After 9/11, air travel underwent some fairly radical changes. Nowhere was this felt more than the airport itself which was forever impacted by the events that day. Soon travelers airport experiences were radically changed. In today’s modern world, travel is still commonplace and airports are where many people spend large chunks of their time in while traveling. Here are 3 things you should NEVER do at the airport.
Never, ever do this at the airport!
You’ve probably seen the slogan “But first, Coffee!” Well, traveling is often a lot of fun. New destinations, new experiences, new memories, and more. But first…the airport!
No matter where you are heading, you are gonna have to get through that airport.
We’ve assembled a list of the top 3 things you should never do at the airport. Sure, you might disagree with some of them (and if you do, please drop us a comment, or tweet us). We’ve also added a few other suggestions on what to avoid doing while at the airport at the end.
Here’s a quick summary, before we dive in. Happy reading (and happy traveling!).
- Joke about bombs
- Not get TSA PreCheck
- Check a bag
Alright, let’s dig in.
Joke about bombs
This first one is something that has always baffled me. Why do people still do this!? For some reason people occasionally do still do this. Joking about bombs, or weapons / harm in danger (but particularly bombs) is sure to draw the ire of the Transporation Security Agency.
They take their jobs pretty seriously and if an extended pat down followed up by some stern looks from a displeased TSA Agent is how you want to spend your time before you get on the plane, just make a little bomb joke… You might even get arrested.
For example, as recently as December of 2019 a Marine was arrested for cracking jokes about bomb as he passed through security in the Charlotte Airport. He was arrested.
The list is long of fools who’ve thought they were being cute. TSA don’t play. In early 2019 a woman was arrested in the Fort Lauderdale Airport after boarding her flight and joking to a flight attendant that there was a bomb in it. The pilot evacuated the plane and the TSA evacuated the entire airport. Talk about a joke falling flat.
In every case we could find, the joker was arrested. Not fun for anyone…
Many airports even post placards and signs reminding travelers to keep their airport humor firmly out of the bomb zone…
Bottom line? Don’t joke about bombs at the airport!
Not get TSA PreCheck
Speaking of airport security, if you like standing in long lines or taking your shoes off while trying to yank your laptop out of bag while a gaggle of other passengers glare at you, then don’t get TSA PreCheck. If you like zipping through security without a care in the world with barely any meaningful wait time, then get TSA PreCheck!
TSA PreCheck is a paid service sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security that pre-screens travelers through a background check and interview. Once approved, travelers get access to a special airport security line and do not have to remove their shoes or take electronics out of their luggage. Plus the lines are usually faster.
Not getting TSA PreCheck before your next airport visit? Big mistake!
Check your bag
This is a controversial topic. The amount of hate mail, comments or other general discontent we get from bag-checkers is pretty surprising, really. Who knew people who checked their bags were also dicks? Just kidding, now. Settle down…
In all seriousness, we are NOT fans of checking a bag here at the CBoardingGroup.com and we’ve covered this subject extensively and lampooned it a bit as well. We remain convinced, despite the loud protestations of a few, that checking a bag is one of the things you should NEVER do at the airport.
That said, there are a few good reasons not to check a bag so we get it: this approach isn’t for everyone. And that’s ok.
A Few Extras to Avoid
Obviously, the list above is somewhat subjective (although, that’s not the case for the first one…never joke about bombs…). However, we’ve added a few more things to consider not doing while at the airport!
- Forget to learn the rules. If you’ve not traveled in a while it might be a good idea to peruse the TSA rules on airports so you don’t look like a goober when TSA doesn’t let you bring that 48 ounce tub of mayonnaise through security.
- Never buy water at the airport. $5.25 for a bottle of water seems legit…wait, what!?!?! Avoid buying water at the airport. Instead, bring a collapsible travel water bottle instead and fill it up on the other side.
- Leave your bag unattended. Want to get the airport locked down? Wander off and leave you bag alone. It probably won’t end well.
- Forget to use the bathroom before you get on the plane. This is a rookie mistake. We see this almost every trip. Immediately after boarding (and WHILE the plane is still boadring someone will make a bathroom run, them swim upstream to get back to their seat. Don’t be that person. Always go before you get on the plane..
- Not use a firewall when connecting your PC to Airport WiFi. As noted in our 7 Cyber Security Tips for Travelers, not using a firewall when connecting to free wi-fi (like airport internet) is just plain dumb.
How about you? What things do you NEVER do at the airport?? Drop us a comment below, or tweet us!
Thanks for stopping in
There you go. Now you know what NOT to do at the airport. If you are interested in learning what TO do while traveling considering poking around our website for more great travel advice and content. For example, we’ve stuffed over 147 Travel Tips in the largest collection of travel tips on the Internet. Check it out, and level up your travel game.
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