'Tis the Season for AirTran Airways' Holiday Travel Tips
ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), is helping travelers successfully pilot through this holiday travel season with the airline's annual holiday travel tips. For seven years running, the low-fare carrier has been offering its tips of the trade to customers braving the bustling airports during the busy winter months.
"Nothing is more important than being with family and friends during the holidays, but with so many people traveling, it can be a stressful experience," said Bob Fornaro, AirTran Airways' chairman, president and CEO. "AirTran Airways can help you focus more on the important things and less on your travel with our easy-to-follow tips, along with convenient online booking and check-in on airtran.com."
AirTran Airways offers the following list of travel tips and guidelines as a service to holiday travelers:
-- Save the Wrapping for Later - Wrapped gifts might have to be unwrapped
during security screenings. Consider shipping gifts ahead of time. Do
not carry wrapped gifts you have received from others.
-- Secure Your Valuables - Place your medicine, jewelry, cameras, and other
valuables in your carry-on baggage.
-- Remember to Leave Time for the Airport "Holidaze" - During the
busy holidays, anticipate possible slowdowns caused by heavy traffic,
crowded airport parking lots and busy ticket counters and security
checkpoints. AirTran Airways recommends passengers arrive at the
airport a minimum of 90 minutes prior to scheduled departure, or two
hours ahead of time if you plan to check baggage.
-- Keep the Gifts to a Reasonable Number - On the aircraft, you are allowed
one carry-on bag and one personal item. A personal item is defined as a
purse, briefcase, diaper bag or laptop bag. Per FAA regulations, both
the carry-on bag and the personal item must fit underneath the seat in
front of you or in the EasyFit overhead bins.
-- Gift Tag Your Luggage - A baggage tag with your name, home address and
telephone number must be placed on the outside of your bag. It is also
a good idea to put your home address, telephone number, destination
address and telephone number inside your bag.
-- The New Year's Clock is Ticking - Baggage may be checked at the
airport no more than four hours prior to departure time and no less than
one hour prior to departure at most cities. For individual airport
times, please check our Contract of Carriage on airtran.com.
-- More Convenient Than Travel by Sleigh - Check in for your flights up to
24 hours prior to departure with our Online Flight Check-In on
airtran.com. You will be able to select your seat assignment and print
your boarding passes and a receipt from your computer.
-- Three is the Magic Number - Per the TSA's guidelines, travelers can
bring liquids, gels and aerosols in their carry-on luggage. The items
must be stored in containers no larger than three ounces and must be
housed in a single, quart-sized zip-top, clear plastic bag.
-- Lighting Up the Holidays - The TSA no longer bans common lighters in
carry-on luggage, although torch lighters remain banned in carry-ons.
Lighters do not need to be contained in a plastic bag for liquids.
-- Leave the Carving Knives at Home - Security requirements prohibit
passengers from taking certain items in their carry-on bags, including:
knives, cutting instruments (any kind), box cutters and folding or
retractable blades regardless of blade length or composition. Straight
razors are prohibited but disposable razors, e.g. Bic, are allowed.
Metal scissors with blades shorter than four inches are also now
allowed.
-- Unlock the Holiday Cheer - The TSA recommends that you leave your
baggage unlocked as it may be inspected during the security screening
process.
-- From Silver Bells to Elf Shoes, All Subject to X-Ray - At the screening
checkpoint, be prepared to take your shoes off, remove your jacket,
empty your pockets of all metal and remove laptops from your carry-on
baggage.
-- Check Twice for Your ID - AirTran Airways' security procedures
require that all travelers 18 years of age and older show a
government-issued photo ID, such as a valid driver's license, a
passport or military ID. If you do not have one of the above, you may
show two forms of non-photo ID, at least one of which must be issued by
a local, state or federal government agency such as the following: birth
certificate, Medicare card, voter registration card, Social Security
card. Ensure that the name on your itinerary matches the name on your
identification.
-- Leave Milk for Santa and Other Liquids at the Door - The TSA has eased
its ban on beverages. Travelers are now allowed to bring
thirst-quenchers onto an airplane, but only if they are purchased at the
airport past the security checkpoint.
-- Peace of Mind: The Airport's Gift to You - Only ticketed passengers
may proceed past the security screening checkpoint. Due to heightened
security measures, passengers may experience the following:
-- Increased number of uniformed law enforcement and security personnel
-- Reduced access points to secured areas at airports
-- Towing of unattended vehicles near the terminals
-- Heightened awareness of unattended bags
-- Requests for ID and receipt/itinerary for travel
-- Prohibition on the sale of knifelike items
For more information on permitted or prohibited items, visit the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) Web site at tsa.gov.
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI), a Fortune 1000 company, is ranked number one in the 2008 Airline Quality Rating study. The airline offers coast-to-coast flights, North America's newest all-Boeing fleet, friendly service and Business Class and complimentary XM Satellite Radio on every flight. To book a flight, visit airtran.com.
Media Contact: AirTran Airways
Tad Hutcheson
Judy Graham-Weaver
Cynthia Tinsley-Douglas
678.254.7442
SOURCE AirTran Airways
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