Thanks for your reply @DippityDoo I'm away for 7 days including flight days. She's flown a few times, I wouldn't say experienced. Neither of us are checking in luggage just carry on.
Cheers
@timEC:
Very glad your traveling companion has flown a few times; that's better than no experience at all and she'll hopefully be a prepared, responsible and calm guide through the process. The waiting you'll do will be longer than actual flight time. Don't know which UK airport you're departing from, but I strongly recommend you go to their website, read their carryon baggage security requirements carefully and follow those rules EGGZACTLY. Security makes particularly frowny faces regarding carryon liquid quantities which
includes toothpaste, shaving cream and hair gel. Your issue is not about liquids, but being flagged for liquids (including bottled water!) or scissors or other contraband will draw even more scrutiny of you and your partner's carryon bags.
Don't know if you're departing from
Heathrow, but here's a few tidbits from their website:
Can I take medicines in my hand baggage?
You can take enough essential liquid, aerosol or gel medicines in your hand luggage to cover your flight plus a reasonable amount to cover any delays. Any liquid, aerosol or gel medication not needed on the flight, together with any spares must be packed in your hold baggage.
There are no security restrictions on the carriage of powder or solid based medicines. (NOTE: This does NOT mean kilos of powder or 100s of a single type of pill are okay. Also, if your passport name is Pablo Escobar Jr, El Chapo, Gambino or Gotti, it'd be safer just to walk to Italy. )
Liquid, aerosol or gel medicines in containers of 100ml or less should be either:
- Placed inside your single transparent, resealable plastic bag no larger than 20cm x 20cm, along with any other liquid items; or
- Carried separately together with supporting documentary proof of authenticity such as a prescription or letter from your doctor.
How do you decide who has to pass through the security scanner?
Our security officers select passengers at random, or when there is a particular security concern (such as the activation of a metal detector). In the US, everyone without exception must empty pockets of all items, remove watches and place cell phones in a little caddy to go through the rolling belt-fed scanner. I've seen men with metal belt buckles remove their belts as well to avoid setting off the metal detector, though I don't know if this is required.
I cannot speak for the body-scanning selection process in the UK or Italy, but in the U.S. it is a crapshoot. Are you adorable? You could be chosen for scanning by bored security agents. Are you a 900-year-old woman in a wheelchair? Yeah, you're probably gonna be scanned because there's no telling what nefarious items you're hiding in your bloomers. Are you a drooling infant? Yep, in the U.S. your diaper could very well be checked for terrorism.
Cell phones MUST be charged. If your cell phone does not turn on when asked to do so, security is instructed to lose their damned minds as it could be a remote triggering device that evil people really use to do really evil things.
Because you're a young whippersnapper, and unless you're a hardcore gamer, chances are greater that you'd take a tablet rather than a laptop for a one-week trip. Chances are even better that you'll take only your cell phone with no tablet or laptop at all. If you do take a laptop, it MUST be removed from its case and placed on the rolling scanner belt.
Watch what efficient people in line ahead of you are doing. And do that. Watch what unprepared, time-wasting people do in line ahead of you and DON'T DO THAT. In the U.S., we still require everyone remove their shoes, so I wear laceless, slip-on New Balance track shoes for all airport travel. I did hear that some European airports no longer require shoe removal, but I cannot confirm that. Wearing a coat? Take it off and let it go through the scanner. HAVE ID READY AT ALL TIMES. When handing ID to airport/customs staff, have the ID face-side up and facing them. Small niceties go a long way.
And, one more time, DITCH THE BOTTLED FRAPPAMOCHAJAMBAJUICEWATER or whatever you're drinking BEFORE entering the security area.
Once on the plane, the most disrespectful thing you can do is recline your seat backward, which smashes the knees of the passenger behind you and makes it nigh impossible for that passenger to use their flip-up tray on the back of your seat. When the flight attendant says turn off your digital shiat, turn it off immediately. Obey the flight attendant. Be kind to the flight attendant.
Since it's your first flight, I hope you get a window seat because the view from the air is spectacular.
Congrats on your first flight! Wheeeee!! Let us know if you survived intact when you get back.
