Turbulence — you can count on it this summer if your plans include airline travel. Traditionally, it’s those pesky upper-level disturbances that create all of the excitement and agitation for pilots and travelers. This year however, tourists may find it equally turbulent on the ground as they attempt to navigate their way through the terminal en-route to their flights.
Take, for example, the newly released list of permitted and prohibited items in the carry-on category, courtesy of the Transportation Security Administration.
Along with the obvious no-nos like dynamite, mace, hand grenades, revolvers, shot guns, tear gas and sabers — are some less than obvious things like wrenches, hockey sticks and cork screws. Don’t even think about carrying on your meat cleaver, bullwhip, numchucks or pellet guns and you should plan to leave ice picks, crowbars and cattle prods stowed as well. For those with hobbies, please note that fishing poles and bowling balls are fine, but pool cues, baseball bats, golf clubs and ski poles are out. Thumbs up on knitting needles, eyelash curlers, nail files and tweezers, but thumbs down on pointy metal scissors and toy transformer robots (especially those which transfigure into tiny toy transformer guns).
If you simply can’t travel without your precious pet this summer, be prepared for some additional changes in the not so friendly skies. Delta Airlines has announced their annual "pet embargo" and will not accept pets as checked baggage from May 15 until September 15. For a $75 fee, pets will be accepted as carry-on baggage as long as they can fit comfortably in a kennel 17 inches long, by 12 inches wide by 8 inches high. The carrier must be small enough to stow securely under the seat directly in front of the passenger. If Fido needs to lose a few pounds, he’s probably staying home this trip. And, of course, not every pet is welcome aboard. Dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs are acceptable to Delta, but reptiles, primates and pot-bellied pigs will not be allowed aboard the flight.
Between the necessary, though sometimes schizophrenic airport security and any normal delays, travelers need to pack a fair amount of patience into their carry-on bags this summer.
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