What We've Learned
Five years after 9/11, travel is tougher than ever. Here are 46 ways to cope.

Sunday, September 10, 2006

By now, most travelers are wise to the realities of post-9/11 travel. We go barefoot through security checkpoints, are learning to live without such frivolities as toothpaste and shampoo, and arrive at the airport before the Starbucks opens. We've got the drill down pat.

Or do we? Did you know that packing books or chocolate in your checked luggage increases its chances of being singled out and opened by screeners? Or that it's a good idea to e-mail a copy of your itinerary to yourself before you set out?

In these days of canceled and delayed flights, stricter security restrictions and heightened awareness, it's more important than ever to be your own best advocate and increase the odds of making your trip go as smoothly as possible. Here are 46 post-9/11 survival tips the Travel section staff has learned over the past five years as we've made our way through the world's airports, train depots, bus stations, hotels and highways.

Got a survival tip of your own to share? Send it to http://travel@www.washpost.com/ . We'll publish the best in a future issue.

Pre-Trip Prep

· Sign up with your airline to be automatically notified of flight time changes, cancellations and gate changes. Most airlines will send text or voice messages to your cell phone or PDA. But . . .

· Don't depend on the airline to keep you informed. Before going to the airport, check the airline's Web site for changes in the flight's departure time , or call and talk to an agent about probable flight delays. If it is hours long or the plane is stuck in another city, try to change the flight to the next morning (this happens a lot with thunderstorms).

· Make sure someone you know has a copy or knowledge of your travel plans, especially your flight and hotel information.

· Ask your doctors for spare prescriptions for regular medications, and take them along; you never know when you'll get stranded.

· Preprint your boarding pass 24 hours before your flight if your airline allows it. It will get you through the check-in line quicker and, if you're not checking luggage, will allow you to go directly to the gate.

· Washington area airport Web sites publish flight schedules online ( http://www.mwaa.com/ and http://www.bwiairport.com/ ). Print out the listings for your destination and carry it with you. Then, if your flight is canceled, you can tell the reservationist which alternative flight works best for you. (This strategy works only with legacy airlines who have mutual agreements; it doesn't work with some indie airlines.)

· Crowded flights mean it's more important than ever to know your rights. Check your airline's Web site for its "contract of carriage," or find links to them at sites like Consumer Travel Rights Center ( http://www.mytravelrights.com/ ) or OneTravel ( http://www.onetravel.com)/ . Familiarize yourself with the rules and print a copy to take to the airport, since ticket agents don't always know their airline's policies. In brief, federal law requires all airlines to pay you from $200 to $400 if you are involuntarily bumped, depending on circumstances outlined in each contract. Airlines have varied policies for other circumstances, like canceled flights, that cause delays.

· To determine when to leave for the airport , check with your airline for the recommended time -- generally two hours before a domestic flight and three hours for an international flight, but certain airlines and airports have significant exceptions. Then check the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Web site ( http://www.tsa.gov/ ) to determine average waits at security lines, and add that to the airline's estimate.

Foreign Destinations

· Register with the U.S. embassy or consulate in the country you're visiting (on the U.S. State Department site, http://travel.state.gov/ , click on International Travel, then Registration With Embassies). This is especially important if you're going to be there for more than two weeks or if the country is experiencing civil unrest. The State Department will be able to contact you or assist in an evacuation if there's an emergency.

· Keep informed about developing situations by checking the public announcements and travel warnings at the State Department site, http://travel.state.gov/ . As a reality check, compare the U.S. warnings with those on other countries' sites, such as the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs' Consular Affairs division ( http://www.voyage.gc.ca/ ) or the United Kingdom's Foreign & Commonwealth Office ( http://www.fco.gov.uk/ ). For U.K. transportation issues: Department for Transport ( http://www.dft.gov.uk/ ).

· Set up at least two free e-mail accounts (Gmail, Hotmail, etc.), since an account that works in one country may not work in another. You can keep the same account for every trip as long as you access it once every 30 days. Set up your accounts before you leave home so that your contacts will have your e-mail addresses.

· Scan your main passport page, visa and any paper tickets, and e-mail them to yourself and a friend. Keep a copy of your itinerary in your e-mail account.

· Pack a photocopy of your passport's main page in a separate bag. At the very least, memorize your passport number. You need that nine-digit code more and more on international trips these days, from immigration documents to hotel check-ins. And it's the starting point for replacing lost passports.

Packing

· Pack light and leave behind every possible electronic product whose wires could alarm a security officer.

· Spread throughout your checked baggage any thick or heavy objects , such as books, chocolate or peanut butter, that might be difficult for X-ray machines to penetrate. This may keep your luggage from being opened. For a list of permitted and prohibited items: http://www.tsa.gov/ .

· Invest in a TSA-approved lock (you'll find them labeled as such at travel stores) for your checked bag. Screeners who want to inspect checked luggage will cut open non-TSA locks. Of course, they may cut TSA-approved locks too (not all screeners have gotten the word), but the approved locks reduce the odds of this happening.

· If you're traveling with a friend, split your toiletries and clothes into two groups, then combine one another's stuff in two pieces of checked luggage. This way, if either bag is lost (an increased possibility now that more people are checking bags), you'll have at least half your stuff at your destination.

· As a favor to TSA officials who might have to paw through your luggage, carry clear plastic bags for storing dirty clothes at the end of a trip.

· Bring medication in its original packaging, including the label with your name on it. Make sure the name on the label matches the one on your ticket.

· To get around the liquids-and-gels restrictions in carryons, buy solid versions of products usually sold in liquid form, such as shaving soap and crystal deodorants; buy pre-moistened towelettes containing sunscreen and insect repellent. Consider ordering toiletries ahead of time and having them delivered to your destination from companies such as Drugstore.com ( http://www.drugstore.com/ ).

· To prevent leaks in checked luggage, pack liquid and gel products in resealable freezer bags. Use leak-proof bottles for shampoo and lotion (leave room at the top of bottles for expansion). Pack bubble wrap to cushion wine or other liquid souvenirs, like olive oil.

At the Airport

· More than ever, don't check bags if you can avoid it. This lets you sail right from your taxi to the security line clutching your preprinted boarding pass, with no stop -- and wait -- to hand over your luggage. Carrying on also gives you the chance to fly standby on earlier flights.

· If you have to check bags, check them at the curb . The lines can be shorter out there. Doesn't work for international flights, though.

· Women traveling through airports that use the new "puffer" bomb detection devices should consider wearing pants and a close-fitting top . Skirts and loose-fitting shirts tend to fly up in the breeze.

· Dress down. We would never have stooped to flipflops at the airport in the old days, but their convenience in the security line outweighs the horror we know they cause our mothers.

· Since you never know when you might get stranded, travel with a supply of food, such as power bars, nuts, trail mix, baby carrots or cereal. Take an empty water bottle that can be filled up on the plane (but not from the lavatory sink).

· If a flight is delayed or canceled, imediately call the airline from your cell phone for alternative options. This will spare you from having to fight the crowds for the attention of the desk person. Stand ready with your cell phone to call your airline to find out about availability on later flights if it begins to appear that you might not get through the line in time to make your flight.

· Invest in an iPod. You can pack a lot of distractions in it.

· Be genuinely polite to everyone, from security personnel to flight attendants. The lines are not their fault.

In the Air

· Really pay attention to the flight attendant when he or she gives the security briefing.

· Don't be afraid to ask for more water if you need it, since you had to toss what you had at the gate.

· To combat dry airplane air in the absence of hand lotion, use premoistened towelettes or bar forms of lotion. One source: the company Lush (888-733-5874, http://www.lush.com/ ), which has a Georgetown store.

· Warm up to your seatmate, since you never know when you'll need a friend.

Trains and Subways

· On subways, stand near the door for a quick getaway.

· Check Amtrak's Web site, http://www.amtrak.com/ , for information on possible last-minute security-related delays.

· Never ignore a bag left in the aisle or at a seat. Get out and inform a security official immediately.

· Pick cars at the far ends of the train, since they will be less crowded (everyone heads for the center cars).

Road Trips

· Embrace the humble highway. Flying hassles may lead you to load up the station wagon, even for long-haul trips. You can have more fun than you think with books on tape, motel pools and roadside diners.

· Keep your gas tank filled.

· EZ Pass, EZ Pass, EZ Pass. When there's a Code Orange backup at the Holland Tunnel, nothing feels better than leapfrogging along the fast (or at least faster) lane.

At Your Destination

· Once on the ground, keep alternate plans on hand for getting around. Ask your hotel's front desk how to get to restaurants or other venues by public transportation.

· Find the nearest pharmacy to your hotel so you can buy any toiletries you left home because of the liquid ban.

· Tune in to the television, radio station or newspaper at your destination. They can alert you to any local security concerns.

· At museums, arenas or ballparks with metal detectors, find the entrance the farthest from the subway or parking garage. People tend to head for the first entrance they find, and it's always the most crowded.

· When touring museums and churches, carry only the essentials, and bring only a small bag so you won't have to check your valuables.

And Finally . . .

· Be more observant, but never scared -- and never stay home for too long.

John Deiner, Steve Hendrix, Gary Lee, Cindy Loose, Anne McDonough, Andrea Sachs, Carol Sottili and K.C. Summers contributed to this story.