MILWAUKEE — Just two days left of Christmas shopping, and many of you may be getting ready to travel with family this afternoon.
We headed out to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport to see how things were going Friday morning.
The Transportation Safety Administration estimates roughly 125,000 cheeseheads will be traveling by plane for Christmas.
We saw some long lines to get through security at MKE Airport Friday morning. Wisconsin’s TSA Federal Security Director Mark Lendvay tells us more than 2,000 passengers made it through security before 6 a.m. Friday, and counting.
“Today through December 29, over a quarter million," Lendvay says.
Some advice the TSA passed along to ensure you have a smooth travels includes:
- Arrive early. The airport will be busy, so arrive two hours prior to your scheduled flight to allow for adequate time to park your car, return your rental car or arrive via public transit or ride share, check bags with the airline, and go through security screening before arriving at the gate
Breaujha Lewis who is headed to Florida was so happy she heeded this advice.
“This is the first time I have done a checked bag so that process was a headache," she says.
Lendvay tells us they are working hard to keep the lines moving, and ensure everyone is safe.
“We have our dogs running, the lines are moving very fast but again there's a lot of inexperienced travelers, there's a lot of crowds," he says.
- Do not wrap your gifts, as they may need to be inspected. Fully wrapped gifts may need to be opened if deemed necessary by a TSA officer.
- Pack smart by starting with an empty bag. Why you ask? A TSA Spokesperson says, “Passengers who start packing with an empty bag are less likely to bring prohibited items through the checkpoint, which include firearms, explosives, fireworks, flammables, knives, razors and replica weapons.”
To see ANY AND ALL items prohibited, check the TSA website under “What Can I Bring?” - For hassle-free travels with firearms, make sure you properly declare by making sure to follow the guidelines very closely on the TSA government website here.
The maximum civil penalty for bringing a firearm to a TSA checkpoint is nearly $15,000. It will also result in the loss of TSA PreCheck® eligibility for at least five years and may result in enhanced screening at the TSA checkpoint. For more information about how to properly travel with a firearm, visit: The transporting firearms and ammunition page
Passengers not understanding these guidelines happen more often than you might think.
“So far this year we’ve had 19 firearms come through year to date," says Wisconsin TSA Assistant Federal Security Director Timothy Goodwin.
- Call ahead to request passenger support. Travelers or families of passengers with disabilities and/or medical conditions may call the TSA CaresHelpline toll free at 855-787-2227 at least 72 hours prior to travel with any questions about screening procedures and to find out what to expect at the security checkpoint. TSA Cares also arranges assistance at the checkpoint for travelers with specific needs.
- Get your questions answered before you head to the airport. Travelers can get assistance in real time by texting their question to #275-872 (“AskTSA”). An automated virtual assistant is available 24/7, while staff is available daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT, including holidays and weekends. Travelers may also reach the TSA Contact Center at 866-289-9673. Staff is available from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends/holidays; an automated service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Air travel is not the biggest mode of transportation for people who live in Wisconsin. AAA estimates about two million people in Wisconsin will be driving to their destinations. That is about one in every three people in the Badger State.
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