Kick start your summer holiday with easy airport travel tips

CATSA prepares for a busy summer at Toronto Pearson

TORONTO, June 21, 2012 /CNW/ - School's out and summer vacation is here at last!

To get your summer holidays off to an easy start, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) offers a few travel tips to ensure your pre-flight screening is as hassle-free as possible.

The summer months are the busiest times of the year at Toronto Pearson with more than 100,000 travellers daily. Delays at the security checkpoint are often caused because travellers are simply not prepared.

Before your trip, check CATSA's website and follow these tips:

Know what to take in your carry-on bags

• Before you arrive at the airport check CATSA's approved list of items for carry-on baggage. This will help you eliminate stress as you start your vacation.  Search to see which items are permitted in your carry-on and checked baggage at www.catsa.gc.ca.

Dedicated security lines will get you through faster

• For family trips, the Family/Special Needs line features larger screening equipment to accommodate items like strollers and wheelchairs, and screening officers who offer additional assistance to passengers needing more time to navigate security.
• The Trusted Traveller CATSA Line allows NEXUS members to bypass the queue and most important, the wait, and go straight to the screening line. More information on how to apply for a Nexus card is at www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/nexus.

Tips for all travellers at the security checkpoint:

• Have your boarding pass and ID ready to present to the screening officer.
• Remove coats, suit jackets and blazers and place them in the bins provided.
• Empty the contents of your pockets and place these items in the bins before walking through the metal detector.
• Keep all phones, MP3 players and GPS equipment in your carry-on bag. They do not need to be screened separately.
• Remove laptop computers from their cases and place them in the bins provided.
• Avoid wearing shoes with metal arches, buckles, steel toes or shanks.
• Avoid wearing belts with metal buckles.

Tips for families travelling with small children:

• Baby food, formula, medications, milk, water and juice are exempt from the 100 ml (3.4 oz) liquid restriction for carry-on bag, providing the amounts are reasonable for your length of vacation and that you are travelling with a baby less than two years old. These items must be presented to the screening officer.
• Remove infants from their stroller or carrier and hold them while proceeding through the metal detector.
• Let your child walk through the metal detector if they can do so on their own.
• Batteries for toys, cameras, gaming devices and other personal items are allowed in carry-on baggage, but restrictions apply. For details visit www.catsa.gc.ca
• Use the designated Family/Special Needs line that features larger screening equipment to accommodate items like strollers and wheelchairs and screening officers who offer additional assistance to passengers who need more time to navigate security.

Tips for personal care items:

• Shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, creams, gels, perfumes,  aerosol spray bottles, oils, mascara, lipstick, shaving cream and suntan lotion are all permitted in carry-on baggage providing they are in a 100 ml (3.4 oz) or less container and placed in a 1 L (36 oz) transparent bag.
• One butane-operated curling iron with its gas container per person is allowed in checked baggage. The curling iron without the butane is allowed in carry-on baggage.
• Cuticle cutters measuring no more than 6 cm (2.4 in) are allowed in carry-on.
• Disposable razors and razor blade cartridges are allowed in carry-on.
• Electric hair dryers, curling and flat irons and electric shavers are allowed in carry-on.

CATSA, established in 2002, is a Crown corporation responsible for:

• Pre-board screening - the screening of passengers, their carry-on baggage and personal belongings;
• Hold-baggage screening - the screening of checked baggage;
• Non-passenger screening - the screening of non-passengers on a random basis; and
• Restricted Area Identity Card - the administration of access control to airport restricted areas through biometric identifiers. 

Mathieu Larocque
CATSA spokesperson
613-998-4527
[email protected]