Getting old - - advice requested

[sponger76]

I guess my concern is if they open the carryon or personal item for some reason .

Also- can you take coins without setting off the scanner?

I know- I’m very OCD with this. You should see how I was agonizing over packing the liquids. I had to start 3 weeks ahead of time. Lol!

If they're going to open the carry-on/personal item at the security checkpoint, you're typically there to watch as they go through it.

I usually put any coins in my carry-on or in the little dish. Not sure if they'd set off the imaging scanner, but I've gone through the metal detector type scanner with no problem and then discovered afterward that I had a couple of coins in my pocket. Not sure how many it would take to set it off.

 

[slip]

I guess my concern is if they open the carryon or personal item for some reason .

Also- can you take coins without setting off the scanner?

I know- I’m very OCD with this. You should see how I was agonizing over packing the liquids. I had to start 3 weeks ahead of time. Lol!

If they find something they want to check in the carry-on they wait until you are through the scanner and bring you over with the bag. They are looking at tge bag with you there. They will not look through it without you there. The bag really never leaves your sight while you walk through the scanner. It will be in the scanner while you walk through. This is a secure area, it's not like the airport luggage handlers.

They don't want anything in your pockets. I put any coins in the fog dish or my wife's carry-on.

 

[Luanne]

I guess my concern is if they open the carryon or personal item for some reason .

Also- can you take coins without setting off the scanner?

I know- I’m very OCD with this. You should see how I was agonizing over packing the liquids. I had to start 3 weeks ahead of time. Lol!

I have had my back pack opened a couple of time. No issues with the meds. I also bring vitamins in plastic baggies and I've never been questioned.

I don't travel with coins. But when I did they never set off the scanner. The metal pin I have in my hip hasn't either, and the metal pins my daughter has in her hip, left wrist and right arm haven't caused any problems.

 

[ScoopKona]

I guess my concern is if they open the carryon or personal item for some reason .

When I fly to the farm, it's a rare thing for them not to open my bag. I bring strange stuff home with me -- things I can't obtain in Hawaii. I make a habit of telling the TSA x-ray tech what weirdness is coming through -- salami, parmesan cheese, etc -- sometimes that gets me through without visual inspection. But usually not. They swab the package and run the swab through a machine. When they're satisfied I'm not hauling explosives, they let me through with my Italian deli food.

 

[Luanne]

When I fly to the farm, it's a rare thing for them not to open my bag. I bring strange stuff home with me -- things I can't obtain in Hawaii. I make a habit of telling the TSA x-ray tech what weirdness is coming through -- salami, parmesan cheese, etc -- sometimes that gets me through without visual inspection. But usually not. They swab the package and run the swab through a machine. When they're satisfied I'm not hauling explosives, they let me through with my Italian deli food.

Maybe you should try packing lighter.

 

[WinniWoman]

Thanks all. The travel agent did order me a wheelchair so not sure how that’s going to be either.

For a 7 night trip just packing 4 capri pants, maybe 6 tops, extra underwear and socks, one set of pjs and slippers and a small robe. A hat. Wearing a jacket or hoody thing. Only the sneakers on my feet. Long pants and whatever top I’m wearing on the plane, along with compression stockings.

But taking my portable TENS, lumbar pillow for plane, pelvic belt, KT tape, Motrin and muscle relaxer and Tylenol. Cholesterol med and vitamin I was going to put in a daily pill box.

And that’s just mine. My husband has his own stuff. Several pills, etc.

It’s amazing how much maintenance we require and the amount of products we use daily. And we are not even bringing all of them! For example, I usually have to use a heated eye mask each night because of my severe dry eye. But I will settle for a hot hotel wash cloth.

Yup- OLD! I thought we could wait at least until 70 to be old.

Thankfully it’s just a short trip. We could never do it for more than a week with just carryons. Also at least the Hotel has laundry facilities if needed.

Gosh I hate flying. So much easier to throw stuff in the car and take off on your own schedule. We will see how it goes. Could be our last time flying and Italy will have to wait for my next life. I don’t know whet got into me booking this trip.

 

[slip]

Thanks all. The travel agent did order me a wheelchair so not sure how that’s going to be either.

For a 7 night trip just packing 4 capri pants, maybe 6 tops, extra underwear and socks, one set of pjs and slippers and a small robe. A hat. Wearing a jacket or hoody thing. Only the sneakers on my feet. Long pants and whatever top I’m wearing on the plane, along with compression stockings.

But taking my portable TENS, lumbar pillow for plane, pelvic belt, KT tape, Motrin and muscle relaxer and Tylenol. Cholesterol med and vitamin I was going to put in a daily pill box.

And that’s just mine. My husband has his own stuff. Several pills, etc.

It’s amazing how much maintenance we require and the amount of products we use daily. And we are not even bringing all of them! For example, I usually have to use a heated eye mask each night because of my severe dry eye. But I will settle for a hot hotel wash cloth.

Yup- OLD! I thought we could wait at least until 70 to be old.

Thankfully it’s just a short trip. We could never do it for more than a week with just carryons. Also at least the Hotel has laundry facilities if needed.

Gosh I hate flying. So much easier to throw stuff in the car and take off on your own schedule. We will see how it goes. Could be our last time flying and Italy will have to wait for my next life. I don’t know whet got into me booking this trip.

The only good thing about the wheelchair is that it will get you through to the front of the line at TSA. All in all, it's not bad. Enjoy your trip.

 

[rapmarks]

As my husband’s disease progressed, he didn’t recognize common objects. When we went through security, he took the television remote out of his pocket. The security people got a real good laugh out of that. They remembered him the next year too.
I always alerted and everything was swabbed. I think it might have been that our driver to airport was a hunter and there might have been residue in his truck.

 

[ScoopKona]

Maybe you should try packing lighter.

The difference being that I know I'm not going to enjoy any part of my "haul stuff to the farm" flights. It's going to be a frustrating chore, start to finish -- from waking up at o-dark-thirty to lug all this stuff to the airport, to finally (hopefully) picking up my checked baggage and then loading it into a gas-guzzling work truck in order to get it the final mile.

I wouldn't wish such a trip on an enemy. And I certainly would never vacation that way willingly.

 

[WinniWoman]

Did I mention our original decent flights were, of course, now changed to a horrible schedule?

We have to leave our house at 3 am for a 7 am out of Boston. We originally had a nice mid morning flight. Had to pay $$$$ for a car service because the tour company said it’s too far for their free transfer.

Plus leaves us with only a one hour connection in Chicago.

Again- too old for this stuff…

So much for my idea that paying more and booking the flexible airfare through the tour company would make things go more smoothly.

Yeah- I have a lot of anxiety.

 

[slip]

The difference being that I know I'm not going to enjoy any part of my "haul stuff to the farm" flights. It's going to be a frustrating chore, start to finish -- from waking up at o-dark-thirty to lug all this stuff to the airport, to finally (hopefully) picking up my checked baggage and then loading it into a gas-guzzling work truck in order to get it the final mile.

I wouldn't wish such a trip on an enemy. And I certainly would never vacation that way willingly.

It's all part of the journey, enjoy it all. It's work but it will be rewarding when it's all said and done.

 

[Luanne]

Did I mention our original decent flights were, of course, now changed to a horrible schedule?

We have to leave our house at 3 am for a 7 am out of Boston. We originally had a nice mid morning flight. Had to pay $$$$ for a car service because the tour company said it’s too far for their free transfer.

Plus leaves us with only a one hour connection in Chicago.

Again- too old for this stuff…

So much for my idea that paying more and booking the flexible airfare through the tour company would make things go more smoothly.

Yeah- I have a lot of anxiety.

The airport we fly out of most of the time is an hour from our house. If we have an early morning flight we stay in a hotel close to the airport. I like being close, I'm too much of a worrier to want to have to get up super early and hope to make it in time. We had a 6:30 a.m. flight out of ABQ to OAK a couple of weeks ago. We still had to get up early, around 4 a.m., but if we'd left from home it wouldn't have even made sense to go to bed the night before.

 

[slip]

The airport we fly out of most of the time is an hour from our house. If we have an early morning flight we stay in a hotel close to the airport. I like being close, I'm too much of a worrier to want to have to get up super early and hope to make it in time. We had a 6:30 a.m. flight out of ABQ to OAK a couple of weeks ago. We still had to get up early, around 4 a.m., but if we'd left from home it wouldn't have even made sense to go to bed the night before.

We did the same when we were living in Wisconsin. We got more rest that way and the Hotel let us park out car there for free and they provided a shuttle to and from the airport. Win, win all the way around.

 

[Luanne]

We did the same when we were living in Wisconsin. We got more rest that way and the Hotel let us park out car there for free and they provided a shuttle to and from the airport. Win, win all the way around.

The hotel we stay at also offers parking and a 24/7 on demand shuttle to and from the airport.

 

[WinniWoman]

The airport we fly out of most of the time is an hour from our house. If we have an early morning flight we stay in a hotel close to the airport. I like being close, I'm too much of a worrier to want to have to get up super early and hope to make it in time. We had a 6:30 a.m. flight out of ABQ to OAK a couple of weeks ago. We still had to get up early, around 4 a.m., but if we'd left from home it wouldn't have even made sense to go to bed the night before.

I thought of that but I felt we’d probably not sleep anyway in the hotel and I didn’t want to add anymore money onto an already overpriced vacation. And honestly driving to Boston would be stressful in and of itself as we’re not used to it.

So picked our poison.

 

[Luanne]

I thought of that but I felt we’d probably not sleep anyway in the hotel and I didn’t want to add anymore money onto an already overpriced vacation. And honestly driving to Boston would be stressful in and of itself as we’re not used to it.

So picked our poison.

But you have to drive to Boston one way or another don't you?

 

[rapmarks]

Thanks all. The travel agent did order me a wheelchair so not sure how that’s going to be either.

For a 7 night trip just packing 4 capri pants, maybe 6 tops, extra underwear and socks, one set of pjs and slippers and a small robe. A hat. Wearing a jacket or hoody thing. Only the sneakers on my feet. Long pants and whatever top I’m wearing on the plane, along with compression stockings.

But taking my portable TENS, lumbar pillow for plane, pelvic belt, KT tape, Motrin and muscle relaxer and Tylenol. Cholesterol med and vitamin I was going to put in a daily pill box.

And that’s just mine. My husband has his own stuff. Several pills, etc.

It’s amazing how much maintenance we require and the amount of products we use daily. And we are not even bringing all of them! For example, I usually have to use a heated eye mask each night because of my severe dry eye. But I will settle for a hot hotel wash cloth.

Yup- OLD! I thought we could wait at least until 70 to be old.

Thankfully it’s just a short trip. We could never do it for more than a week with just carryons. Also at least the Hotel has laundry facilities if needed.

Gosh I hate flying. So much easier to throw stuff in the car and take off on your own schedule. We will see how it goes. Could be our last time flying and Italy will have to wait for my next life. I don’t know whet got into me booking this trip.

You sound like a junior me. Do you find that the heated eye mask helps? I have severe dry eye too.

 

[Cornell]

When I fly to the farm, it's a rare thing for them not to open my bag. I bring strange stuff home with me -- things I can't obtain in Hawaii. I make a habit of telling the TSA x-ray tech what weirdness is coming through -- salami, parmesan cheese, etc -- sometimes that gets me through without visual inspection. But usually not. They swab the package and run the swab through a machine. When they're satisfied I'm not hauling explosives, they let me through with my Italian deli food.

Probably the sous vide that trips you up at TSA

 

[PigsDad]

Does prescription medication or vitamins have to be in their original containers? I haven’t flown in awhile and not up on all the rules. Couldn’t find it on the website.

Never had an issue, but I have heard that if you are going on an international flight, you need to have any narcotic prescription (sleeping pills, pain medication, etc.) in the original prescription bottles (or have them handy). In some countries, it is possible you could be in some hot water since they are controlled substances.

Also- where do you keep your cash and credit cards during security screening?

I slip my wallet, phone, watch, and anything else in my pockets into my backpack before sending it through the scanner. You shouldn't have anything except clothes on your body when going through the metal detectors.

Also, I always have a pocket in my backpack that has change in it. Only once was the bag flagged by the scanners, but that was because I hadn't emptied that pocket out in quite a while and I probably had $15 to $20 of change in there! I cleaned it out after that trip.

Good luck on your trip!

Kurt

 

[VacationForever]

Never had an issue, but I have heard that if you are going on an international flight, you need to have any narcotic prescription (sleeping pills, pain medication, etc.) in the original prescription bottles (or have them handy). In some countries, it is possible you could be in some hot water since they are controlled substances.


I slip my wallet, phone, watch, and anything else in my pockets into my backpack before sending it through the scanner. You shouldn't have anything except clothes on your body when going through the metal detectors.

Also, I always have a pocket in my backpack that has change in it. Only once was the bag flagged by the scanners, but that was because I hadn't emptied that pocket out in quite a while and I probably had $15 to $20 of change in there! I cleaned it out after that trip.

Good luck on your trip!

Kurt

We took pictures of the original pill bottles, a typed copy of our prescriptions and the weekly pillboxes. Never have had a problem. We just got to Scotland yesterday without an issue.

 

[Talent312]

Coins in the Pocket: I never carry coins. I use a CC everywhere.
There's a bowl full of coins at on dresser. They stay at home.

I try to put everything in my carry-on while in the TSA line....
wallet (or money belt), cell phone, pens, etc.

I say in jest that the next time, I'll just wear PJ's to the airport
(maybe sweats). Seriously, dressing in low-key comfort helps.

 

[WinniWoman]

You sound like a junior me. Do you find that the heated eye mask helps? I have severe dry eye too.

A junior?

Anyway- the eye doc recommended the eye mask. I use it religiously every day for 10 minutes. Probably should do it longer. Not sure how helpful it is.

 

[WinniWoman]

But you have to drive to Boston one way or another don't you?

We aren’t driving to Boston. The car service is taking us to the airport.

 

[Cornell]

@WinniWoman Here's a bit of advice I have for you going through TSA.

First when you check your bags visually inspect the printed luggage tags that the airline gives you (or they are affixing). Are the correct airport codes on there? The two times I've lost my bags it was due to the wrong tag being put on my bag.


When you arrive at Boston, BEFORE you get to the security line is to just step aside w/your husband before getting into any lines. Get everything organized and tucked away. Make sure you have your water bottle empty (if you have one). Remove any watches that might trigger the X-ray . If you are wearing a jacket, put that in your carryon / personal item bag. Get everything into that carryon EXCEPT your ID and boarding pass*.
Either have a pocket on your clothes that is secure for ID OR make sure your carryon bag has an easily accessible pocket to shove that ID in.

When you get to TSA you'll put your carryon bag on the belt and most likely your shoes. They may search your bag, that's fine.

IMO I see people getting flustered at TSA who haven't done the "prep work" before they get into the line. That's when things like "forgetting a watch" happen. Just get organized and prepared quietly before you get into line.

Once you get through TSA put your ID back into its "real" place (your wallet). You won't need it to board the plane.

I'm very familiar with O'Hare. Which airline are you flying?


Lots of people love having a mobile boarding ticket on their phone. I think for you have a good old fashioned paper boarding pass the way go. This way you aren't fumbling w/an unfamiliar app / Apple Wallet etc while in a stressful situation.

 

[rapmarks]

@WinniWoman Here's a bit of advice I have for you going through TSA.

First when you check your bags visually inspect the printed luggage tags that the airline gives you (or they are affixing). Are the correct airport codes on there? The two times I've lost my bags it was due to the wrong tag being put on my bag.


When you arrive at Boston, BEFORE you get to the security line is to just step aside w/your husband before getting into any lines. Get everything organized and tucked away. Make sure you have your water bottle empty (if you have one). Remove any watches that might trigger the X-ray . If you are wearing a jacket, put that in your carryon / personal item bag. Get everything into that carryon EXCEPT your ID and boarding pass*.
Either have a pocket on your clothes that is secure for ID OR make sure your carryon bag has an easily accessible pocket to shove that ID in.

When you get to TSA you'll put your carryon bag on the belt and most likely your shoes. They may search your bag, that's fine.

IMO I see people getting flustered at TSA who haven't done the "prep work" before they get into the line. That's when things like "forgetting a watch" happen. Just get organized and prepared quietly before you get into line.

Once you get through TSA put your ID back into its "real" place (your wallet). You won't need it to board the plane.

I'm very familiar with O'Hare. Which airline are you flying?


Lots of people love having a mobile boarding ticket on their phone. I think for you have a good old fashioned paper boarding pass the way go. This way you aren't fumbling w/an unfamiliar app / Apple Wallet etc while in a stressful situation.

I didn’t know a watch triggered the alarm. Is it all, or certain types? Good ideas here. Previously, they made me takeout my iPad and computer. This last time they didn’t. Have the rules changed?