Originally Posted by AerosmithAngel
Going Pearson-Tampa, never flown before. Wondering if any flying vets have any tips for me, perhaps making travelling a little less stressful.
Don't wear clothes with lots of metal (belts with big buckles, lots of metal jewelry, etc.) because that will trigger the security checkpoint's metal detector.
Wear easy off, easy on shoes in case the security checkpoint wants you to remove them.
Keep the airline's reservation phone number handy. If you need a rebooking because of a missed connection, it may be faster to call that than wait in the line that everyone else who missed a connection is waiting in.
Keep the essentials you need for the first day or two of your trip in your carryon, in case your checked luggage is missing. Keep a close eye on your carryon at the security checkpoint, since thieves try to steal stuff there (the TSA is not watching for thieves; it is trying to find people smuggling bombs or weapons on board). Squishy carryon bags fit more easily into overhead or underseat spaces that may be "slightly too small" for some non-squishy rollaboard carryons.
In flight, keep the seat belt fastened snugly whenever you are in your seat. Turbulence can strike at any time.