TLV Security
 

First time to TLV. I heard and read that security is really tight there. I like to travel light (carry-on and laptop bag) especially when I'm gone for one week only. Should I just check in my bag (going to and coming back) if security is that intense and avoid the hassle? (I hate waiting for the bag at the carousel, but if I have no choice...oh well.) Thanks!!

TLV security looks for Terrorists, not bombs. Your carry-on will have nothing to do with any assumption they make about you. Many business travelers go through TLV every day with just carry-on luggage. Just answer the security questions confidently and you will have no issues. I have actually found TLV the easiest airport in the region to fly out of. No need to take off your shoes or remove liquid from your bags. Unlike the TSA, they know what they are doing

do carry on, as damaxer91 stated, just answer their questions and you'll have no problems. hopefully you're in business class outbound or traveling during shabat else you'll need to give yourself at least 3 hours.

And answer truthfully.

As others have said, while the security's tight, its seriousness and professionalism are unbelievably refreshing, specially compared to TSA.

Checking or not will not matter as you are met by security before you even check-in. They will just ask questions about where you have been, what you were doing in the country, if you met anyone, etc. It can sometimes be unnerving, but like everyone else said, answer truthfully and you will be all set. After you get through that, they will tag all of your bags and they will be scanned and then you may have to answer some more questions about the contents. After that, you check-in. If you carryon, the metal detector section is no more difficult than any other airport. You have basically just been searched.
That is all leaving the country - entering is no big deal. Enjoy your time there!

Remember, most electronics are NOT covered by Delta for theft, damage or loss.

Actually carrying on your bag will be LESS of a hassle. You first have to go through the slight interview. Then, if you are checking bags you need to put them through the X-Ray machines. Only afterwards can you go to the counter to get your BP and check in your bags.

If you carry-on you can skip step 2.

TLV Security
 

The decision to check or carry on should not be affected by traveling in/out of TLV. Do arrive 3 hours early. Do be prepared to answer questions, especially if your passport has a visa from Pakistan or Saudi Arabia. And be patient.

The security folks are polite, friendly, yet serious about their job. The TSA is a different story.

When I traveled with my now-ex-hubby to TLV when he went on business, his Israeli counterparts advised me to keep any receipts I got. Sure enough, at screening, the nice agent asked me about things I did. Once in awhile, she asked if I had a receipt for a tour or lunch. Having everything sure helped things!
Our bags weren't of much interest to the security folk. As others have said, it was our exit interviews that were important. Oh, if you are going for business, be sure to get a letter from the company(ies) you are visiting so you can prove you really were there for business. It can help quicken your passage through security.

Keep luggage routing tags, too.

Once we were in Cairo about to board the El Al flight to TLV and the Mossad agent demanded to see "proof" that we were in Egypt. Would not accept our air tickets nor receipt from the US tour company. Only a receipt from an Egyptian company would do: hotel, restaurant, anything. Luggage tags would have been ok, but who keeps them on the bags for two weeks?

But you don't get those things as a matter of course in Egypt. Finally the El Al station manager came by and asked the problem. "These pax are not in Egypt," said the agent. "Of course they are, I see them," was the manager's response, "they are ok, let them board." And we did. [He obviously outranked the agent.]

It helped that the station manager had assisted with a luggage problem when we arrived two weeks prior. He explained the agent was really only looking at our response to the questioning and did not care about actual receipts ... but they would help.

I was questioned for 30 minutes, asked the same questions over and over in repitition by different agents (obviously trying to test the consistency of my answers) before I boarded DL TLV-ATL 777. They did not like my stamps from the UAE and Oman. They asked me more about my trip to Dubai from the previous year, than what I was doing in TLV. I only traveled with carry on, which went through the security process quickly. Allow for 3hrs airport check in.

The topic of this thread really has nothing to do with Delta Air Lines or the Delta SkyMiles frequent flier loyalty program.

The new home for this thread is now the Travel Safety/Security forum.

Regards,

Canarsie
Co-Moderator, Delta SkyMiles forum

I/we have stamps in our passports from: UAE (lots), Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Sudan and others. We hope to add Iran and Algeria to this in the next 6 months or so.

Thus, we have no plans to visit Israel any time soon...

Well, the Israel stamp is proving problematic since I really want to vacation in Beirut. Of course, I can request a new US passport but I'm not motivated to go through the hassle; I can travel to many other parts of the world and countries not yet visited. I can also wait until my current passport expires in 2015. Or I can try to obtain the Lebanese visa here in the US., though it would be a disaster if I arrived at BEY to be turned away from entering into the country despite having the visa.

In MOST cases, the problem is the other way around. A passport with an Israel stamp can be a problem going into some middle eastern Muslim counties such as Iran or Yemen, etc.

As others have said, TLV is looking for terrorists, not things like bottles of shampoo.

Right. They are looking for the suspicious behaviors at checkpoint or passport controls.

That's a silly reason not to visit! You don't have to wait until you visit BEY or until your passport expires. If you don't have an Israeli passport you can request they don't stamp and they will politely comply. There are some reports that the agents can get cross if you ask they don't stamp, but they will accommodate your preference.

As an aside, I have absolutely no interest visiting a country that discriminates and refuses entry to people based on who they are and where they have traveled.

Or any other Arab/Muslim country. I got the third degree leaving TLV a few years ago - they were very interested in the stamps in my passport from the UAE and Jordan (even though Jordan and Israel have a peace treaty and cordial relations).

Yup.

When I entered Israel via the land crossing from Jordan, the Jordanians automatically stamped our exit stamps on a slip of paper they inserted in the passport. Upon reaching Israeli passport control, my friend asked them not to stamp his passport while I said nothing on the topic. They gave him several more minutes of questioning about his motives but quickly stamped my passport and sent me on my way. The 19 year old female border guards definitely got a little cross about his request!

Doesn't matter.

There are plenty of people every day who answer all the questions honestly and still have plenty of "issues" going through security at TLV.

Correct.

You will be interrogated as to your motives and it might not be a short discussion.

Problem is my US passport has the Israel stamp, received upon entering the country!

if traveling on business, be sure to have meeting agendas and minutes for the screening questions. also a good idea to collect business cards from everyone you meet and have those ready as well. the more detail you have that shows you were there in meetings, the better.

If you are in Middle Eastern restrictions and that mean you cannot go to any Arabs country. You will denying to denied entry into Arabs country if you have Israeli stamp. You will be barred to Israel for 10 years. You will have to get second passports if you visits in another country without Israeli stamp.