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Alex Cabrero reportingEvery year during the holidays, you hear the same bits of travel advice: leave early, give yourself an extra hour at the airport, and plan for any construction zones.
This year, if you're flying, there's some new advice, remember the "3-1-1" rule.
3-1-1 is to help you remember how much liquid, gels, creams or lotions you're allowed to carry on an airplane. Everything from eye drops to nasal spray fall under the 3-1-1 rule.
Cory Page's job is to make sure that travelers are following TSA's new liquid and gel carry-on guidelines.
3-1-1 stands for 3 ounces, in 1 plastic baggy, with 1 baggy per person.
According to TSA agent Cory Page, "All day long, you have to have a big smile, and a lot of patience. But our big thing is customer service. We're here to get people through as quickly and as painless as possible." So far the longest line they've had at the Salt Lake International Airport "has been about 15 minutes," according to Page.
Remember, it doesn't matter if you only have three ounces of water in your bottle; it's the size of the bottle that counts. So be sure to stay within the 3 ounce guideline.
Earl Morris, of TSA, says "the most important thing is to make sure that whatever you're putting inside here doesn't exceed the ability of the bag to zip tight."
It may seem silly to be restricted to zip lock baggies and mere ounces of liquids, but scientists have helped the TSA determine that a liquid or gel bomb can't be made from this small amount, even if every passenger wanted to do harm.
This security measure is in response to the attempt to blow up airplanes in England last summer. With these restrictions in place, the TSA believes that no one can do any damage to blow up a plane.
Just another way to make sure we're safe...so be sure to remember the 3-1-1 rule as you travel this holiday season.
