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LINTHICUM, Md. -- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is seeing an increase in the number of travelers who are flying this summer out of Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) and is prepared to handle the crowds as passenger volume has been approaching pre-pandemic levels.

Current checkpoint volume at BWI is approximately 75 percent of pre-pandemic levels and is expected to increase this summer.

The recovery from the low travel volumes during the early days of the pandemic may require more patience and planning than was necessary before the pandemic, which includes the importance of arriving at BWI two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight.

However, passengers who haven’t traveled recently are somewhat “rusty” in terms of remembering security checkpoint protocols, especially when it comes to remembering not to place prohibited items in a carry-on bag.

“Travelers play a big part in ensuring a smooth and efficient security checkpoint screening experience,” said Chris Murgia, TSA’s Federal Security Director for Maryland. “Advance planning and packing properly are keys to a smooth security checkpoint experience. It starts with knowing what you should and should not pack in a carry-on bag.”

Travelers can do to their part to ensure a smooth and efficient checkpoint experience by making sure that they do not have any prohibited items among their carry-on items at the security checkpoint.

“We have seen too many prohibited items in carry-on bags,” Murgia explained. “Common items include knives and tools larger than 7-inches long. Large tools can be used as bludgeoning weapons, which is why we encourage travelers to pack them in checked bags. As for the knives, we see all types—butter knives, folding knives, tactical fighting knives, fishing knives, hunting knives, Boy Scout knives, throwing knives, credit card knives, Swiss Army knives, keychain knives, cake knives, cleavers and even machetes. If you want to travel with your knife, please pack it in your checked bag.”

A bin of oversized liquids, which are prohibited at security checkpoints, but can be transported in checked bags. (TSA photo)

Know what can and cannot go in a carry-on bag from firearms to oversize liquids to avoid checkpoint delays. To find out if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither download the free myTSA app, which has a handy “What can I bring?” feature that allows travelers to type in the item to find out if it can fly. Or ask us on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA.

Other common prohibited items that travelers bring to checkpoints are liquids, gels and aerosols that are larger than the acceptable limit of 3.4 ounces—shampoo, toothpaste, beverages, sun block, hand lotion, face cream, shaving cream, mouthwash and other toiletries. Each passenger may carry liquids, gels and aerosols that are 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less through a checkpoint as long as those items fit into a one quart-sized, resealable bag. This is known as the 3-1-1 bag. Larger containers of liquids, gels and aerosols can be transported in checked baggage.

TSA officers are seeing travelers arrive at the checkpoint with bottles of water, juice, energy drinks, coffee and soda. The officers will give passengers the choice to exit the security checkpoint to drink their beverage in the terminal or allow TSA to dispose of it. Travelers may bring empty bottles or insulated containers through checkpoints and fill them on the secure side of the checkpoint.

The exception to the 3-1-1 rule is that due to the pandemic, TSA is permitting travelers to bring up to one 12-ounce container of liquid hand sanitizer per passenger in carry-on bags until further notice. Passengers can expect that these large liquid hand sanitizers will need to be screened separately, which will add some time to their checkpoint experience.

It is also important to remember that if someone wants to travel with a firearm, the proper way to do so is to make sure it is unloaded and packed in a hard-sided case. The case needs to be locked and taken to the airline check-in counter to be declared. The airline will make sure it is transported in the belly of the aircraft so that nobody has access to it during a flight. Nobody should bring a firearm to a security checkpoint, even if they have a concealed carry permit.

The top TSA travel tips this summer: