Planning to fly throughout the holidays however aren’t fairly positive what’s allowed in your carry-on bag? Questioning if you happen to can pack all of your items in your checked baggage? Curious whether or not you possibly can deliver vacation meals and treats on board?
By no means worry; AskTSA is right here. The Transportation Safety Administration has a text-based possibility for cell phones so vacationers can discover solutions to their urgent journey packing questions.
This textual content possibility is along with the TSA’s social media accounts and its “What Can I Convey?” webpage.
So, how does it work? And, extra importantly, how can we prefer it? Learn on for all the main points.
How you can use AskTSA
First, one fast, essential level. After we’re speaking in regards to the TSA, we’re particularly specializing in flying domestically. For questions on what you possibly can deliver internationally, test with U.S. Customs and Border Safety as a substitute.
For home journey, the current addition of AskTSA saves a number of steps from looking out the TSA webpage or visiting its social media accounts.
To begin, merely textual content “Journey” to AskTSA (275872). The service supplies automated responses 24 hours a day, and TSA specialists can be found from 8 a.m. to six p.m. EST.
Notice that on a current take a look at run, we discovered solutions to be in brief provide late at evening, and we’ve got observed prolonged solutions throughout the daytime hours when the road is absolutely staffed.
The interface requires customers to decide on one of many following matters to get began:
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- TSA PreCheck
- What can I deliver?
- Identification
- Medical questions
- Damages/claims
- Hiring
- Different
We determined to strive the “What can I deliver?” part to get some packing assist for the vacations.
Associated: TSA liquids rule: What to find out about 3-1-1 earlier than you head to the airport
After we selected this class, the subsequent query was whether or not we most well-liked to work together in English or Spanish. Subsequent got here a selection between “carry-on or private bag” or “checked bag” baggage, after which we have been introduced with the next merchandise classes:
- CBD merchandise
- Digital cigarettes
- Electronics
- Firearms
- Flammable aerosols
- Meals
- Grooming gadgets
- Knives
- Lighters
- Liquids
- Lithium batteries
- Powder child method
Here is how we fared whereas in search of packing suggestions for some fashionable gadgets.
Sports activities tools
First up was TPG contributor Ashley Kosciolek, who launched into a multistop journey with ice skates and fishing lures in her carry-on bag.
When she checked in with AskTSA, it took a number of minutes for her to listen to again in regards to the skates, which is a time lag I skilled as properly. Though two to a few minutes actually is not lengthy, it may possibly undoubtedly really feel just like the message won’t have been acquired when you’re watching your telephone.
This reply for ice skates provided the identical data Ashley had discovered on the TSA web site when she searched on-line.
For her fishhook inquiry, it took 13 hours (in a single day) to get a reply. When answered, although, it appeared to have been despatched by an individual as a substitute of a bot.
Presents
Subsequent, I requested one of many questions I hear most incessantly from pals: Can I deliver wrapped presents by safety?
That is at all times a difficult one. I’ve personally seen an agent at Chicago’s O’Hare Worldwide Airport (ORD) unwrap a tightly secured set of candlesticks from Tiffany’s, watching as layer after layer of Bubble Wrap was eliminated whereas the passenger in entrance of me turned increasingly more distraught.
I’ve by no means wrapped a present since (as a substitute, I deliver present baggage and tissue paper for fast gifting). Nevertheless, I’ve since witnessed this once more.
The official phrase is that the TSA “advocate(s)” ready. It is simple to see why vacationers may very well be confused by this directive.
Meals
Readers incessantly ask what TSA-approved meals could be introduced by safety. Clint Henderson, a principal spokesperson at TPG, despatched a question to the TSA that I hadn’t thought of but: Can I deliver frozen turkey on a airplane?
Fortunately for Clint, he can deliver his frozen turkey on board. This additionally applies to different frozen meals, together with butter, which I just lately requested about, and even water. However word that any frozen merchandise wants to stay in a strong state and never be mushy or in liquid type to make it by safety.
Associated: Here is what Thanksgiving meals you possibly can usher in your carry-on and what must be checked
With extra meals questions, we had Becky Blaine, TPG’s managing editor of newsletters, attain out to AskTSA.
Becky had pumpkin pie in thoughts when she queried “creamy” meals, one of many two classes (together with “strong”) provided up for meals questions.
When she replied “No” as to if she had acquired a passable reply to her query from the automated system, she was knowledgeable {that a} “Social Care Specialist” could be in contact between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Whereas this reply was useful, we have been in a position to kind in “pie” on the TSA “What Can I Convey?” webpage and acquired a solution instantly.
Backside line
If you happen to’re not in a rush and need to know what you possibly can pack, the AskTSA textual content message possibility is a useful software, particularly if you need a personalised reply about an merchandise that you just’re undecided easy methods to categorize.
Nevertheless, we have been capable of finding data a bit quicker just by looking out with Google for many gadgets.
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