CLEVELAND — In the next few weeks, you're probably going to see some really long lines at our local airports, like Cleveland Hopkins International and Akron-Canton. That's because it's peak travel season for spring breakers.
Jessica Mayle, regional spokesperson for TSA, says the key is to do checklists before you even leave the house.
"A lot of times people walk right up with that boarding pass and then we say, 'Where's your ID?' And they say, 'Oh my gosh, I have to find it.' And they start digging through it. It takes 'em while," Mayle said. "So have that ID ready. If you have little things in your pocket, your coins, your AirPods, things like that, zip those up in your carry-on. Those are the items that are most likely to get lost and that are really easy to secure in your bag. So again, don't think about what are all these little items I can put in a little bowl, think about how can I consolidate my bag and put everything together? Fewer items going through the scanner again gets you through faster. But really it's that thinking about what is a prohibited item? What is allowed? Can I have it in my check bag? Can I have it in my carry-on? Do that work at home. It'll help you at the checkpoint."
You can also keep other things in mind, like giving yourself a full two hours before your flight or factoring in car rental return time. Plus, remember that the less items that go through the scanner, the faster you get through.
We spoke with some travelers at Cleveland Hopkins Airport on Friday. One father traveling with his two kids said he discovered a short cut this year that saved him time before the airport.
"Something new this year when I checked in on my phone, they allowed you to let them know ahead of time how many bags you have, we have bags, each of us. So you were actually able to have the bag tags ready when you got here, which is new for me," said Joel Hammond.
TSA held to hiring events Friday in Northeast Ohio, at the Richmond and Middleburg Heights branches of the Cuyahoga County Library.
Mayle says, there is nothing to worry about with staffing at TSA.
"Definitely not, this is not something that we are trying to correct, any shortage that we're experiencing right now, we're really just projecting for future needs. We're pretty much always hiring," Mayle said. "I think people can expect, when you become a TSA officer, there's quite a learning curve there. There's a good amount of training. So it's not an issue in the future, but, yeah, definitely I think going into spring break travel, people should feel confident."
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