It’s approaching that time of year when many of us are planning to travel through an airport. After all, holiday season is in full swing and many of us are dreaming of jetting off into the sun for some much needed relaxation.
But, if you’re planning on going away any time soon, there are some things you need to know about visiting the airport. For starters, if you don’t want to be delayed, there are two popular items you may want to avoid wearing as, according to travel experts, these gadgets can cause you to experience some pretty big delays.
You may not realise how important your outfit choice is when travelling. As well as being comfortable, you also want to make sure you’re safe and well dressed to avoid any potential airport issues.
To help people out Pearlyn Yeo, travel expert at Jetpac, explained which particular items you may want to avoid wearing. With over 20,000 followers on Instagram, the company is well worth listening too.
Here is the expert advice Pearlyn shared exclusively with us. It may just make a big difference to your travel adventures this year.
The expert said: “Keeping sunglasses on or wearing headphones through passport control can cause unnecessary delays and stress. These accessories can make it harder for border agents and automated systems to confirm your identity or get your attention.
“Both facial recognition gates and human officers rely on clear eye contact and unobstructed facial features. Sunglasses can interfere with the technology and an officer’s ability to assess your behaviour and demeanour.
“Headphones, on the other hand, can distract you and mean you miss important instructions – both of which can slow down the process. As well as removing the above accessories before heading through security and passport control, it’s important that travellers are prepared.
“At Jetpac, we advise all travellers to keep their documents digitally and ensure they are easy to access. eSIMs can help to organise everything you need. But it’s also wise to know when to put your devices and any other distractions away.
“For example, when going through immigration. Removing accessories and putting devices away shows that you’re ready and also that you respect certain protocols.”
Pearlyn added: “Most security staff will ask you to remove these items or stop using devices, so it will only add to your journey time and stress if you’re not prepared. With this in mind, it’s best to remove headphones, pack away phones and tablets and pop your sunglasses safely away before you reach security, passport control or immigration.
“In doing so, you’re more likely to breeze through border control and you won’t have to worry about unnecessary delays or stress.”
When selecting something to wear to travel, there are a few rules people should normally follow. Generally, people should focus on wearing something practical and comfortable.
People are advised to opt for layers, breathable fabrics and comfortable shoes. You should also avoid restrictive clothing, bulky items and anything with excessive metal that might slow down security checks.
If you follow these rules, you should hopefully find you’ll have a speedy trip through security. It’s always good to know a few travel tips.