D.C. MOVIE GUYS

You may think you’re ready to survive Comic-Con International: San Diego, Gen Con Indy or any of the other numerous comic, Sci-Fi and gaming conventions this summer but are you ready to survive the airports? A bad travel experience can ruin your convention vacation but with the help of a few simple guidelines you can trek like a pro and avoid the black holes.

Make your airline reservations at least 7 days or more in advance of your travel for the best prices and to ensure you can travel on the dates you want. Be flexible with your dates. It is not a bad idea to arrive before the convention begins or leave a day or two after it ends so you can enjoy the hosting city. Always sign up as a frequent flyer with the airline. Maybe you don’t fly enough to make use of the reward programs, but simply being on the frequent flyer program can give you a few benefits when you do fly like advance seating, upgrades and other perks. If you don’t think you will use your points, check with the airline about donating them to the USO to help real super heroes in the armed forces travel home.

Travel light. Many airlines now charge extra for checked and overweight luggage. Check with your airline for their luggage policy so you don’t have to spend 50 bucks earmarked for the Transformers: 25th Anniversary Soundwave Special Edition on the extra suitcase because you couldn’t spend 4 days away from your game console. It’s a convention; get out of your hotel room and meet some people. If your travel bag is so big you need Solomon Grundy to carry it through the airport and you don’t have a shrink ray, don’t bring it with you on the plane. Check it or leave it at home. Pack your necessities, medications and at least a change of clothes in a carryon bag so if you are separated from your luggage longer than you hoped at least you have some comforts, can brush your teeth and smell nice. Remember to leave extra space so you can bring home new acquisitions. You might even consider shipping your purchases home instead of trying to bring them back in your suitcase.

Getting through security may feel like waiting in line for Carousel. If you follow the rules and pay attention, you’ll get though without being dragged off by a Sandman. You must obey airport security rules no matter how silly or stupid you think they are. If you don’t like them, write your congressman, start a company and invent a better way, but do not wait until you are face to face with TSA to start an argument about whether or not you need to take your shoes off. You don’t tug on Superman’s cape and you don’t mess around with the Transportation Security Administration.

Security lines are marked by three signs. One line is for families traveling with children, one is for casual travelers and the last is for expert travelers. If you don’t think you can get your coat and shoes off, electronics out of the bag and into bins and have all your pockets empty in under a minute, don’t get in the expert traveler line no matter how much shorter it seems. If you need extra time, arrive early. If you are not traveling with children, avoid the line for families even if it seems shorter. Families have to deal with strollers, extra luggage and (of course) children. If you do get behind someone with children, help them if they’ll let you. Helping them get through faster means you get through faster. Besides, it’s what Superman would want you to do.

As you approach the ID checkpoint, Make sure your pockets are empty (secure your wallet, purse, cell phone, mp3 player and other valuables in your carryon). Have your ID and your ticket out to show the screener. Once your ID is verified you can put it away. Keep your ticket handy to show again as you walk through the metal detector.

You are allowed a single quart sized clear plastic bag to contain 3oz or smaller containers for liquid. You have to take this bag out of your carryon and send it through the X-ray machine in a bin not covered up by other clothing or bags. Special allowances are made for medications, baby formula, etc…but don’t let the TSA have to find this out on their own, declare these items before shoving them through the X-ray.

Take your shoes off (wear shoes easy to get on and off) and put them directly on the belt without a bin. Save the bins for your liquid bag, coats and laptops. Don’t think because you are wearing flip flops you don’t have to take them off. You might want to think twice about wearing something that will leave you strolling around a nasty airport floor barefoot.

Pullovers, jackets and other outerwear must all be removed and sent through the scanner in a bin. Yes, this includes that pimpin’ MC Chris Bobba Fett hoodie. Laptops and other large electronics (I told you to leave that game console at home) must also be removed from their bags and placed separately in a bin. You can leave your digital camera or recorder in your bag, but high speed or special film could be damaged by the scanner. Remove any film you are concerned about and ask security to hand screen it. All those sweet piercings are as helpful to you against the metal detector as Wolverine’s admantium skeleton is against Magneto. Pack your piercings and put them back in after you land. You can leave your hat on. Unless it is a religious garment, you may want to remove it as headwear can be cause for additional screening if it appears large enough to hide stuff under.

Hold your tongue before you speak your crimethink. Even if what you say is funny and makes the security screener laugh, the TSA will take no chances. Only one of you will still be laughing after the body cavity search. Try to avoid that discussion about whether or not Reed Richards could modify an iPod to take over the controls of an airplane until you get to the hotel.

For a complete list of TSA guidelines visit http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/screening_experience.shtm

Unless the captain of your flight is named Kirk (Southwest has 3), your flight may be delayed. If this happens, no amount of complaining to the gate crew will change this. You may ask about other flights, but unless it is a serious delay, you are better off sticking with your original flight. If the delay is due to weather, the airline is not obliged to buy you food or lodging, but if the delay is their fault ask about hotel and food vouchers. Sometimes a flight is overbooked. If you can wait for the next flight, you might score travel vouchers so you can fly for free to next year’s con. If you are late to an overbooked flight, don’t panic and don’t freak out on the ticket agent. The airline will get you where you are going, just not at the time you hoped. Use the opportunity to request seating upgrades on the next flight or discounted tickets. No room means no room; throwing a fit won’t help unless you want to end up riding on the outside of the plane and we know Captain Kirk doesn’t look favorably on creatures clinging to the wing of his airplane. Delays happen so relax and politely see how you can turn a bad situation into one that benefits you in the long run.

The two main rules of traveling well and getting the most out of your experience are be early and be nice. Being early gives you the most options and the most flexibility when things go wrong. Being nice may not get you a prize but it will make traveling for you and everyone around you much easier. If that doesn’t do it for you; then yes, being nice sometimes gets you a prize.