Joe Bilotta left Denver on a business trip last week with a set of toiletries in his carry-on bag.
When he returned from Atlanta on Friday, he was traveling lighter: no toothpaste, no mouthwash, no deodorant.
“I had to toss them,” said the 45-year-old university facilities planner. “It wasn’t worth the hassle of checking my bag to save them. Next time it’ll be well worth the $10 to buy the stuff when I get there instead of checking my bag.”
In the wake of new aviation terrorism threats, federal regulations in place since Thursday ban passengers from carrying liquids and gels into airline cabins.
Still, the restrictions needn’t be overly burdensome, experts say. Their best advice: Stay informed. If travelers do their homework and keep abreast of changing policies, they should survive the ordeal with minimal disruption.
That means checking websites or phone recordings for up-to-date information from airlines, airports and the Transportation Security Administration.
Passengers can expect regulations to change regularly to counter new threats, some travel analysts warn.
“Passengers will face a new world, and it will challenge them,” said Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition.
For example, passengers should now, in some cases, be prepared to have their carry-on bags inspected twice: once when they pass through security and again, on a spot-check basis, when they board.
That, screeners say, is necessary to enforce the new prohibition on carrying bottled liquids onto planes.
Some liquids, including baby formula, labeled prescription medicines in the passenger’s name, and insulin, are exempt from the ban.
In some ways, passengers have additional flexibility in the wake of the foiled London terrorist plot. Some airlines have waived extra-baggage charges for passengers who check carry-on bags. Other airlines are permitting passengers to change nonrefundable tickets without the usual fees.
Of the flying public, Mitchell said, “30 percent are seasoned business travelers that will adapt” to the changing climate of commercial travel. “But the other 70 percent are leisure travelers who may be unprepared and confused by what’s facing them.”
Passengers may endure longer lines at ticket counters and security checkpoints, planes without adequate amounts of water and other beverages, and more time spent retrieving checked baggage.
The ordeal could be a bit more aggravating for travelers who don’t want to check baggage, including businesspeople, Mitchell said.
Marianne Neifert, preparing to fly out of DIA on Friday, said she will consider mailing her makeup bag to her destination for future trips.
Airlines advised passengers to allow extra time at the airport, but most had backed away from Thursday’s suggestion of arriving three hours early.
Nicole and Bill Foster, leaving DIA for a trip to Salt Lake City, arrived at 10 a.m. Friday for a 12:45 p.m. departure. But they were left with plenty of extra time after the security-line wait turned out to be only five minutes.
“We had been saying three hours, but now we’re peeling back to our normal two hours,” said Frontier Airlines spokesman Joe Hodas. “A lot of people typically think that two hours means 90 minutes, but now we think they’re going to take it much more seriously.”
Flight tips
New federal regulations will cause some hassles for travelers, but experts say they can be minimized with these tips:
* Pack all fluids and gels in checked baggage. That includes beverages, shampoo, lotion, sunscreen, toothpaste, perfume, hair gel and contact lens solution. Exceptions include infant formula, breast milk and prescription medications.
* Monitor airport, airline and TSA websites for updated regulations, schedules and wait times: DIA (flydenver.com), Frontier (frontierairlines.com), United (united.com), TSA (tsa.gov).
* Be prepared for longer lines at ticket counters and security checkpoints. While some security lines have subsided from Thursday’s long waits, they will grow again during peak travel periods.
* Arrive at the airport at least two hours before domestic departure times and three hours early for international flights.
* Pack lightly to facilitate baggage hand checks by security personnel.
* Consume or throw away drinks purchased after passing through security before boarding.
* Prepare for additional time to claim checked baggage at your destination.
Staff writer Steve Raabe can be reached at 303-820-1948 or sraabe@denverpost.com.
