It’s that time of year… you’ve planned and waited for summer to arrive so you can go on holiday. Everything is good to go, but when you get to the airport – oh, oh you didn’t know you needed that, or you are not as prepared as you thought you were. Here are a few reminders and some information you may not know about due to the constant changing of the airline/government regulations. It’s short, to the point and hopefully it’ll help you get to your happy place without any surprises or hassles. #HappyTravels

Packing…

• When packing, make sure to check size and restrictions (including weight) for carry-on baggage. Each airline is different, they will be sent into the cargo hold if not within the allowance and additional checked baggage fees may apply!
• Make sure all valuables such as electronics, documentation, medication, car keys, money, jewellery and cameras are with you or in your carry-on bags
• Carrying gifts on board the aircraft? Make sure to leave them unwrapped for security inspection
• Government regulations stipulate carry-on baggage has a limited amount of liquid, gel and aerosol items: 100ml/100g (3.4 oz) per article or smaller, placed inside a 1-litre clear bag. Larger containers must be placed in checked baggage
• External baggage name tags sometimes become detached – place additional identification INSIDE your checked luggage. It should be a nice large sheet of paper with your name, phone number and destination address (have another one for the return journey). If your suitcase gets lost and there are no tags on it, whoever opens it will find the information they need right away
• Small lithium battery-powered vehicles (hoverboards, electric skateboards, airwheels, mini-Segways and balance wheels) are NOT accepted as checked or carry-on baggage and should be shipped separately via cargo or courier

Sporting Equipment…
Some sporting equipment is entitled to a waiver of oversize and/or additional piece charges. Most Airlines recommend or require that you pre-register sporting equipment by contacting the Reservations line or your travel agent up to 24 hours prior to departure

International Travel Requirements

• All international travel requires a valid passport and in some cases other documentation – such as visas, in order to enter the country of destination and/or for transiting connection countries including ESTA to enter the U.S., ETA for Australia, and EVUS for some Chinese passport holders arriving in the U.S.
• Government regulations require that the name provided in the flight reservation be exactly the same as it appears in the travel documentation
• The IATA Travel Centre search tool offers details regarding country-specific passport, visa and health entry requirements
• Domestic travel requires government-issued photo identification that includes date of birth and gender for all passengers 18 years of age and older

Travelling To, From, Via Or Over The U.S.

• United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoint lines can be longer than normal in spring and summer. The TSA recommends arriving at the airport 2 hours before departure if your flight is in the early morning or evening, when wait times for screening can be up to one hour
• Members of Known Traveler Programs such as Nexus or Global Entry, may experience normal wait times.
• The United States requires that travellers provide additional Secure Flight information at least 72 hours before their flight or at the time of booking. This applies to many international flights which are deemed to over-fly the U.S., regardless of destination or originating country

 Security… For more information on security measures, please consult the applicable official websites:

• Canadian Air Transport Security Agency (CATSA) catsa.gc.ca/home
• USATransportation Security Administration at tsa.gov
• British Airports Authorities at baa.co.uk

Airport…

• Save time by checking-in online within 24 hours of departure on your airlines’ website or on a mobile device
• Sign up on your airline’s website to receive flight notification alerts and updates of your flight status
• Different airlines and airports have varying check-in and cut-off times – make sure you know what they are for your flights
• Summer is the busiest time at airports – arrive early, not just on-time
• Always allow extra time when departing, as airport security wait times may be longer than expected
• Provide contact information including your email address when booking a flight and when checking-in using the internet/mobile‎/kiosk in case of travel disruptions

Duty-free items purchased before or during a flight are subject to Government allowances for liquids and gels, and will not be allowed past security checkpoints for connecting flights unless they are sealed in Security Tamper-Evident Bags (STEBs). For more information, please refer to the Canadian Air Transport Security Agency (CATSA) web-site: catsa.gc.ca/duty-free-purchases.

Electronics…

• Personal electronic devices powered by lithium batteries such as Laptops, Mobile phones, Tablets (and spare batteries) must be in carry-on baggage.
• Galaxy Note7 phones are not permitted onboard most aircraft/airlines

 For Canada/Canadians:

• Canadian citizens must use a Canadian passport for travel to Canada.
• Dual nationals can no longer use a non-Canadian passport to arrive in Canada
• Parents travelling with children with a Canadian passport should NOT sign the child’s passport as it will make it invalid
• Most visitors to Canada now need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada – Exceptions include U.S. citizens and travellers with a valid Canadian visa

For additional TravelBogger Packing Tips click HERE

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Iain & Gail started blogging in order to inspire and motivate people to travel the world from their perspective – specializing in having the most fun while using the least amount of money, travelling on the cheap without sacrificing comfort.

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