How to fly through airport security

With summer travel in full swing, US transportation authorities are offering travelers tips on how to pack carry-on bags, how to behave, and what not to wear.

With summer travel in full swing, US transportation authorities are offering travelers tips on how to pack carry-on bags, how to behave, and what not to wear.

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Breezing through airport security starts at home, says the Transportation Security Administration, where flyers should pack smartly.

For example, if you’re carrying a gift in your carry-on bag, leave it unwrapped or risk having to rewrap it should a security officer choose to inspect the package.

By now, packing liquids in a clear bag should be old hat for flyers in the US, but should you need a reminder, the regulations dictate that passengers are allowed one quart-sized zip-top bag for their carry-on luggage. Liquids must also respect the 100 ml (3.4 oz) limit.

Piercings in sensitive places? You may want to consider removing them in order to avoid setting off the metal detector.

Though form-fitting head coverings and religious garments may not necessarily result in secondary screenings, flyers wearing clothing or headwear that’s loose-fitting or large enough to hide prohibited items -- religious or otherwise -- will likely require additional pat-downs.

The TSA also recommends wearing slip-on shoes that can be removed with ease in order to shave time.

And those black pumps with mock gun-like heels? You may want to pack those in your checked baggage, as they’ll surely be confiscated at airport security. It’s a lesson one flyer learned the hard way at LaGuardia airport last week, where the shoes were taken away.

And finally, “think before you speak,” says the TSA. One inappropriate slip of the tongue -- whether in jest or not -- could result in a ruined vacation.