travelers play an important role in ensuring a smooth and efficient security checkpoint screening experience,” Bambury said. “It starts with knowing what you should and should not pack in a carry-on bag.”
“Passengers need to consider what they need to bring on a trip, and focus on packing just the essentials,” advised Robert Duffy, TSA’s Federal Security Director for LaGuardia Airport. “Oversized bags need to be checked with the airlines at the ticket counters because oversized bags at the checkpoint alarm at a very high rate, which requires our TSA officers to open and search bags to identify what triggered the alarm. That leads to extended time for screening. Additionally, not all oversized bags fit through our X-ray equipment and forcing those bags into the units sometimes results in damage, which leads to the need for repairs, thus causing more delays to passenger screening and fewer available checkpoint lanes.”
Construction projects at all of the three major airports also makes early airport arrival times critical.
Construction of a new international terminal is expected to break ground this year at JFK International Airport and may impact roadways and parking lots.
A new Terminal C at LaGuardia Airport is expected to be open as early as next month with TSA officers currently training on the new screening equipment. Additionally, the new Terminal B at LaGuardia opened in 2020, but has not seen full passenger loads since it opened, presenting yet another challenge.
At Newark Liberty International Airport, construction is ongoing in Terminal A, which has seen the closure of one third of the checkpoint lanes due to the ongoing modernization and redevelopment of the new Terminal A. Several flights are being shifted to Terminal B, which is also impacted because many flights that usually depart from the A1 concourse are being moved to Terminal B.
Advance planning and packing properly is key to a smooth security checkpoint experience. “We ask travelers do to their part by ensuring that they do not have any prohibited items with them at the checkpoint, and instead pack some extra patience,” said Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey. “Our TSA officers are seeing a lot of prohibited items at checkpoints, which results in more bag checks that can slow checkpoint lines.”
A lot of people haven’t traveled in a long time and they are either unfamiliar with or forgetful about what can and cannot go into a carry-on bag.
The most common prohibited items that travelers bring to checkpoints are liquids, gels and aerosols that are larger than the acceptable limit of 3.4 ounces—shampoo, toothpaste, beverages, sun block, hand lotion, face cream, shaving cream, mouthwash and other toiletries. Each passenger may carry liquids, gels and aerosols that are 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less through a checkpoint as long as those items fit into a one quart-sized, resealable bag. This is known as the 3-1-1 bag. Larger containers of liquids, gels and aerosols can be transported in checked baggage.
TSA officers are seeing travelers arrive at the checkpoint with bottles of water, juice, energy drinks, coffee and soda. The officers will give passengers the choice to exit the security checkpoint to drink their beverages in the terminal or allow TSA to dispose of it. Travelers may bring empty bottles or insulated containers through checkpoints and fill them on the secure side of the checkpoint.
The exception to the 3-1-1 rule is that due to the pandemic, TSA is permitting travelers to bring up to one 12-ounce container of liquid hand sanitizer per passenger in carry-on bags until further notice. Passengers can expect that these large liquid hand sanitizers will need to be screened separately, which will add some time to their checkpoint experience.
The top TSA travel tips this summer:
- Arrive at the airport early and be prepared to see a long line. Travel this summer is expected to be the busiest on record.
- While standing in a checkpoint line, use the time in line wisely. Remove items from pockets such as wallets, keys, lip balm, tissues and cell phones and place them into carry-on bags instead of putting items from pockets directly into bins. It’s also the best time to have ID and boarding passes in hand prior to walking up to the travel document checking podium.
- Enroll in TSA PreCheck®. The popular expedited screening program allows travelers to leave on shoes, jackets, belts and enables them to keep their electronics and 3-1-1 bags in their carry-on bags. Due to these benefits, the TSA PreCheck lanes move the quickest.
- Know before you go! Know what can and cannot go in a carry-on bag from firearms to oversize liquids. Prohibited items result in checkpoint delays. Unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither? Download the free myTSA app, which has a handy “What can I bring?” feature that allows you to type in the item to find out if it can fly. Or ask us on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA.
- Travelers or families of passengers with disabilities and/or medical conditions may call the TSA Cares helpline toll free at 855-787-2227 at least 72 hours prior to flying with any questions about screening policies, procedures and to find out what to expect at the security checkpoint as well as arrange for assistance at the checkpoint.
- Get your REAL ID-compliant ID this summer. Travelers will need a REAL ID-compliant credential to board a flight after May 3, 2023. Don’t wait, get it this year.
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