Which is playing havoc with air travelers packing both their carry-ons and their checked luggage especially those who in the past avoided checking any bags at all.
How to cope?
Here are some suggestions: Packing Now that you're likely to be checking more bags, and having more important items in them, label your luggage well, with name, business address and phone number on the outside, and an itinerary and contact information packed inside, on top, said Susan Foster, author of "Smart Packing for Today's Traveler" (www.smartpacking.com, Smart Travel Press; $19.95).
Business travelers should consider faxing, e-mailing or FedExing copies of important documents ahead to their destinations.
The Transportation Security Administration has declared that in the interests of the health and welfare of certain travelers, the following items are permitted in the cabin: small amounts of baby formula or breast milk if a baby or small child is traveling; liquid prescription medicine with a name that matches the passenger's ticket; up to 8 ounces of liquid or gel low-blood-sugar treatment; up to 4 ounces of essential non-prescription liquid medications; and gel-filled bras and similar prosthetics, but only if they are worn
For a list of prohibited items, visit TSA's Web site: www.tsa.com.
Personal care
"Airplane air is as dry as the Sahara," said Linda Wells, editor in chief of Allure magazine. So drink plenty of water over a significant period before you board, so as to optimally hydrate your body.
The new rules ban moisturizer and similar items from carry-ons. So put on heavier-than-usual moisturizer before you leave home, with either a moisturizing self-tanner or tinted moisturizer on top. "You want to wear as little makeup as you can," Wells said. "What's worse than not having your makeup with you is having it smear all over your face and you not being able to fix it." Other cosmetics that will last include waterproof mascara, and lip and cheek stain.
Apply hairstyling products before you leave for the airport and then "reactivate" them before you land by running your hands under the water in the lavatory sink and running damp fingers through your hair, Wells suggested. Pack shampoos and other lotions so they don't spill, Wells said. Take the cap off the bottle, squeeze the product so it reaches the lip of the open top, then screw the top on again tightly, forming a vacuumlike seal. There will still be an indentation in the bottle. You may want to put them in a sealed plastic bag as well.
Children
Prepare kids for long lines and stringent security. "Tell the kids, This is what we have to do to make sure everyone is safe,'" said Eileen Ogintz, a syndicated columnist who offers advice on family travel on her Web site, www.takingthekids.com. Explain to toddlers "why they need to put their blankie or teddy on the belt," she added. Give a lollipop or other small reward for cooperation.
Check kids' backpacks for toy guns, plastic swords and the like. "I just came back from Disney with two 10-year-old boys," she said, "and with Pirates of the Caribbean' out, everything they bought was stuff like that." If your kids are flying unaccompanied, make sure they understand the new rules. Remind them to get something to drink before they get in line, rather than bringing a water bottle, and warn them against making sarcastic comments or jokes about security threats, Ogintz said.
Teenagers should notify airline personnel if they are flying alone, so that they get priority to stay on the flight in case passengers are bumped. To entertain young children, bring a deck of cards, and paper and pencil. "You can draw pictures, make designs, play Hangman," Ogintz said. Play "I Spy" on a long line or if you are forced to check the toy bag, she added.
Insurance
If you bought trip insurance, you may be eligible for compensation related to delays, according to John Ansell, president of the U.S. Travel Insurance Association, which represents 90 percent of U.S.-based travel insurance firms. Comprehensive travel insurance typically covers rebooking flights, hotels if you are stranded, loss of personal belongings and other problems related to missed connections and cancellations, he said. Most travel insurance companies have hotlines to assist you. If you want to buy insurance for a future trip, a comprehensive cancellation policy which typically includes medical insurance, too will cost 4 to 7 percent of the total price of your trip, Ansell said.
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