Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) will be screening a record number of passengers on Monday as well as high volumes on Tuesday after the Super Bowl. Passengers are reminded to arrive at the airport early and know what is in their bags.
An additional 100 TSA officers from around the country are in New Orleans to facilitate the screening of what is anticipated to be the largest departing crowd since New Orleans hosted the 2013 Super Bowl. The record number screened in a single day by the TSA at MSY was 34,000 on the Monday after the Super Bowl in 2013. The number tomorrow may reach 44,000.
“Passengers should be sure they are not carrying prohibited items before they enter our checkpoint,” said TSA Federal Security Director for the State of Louisiana Arden Hudson. “Most items that are prohibited in your carry-on bag can be placed in a checked bag. But anything that is flammable, corrosive or explosive cannot travel in your carry-on or checked bag.”
Be mindful that some souvenirs that you purchased may be prohibited in your carry-on and need to be placed in a checked bag or they might not even be permitted in your checked bag. Hand grenades, even replicas, for instance cannot travel on the plane in checked or carry-on bags And if you traveled to New Orleans with a firearm in your checked luggage, be sure it is in your checked luggage again and not in your carry-on before you enter the checkpoint to return home.
Passengers may only travel with a firearm if it is placed in checked baggage, unloaded and in a locked hard-sided case. You must declare it to the airline at the check-in counter. Travelers are responsible for being aware of what the firearm laws are on each side of their trip. Firearms may not be legal to transport even in checked baggage in some jurisdictions.
If you are travelling home with a Super Bowl program, please bring those to the checkpoint rather than transporting them in a checked bag. And take the programs out of your bag and place them in a bin.
If you are traveling out of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport for the first time you may see high tech equipment that is unfamiliar to you. TSA has installed 11 Automated Screening Lanes (ASLs.)
The ASLs include several new features designed to improve the screening process for travelers going through the security checkpoint in those particular lanes including:
- Four divesting countertops per lane designed specifically to enable up to four passengers to place their items in bins simultaneously.
- Automated and powered conveyor rollers that move bins into the X-ray machine tunnel and then feed the bins back to the front of the security checkpoint.
- Automatic diversion of any carry-on bag that may contain a prohibited item to a secure conveyor belt, which allows other bins containing other travelers’ belongings to continue through the screening process uninterrupted.
- Bins that are 25 percent larger than a typical bin and are able to hold a carry-on suitcase;
Two changes in procedures in the new lanes are that all items including carry-on suitcases must be placed into a bin and your electronics, 3-1-1 liquid, gels and aerosol compliant bags, and computers may remain inside your carry-ons as they go through the screening machines.
Not every lane at MSY has these machines so be alert to the instructions presented by the TSA officer as you enter a lane.
Arrive early and follow the airport’s advice to remember 4-3-2-1 when planning your departure:
4 HOURS BEFORE DEPARTURE: Arrange your transportation/drop off rental car.
3 HOURS BEFORE DEPARTURE: Check your bags with your airline.
2 HOURS BEFORE DEPARTURE: Get in line at the TSA security checkpoint.
1 HOUR BEFORE DEPARTURE: Be at the gate, ready to board.
And here is a summary of travel tips for getting through the security checkpoint as efficiently and stress free as possible:
Tip 1: No firearms in carry-ons. Firearms must be in checked baggage. All firearms must be properly packed and declared to the airline at check-in, which means unloaded and in a locked, hard-sided case. Contact your airline for additional guidance. And it is your responsibility to know what the firearm laws are on both sides of your trip.
Tip 2: Avoid bringing prohibited items to the checkpoint. To reduce the likelihood of a bag search at the checkpoint, search your own suitcase, backpack, computer bag or purse before leaving for the airport. Unsure if it’s allowed: use the “What Can I Bring?” link on TSA.gov.
Tip 3: Prepare for the security checkpoint. Have a valid ID card readily available. If you are traveling with a carry-on bag follow the liquids, gels and aerosols 3-1-1 rule of 3.4 ounces or less for each item and the items should be placed in a one-quart-sized bag, one bag per passenger. To simplify your screening and even before entering the checkpoint it is best to put your phones and any other content of your pockets into your carry-on rather than into a bin in the checkpoint.
Tip 4: Help is available. Get live assistance by tweeting your questions to @AskTSA in English or Spanish or via Facebook Messenger. You can also call the TSA Contact Center at 866-289-9673.
Tip 5: In the future be sure to enroll in TSA PreCheck®. Travel with ease by enrolling in TSA PreCheck and avoid removing shoes, belts, liquids, laptops and light jackets. Most new enrollees receive a known traveler number within five days, and membership lasts for five years.
Please email Sari.Koshetz@tsa.dhs.gov with any questions.
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