Air travel questions

You will be well served to go the the airlines website and read their travel instructions. The last time we travelled, they were quite thorough. All the above comments are right on, from my limited travel experiences. You don't want to put anything of value in checked bags. If TSA can get in, anyone can. and do. I no longer lock my luggage after noting that all the locks I bought have the same key, or so cheap anyone can open them. All my meds and valuables go in my carry on briefcase.
 
LVSteve said:
This is important when it comes to seat space. I can guarantee that legroom in coach today is way less than it was in 1992. NJ to Indy is not a long flight, but how flexible is the OP's knee?
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Steve, the knee is excessively flexible. I wear the brace because the knee has a history of "giving out", and over extending.
 
LVSteve said:
First question, do you have one of the new, Real ID driving licenses? You will be OK this year, but after 7 May 2025, you need a Real ID license or a passport to get through security. I post this as a PSA.......
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That right there needs to be shouted. Coming back from Dallas last week, my relatively new DL was A-OK. My wife got stopped in her tracks and got the TSA spiel: "You vill need to get your papers in order madam or next year you vill not fly!" I respectfully asked Sgt Himmler to scan it again, for some reason the star was a bit faded. "Ach, alles ist in ordnung, you may pass!" Yeah, no fun at all. Joe
 
I flew out of Lexington on December 15 last year after a full day of work. Left knee was hurting so I put on a knee brace. Wife and Mother-in-Law went through just fine. The brace set off bells and whistles. Was taken to a small room with two ugly men!! Had to drop my pants so they could feel the brace. Finally got through. Bought two bottles of Eagle Rare Bourbon to celebrate my birthday on the 16th. Got to Mobile AL fine. On the way back got stopped in Mobile to just check me again. I was smart and put the brace in the backpack. Still pissed at the Atlanta airport. Not many restaurants open in the evenings. Good luck flying!!
 
lrrifleman said:
Adding to clarify:

Currently, we are a one vehicle family, and my son has football practice this year. Flying is actually cheaper than renting a car for one way trips out and back.

I honestly don't know if my tablet, laptop, or cell phone have lithium ion batteries, would these devices be marked?

Can I presume meds have to be in their original container? If so, is there a size limit on carry on baggage?

More questions will probably arise!
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Rent the car and drive to the matches. The potential hassles you will avoid like delayed flights, TSA pat-downs, etc. will make spending a few extra bucks worth it. If the car you own is in good shape drive it and have the son make arrangements to get to football practice by going with someone else.
Having your own transportation on the other end of the trip gives you more freedom. And all the questions ( and they are good ones ) you are asking here become immaterial.
It sounds to me like you are almost guaranteed to hit some kind of a snag with TSA that will make you wish you had just driven yourself to Indy.
 
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One more point for the OP. In 1992 you could be seen off at the gate by family and helpers. That is no longer the case. Your son will not be able to lug your carry-ons to the gate for you.
 
TSA can get into any bag and even items that are locked with commercial locks. We went Antelope hunting in Wyoming many moons ago flying into Denver then driving to Medicine Bow Wy. There were several of us with 3 youths as well. The uncle of the youths flew a different airline and when we were flying back he went to his terminal in the giant airport. When we went to check the guns he had the keys to the locks. The TSA was able to open all the locks and to check them and insert the paperwork needed.

One of the gentlemen we were with had a prosthetic leg which they inspected then wiped down placing the wipe in a machine to test it. Well sure enough there was powder residue on it which I assume was from sighting in when we got there. I would recommend that you thoroughly clean anything that might pick up powder residue or deal with the additional interrogation James went through.

On another note, you may be asked to take your CPAP machine out for inspection if you carry it on. I have been through that before as well.

Good luck to you. Flying is a hassle today. I am in the if it is 8 or 10 hours I drive. By the time you get to the airport 2 hours before your flight yada yada yada you are spending the same amount of time and in the car you can do what you want.
 
Like others here, my road trips are going to be under 12 hours. Gone are the days of driving 20+ hours to FL in one day.
I know of no way to get across the Atlantic by car.
Yep, flying is a hassle but I don't do it often.
 
I think everything has been covered already, but here's a couple more that I don't think were mentioned, but I may have missed it.
Give yourself PLENTY of time. Much can go awry between your doorstep to the door of the plane, so leave early and get there early. I would rather sit and wait at the gate than sweat out missing the flight.
If you're going to have connecting flights, don't book a flight that will force you to run a marathon through the terminals to make the next flight. I'll spend more for a ticket that allows at least an hour between flights if I have to, because that extra time is often needed.
 
TSA can ruin your trip in a hot second. DON'T piss them off be dropping trou and say go ahead and make sure you don't miss anything. I almost learned that lesson the hard way. Let them grope you, let them pick through everything, don't get snarky with them. They will pull you out of line for further inspection long enough for you to miss your flight.
 
CAJUNLAWYER said:
TSA can ruin your trip in a hot second. DON'T piss them off be dropping trou and say go ahead and make sure you don't miss anything. I almost learned that lesson the hard way. Let them grope you, let them pick through everything, don't get snarky with them. They will pull you out of line for further inspection long enough for you to miss your flight.
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True /\. I pissed off TSA one time enough they called security.(I had plenty of time before my flight) It was 5AM so I wasn't in the best of humor. I'm over 75 so supposedly it is not required to remove my shoes. I wear the same pair every time I travel, most of time, no problem. I argued for awhile, when security arrived I demanded a chair so I could sit down and tossed the shoes to the side. I also quipped about an underwire bra, the metal zipper in my jeans and the small metal belt buckle. Guess they didn't want to see what color my undies were.
So, sturdy shoes have a metal shank in the sole. Sometimes they are OK sometimes not.
 
CAJUNLAWYER said:
TSA can ruin your trip in a hot second. DON'T piss them off be dropping trou and say go ahead and make sure you don't miss anything. I almost learned that lesson the hard way. Let them grope you, let them pick through everything, don't get snarky with them. They will pull you out of line for further inspection long enough for you to miss your flight.
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"Absolute power corrupts absolutely"

Quote Lord Acton (1834-1902)
 
After the dude with the plastique in his shoe, they don't care what the shank is make from, the shoes go through the x-ray.

I think it was Atlanta decades ago where I saw a young lady get unnecessarily wanded. The way she was dressed she wasn't hiding much at all.
 
I fully agree with Global entry. My wife and I have had ours since the program started and you get automatic TSA-Preclear with GE. Now that CBP use facial recognition, no longer do you have to have your fingerprints scanned. Takes around 15 seconds to clear and then you are through Customs. So if you have only carry-on, you are straight out. At PHL there is even a special lane for the "exit to civilization!! Dave_n
 
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