Busy travel season: What to know before heading to Hopkins

CLEVELAND (WJW) – As Northeast Ohioans gear up for the Fourth of July holiday, officers with the Transportation Security Administration at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport are getting ready for what the TSA calls its busiest travel season ever, starting on Thursday and continuing through July 8.

“At Cleveland, the busiest time of day is in the early morning, between 5 a.m. and 8 a.m.,” said Daniel Narowitz, deputy federal security director for TSA in Ohio. “Travelers departing on the early morning flights should expect to arrive at the airport early. Checkpoints open at 3 on the south checkpoint and 3:45 on the north checkpoint.”

The TSA says all airlines at Hopkins can be accessed through each checkpoint.

Although they are anticipating a spike in summer travelers, the agency is hoping to maintain its wait time of 30 minutes for standard passengers and a 10-minute wait for Pre-Check passengers.

To avoid delays in the checkpoints, they are reminding travelers to have proper ID and to follow all TSA rules on what you can and cannot carry, as indicated on TSA.gov.

“Passengers are allowed one one-quart bag with 3.4 ounces of any liquids, gels, aerosols or creams,” said Narowitz. “Firearms are never allowed through the checkpoint.”

“Sometimes I think people think, ‘oh, it’s just one bottle of water, just one Swiss Army knife, how long does that take?’ Maybe for you, that doesn’t take long, but when one person does it, two people do it, three people, those times add up and it affects everyone in line behind you,” said TSA spokesperson Jessica Mayle.

They say it’s a good idea when you’re packing your carry-on bag to start by making sure there are no items from previous trips that could cause a problem.

“It prevents you from going up to the checkpoint. We find a prohibited item, we say ‘whose is this?’ and you say, ‘oh my gosh, I forgot I even had that in my bag,’ so really trying to save you from being at the checkpoint with an item that you don’t want or need,” said Mayle.

As a reminder, keep your cool while in line at the checkpoint, because unruly behavior can also lead to delays for everyone.

“We’re looking at those really busy times of day, 5 to 8 a.m., every second counts,” Mayle said. “We’re really trying to get those passengers through as quickly as possible, so the passenger has a huge responsibility.”

They say it is wise to arrive at the airport two hours before your flight. It will give you plenty of time to get checked in and avoid a lot of stress.