You Must Pack a Family Bag With an Airport Flag
Going through airport security with kids can feel like chaos, especially when each family member has their own carry-on luggage, stuffed to the brim with the things they need to keep them entertained on a long flight. Parents need to keep an eye on multiple bags, which may not go through the scanners in any logical order and can be difficult to track if one or more are pulled over for additional checking.
Bags of baby items can also be particularly susceptible to additional scrutiny – they are typically filled with toys, electronics and snacks, as well as things like medicines and infant formula that can be TSA-labeled. If this happens, you also need to make sure that everything that was removed is returned to the correct bag and nothing is left in the security office.
The good news is that this situation can be avoided by applying strategic packaging .
Pack items that are likely to be tagged in one carry-on
Instead of risking screening delays and losing your belongings, try to pack anything that might cause concern in one carry-on bag, which can then be observed by you or another adult in your group. Children may still bring their own bags, but they must contain relatively safe items such as clothing, blankets, soft toys and non-electronic toys.
In a flag bag, pack the following items:
- Electronics like iPad and Nintendo Switch
- Snacks, including baby food and puree bags
- Infant formula and breast milk
- ice packs
- Teethers
- Medications, including EpiPens and inhalers
- Personal tools such as nail clippers
- Gifts
- Other liquids that meet requirement 3.4 oz.
TSA rules exempt formula, milk, and baby food, and the freezer bags required to store these products, from the liquid volume limit because they are considered medically necessary. To ensure a smooth passage through security, the agency recommends that these liquids be packaged in clear bottles rather than plastic bags. As with all liquids, you must remove these items from your hand luggage; put them in the bin along with the bag and report this to the security officer.
Ideally, this packaging strategy provides additional verification of one bag. As a bonus, having everything you need for in-flight entertainment and meals makes it easy to distribute groceries to family members. No one wants to rummage through multiple bags stored under seats or in luggage racks.