At the security check, everyone is trying to get through as quickly as possible. However, when putting your things in the bins, you should not separate two essential elements.
Nobody likes going through security. Between the shoes to take off, the jacket to take off, the computer to take out of the bag and the pockets to empty, it’s quite an ordeal. As a result, many travelers randomly divide their belongings into several bins. However, two essential items should always stay together.
In fact, airports record thousands of losses of personal belongings each year. Some of these oversights occur precisely at the level of security controls. Contrary to what we imagine, objects do not necessarily disappear due to theft. Travelers sometimes leave them in a bin and others mistakenly retrieve an item that does not belong to them. It also happens that an agent directs a bin for additional inspection while its owner continues on his way.
In an interview with Journal des Femmes, Amel Bahlouli, airport security officer at ICTS FRANCE, advises keeping an eye on your personal belongings throughout the check and not leaving the area before ensuring that nothing is missing. According to her, stress plays an important role in forgetting. “The stress of traveling takes a toll on passengers, the fear of missing the flight, the fear of taking the journey…”she explains. His advice is simple: “I advise passengers to make sure they have their travel documents and personal belongings and do not forget anything before leaving the area.” Among the most important documents: the boarding pass and cell phone.
Among these documents, the boarding pass deserves particular attention. And contrary to what some travelers might think, it should not be separated from the cell phone. “At the screening inspection station, you have to put the phone and the boarding pass in the same tray and put on a jacket or a bag to ensure that it does not move when passing through the X-ray”recommends Amel Bahlouli. The idea is to keep these two essentials in the same place, in one and the same easily identifiable container. This way, you limit the risks of having them stolen or misplaced. As the specialist points out, it is also important to protect them with a bag or jacket so that they do not slip during their passage through the scanner.
Note that in the event of loss of the boarding pass, the situation is generally easy to resolve. “The agents handling the flight can print the boarding pass”specifies the expert. If the traveler no longer has their travel documents, she advises “Go to the company counter. All you need is your passport and plane ticket. There are also kiosks to print boarding passes and baggage tags.” However, these procedures can be long, especially if there are several people present at the same place. And when the timing is tight, the plane may leave without you, so it’s better to stay vigilant.
