To help you navigate airport security with a minimum of stress and trauma, the following excerpts from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) website, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) website, although not all-inclusive, may ease the transition from land to air and back.

Protect Your Cameras and Film

To keep your camera from getting broken or stolen, carry it on the plane. All cameras, whether film or digital, must undergo X- ray inspection. Regulators indicate that film with an ISO/ASA100-400 range (the most commonly sold films) and others up to an ISO/ASA 800 rating will not be harmed by the X-ray inspection. More sensitive film with an 800 ISO/ASA rating or higher, however, is definitely at risk.

Concerned passengers may request a hand search of their carry-on luggage. Any film already loaded in a camera will have to be removed: use all your film before going through airport security.

Electronic Devices

Electronic devices such as portable computers, cell phones, PDAs, MP3 players, global positioning devices, calculators, etc. are allowed on board but they must be removed from their carrying cases and scanned first. Security may ask you to disassemble your camera or activate an electronic device but such requests are rare.

Batteries

In January 2008 the United States Transportation Security Administration issued a directive regarding batteries in electronic devices amid concerns that loose batteries in checked luggage may cause fires in the cargo bay. Since aircraft cannot extinguish battery fires, Transport Canada, along with the US TSA, has issued the following safety guidelines:

• Consumer electronic devices that contain lithium, or lithium ion cells or batteries may be brought aboard either in carry-on or checked baggage.
• Spare lithium batteries must be individually packaged to prevent short circuiting and transported in carry-on baggage only.
• Lithium metal or lithium alloy batteries may contain no more than two grams of lithium, and lithium ion batteries may contain no more than eight.
• Lithium ion batteries with a lithium content of more than eight grams, but not more than 25, may be transported in carry-on baggage if individually packaged.
• No more than two spare batteries may be carried per person. It may be prudent to tape over the terminals.
• Batteries should be packed in a carry-on to protect them from being crushed and causing a short circuit and possible fire.

Screening

Even after you have emptied your pockets of change and placed your watch and keys in the plastic tray, the metal detector alarm can still sound. Often it is your belt or your shoes or boots that contain metal. It has become common practice that passengers are asked to undo or remove their belts or shoes for further inspection. Please note that passengers are asked to unbuckle their own belts and hold the ends apart.

Don't Take It Personally

All of us dislike having our privacy invaded. Airport security often violates our personal space as well as testing our patience by rummaging through our personal effects. In addition, Screening Officers are authorized to select an individual randomly and search him or her with enhanced screening measures. Although extremely annoying, inconvenient and even, perhaps, embarrassing, your selection should not be viewed a personal slight. Passengers may be chosen for additional screening even if the alarm in the walkthrough or the metal detector has not been set off. Just remember: selection is random.

Body Search

If a Screening Officer asks to conduct a body search, you may request that it be done privately out of public view. It must be done in a private search room by an individual of the same sex as the person being searched. Another Screening Officer must be present during the search?-?of the same sex whenever possible. If a private screening is requested, you may ask to bring all your personal belongings with you so you can see them at all times.

Wearing gloves is not mandatory for Screening Officers. They are, however, mandatory for certain procedures, but optional during physical screening of passengers and their belongings. You may request that gloves be worn, and Screening Officers will comply.

Head Covering

If you are wearing a hat or a head covering such as a turban prescribed by your religious beliefs and the metal detector sounds, you will be asked to remove any item that may have caused the alarm. You need not remove your head covering, as long as the item causing the alarm can be removed. If it cannot, a further inspection will be conducted in a private room.

Religious, Cultural and Ceremonial Items

The presence of religious, cultural or ceremonial dress or accessories on your person or in your carry-on baggage may create tension between you and the Screening Officer. The guidelines suggest Screening Officers use common sense and courtesy when screening persons carrying or wearing objects of a personally sensitive, religious or cultural significance. To avoid possible problems, you should advise the Screening Officer that you are carrying such articles and indicate you are willing to let them be subjected to screening.

Certain items, regardless of religious, cultural or ceremonial significance, are not permitted through the pre-board screening checkpoint (e.g. religious knives, swords, etc.) because they are lethal. As those who have been screened with prohibited items have discovered, options are limited if you wish to board the plane: surrender them or do not board. If there is any doubt the item will pass the checkpoint, transport the item(s) in your checked baggage.

Tools

You can not carry any tools on board at a Canadian departure point. What is classified as a tool is open to interpretation; however, US jurisdiction rejects battery powered power tools, drill bits, hammers, as well as screwdrivers and wrenches in excess of 13 centimeters.

Since an airline can refuse to transport tools anywhere on the airplane, it is advisable to notify the airline well in advance of your flight that you intend to ship tools.

There is a host of items that once upon a time were considered harmless. Times have changed, however, and everyday items are now either not allowed or are subject to packaging or quantity guidelines. Such items include personal hygiene instruments and materials, health or medication supplies, physical aids and beauty products.

Less is Best

The less a business traveller carries onto the airplane will mean a faster and less-intrusive review by security personnel. If in doubt about a particular item, pack it in checked luggage. As regulations change around the world, it is advisable to visit the website of the county to which you are travelling and check the baggage regulations.

Visitors to the US should review www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel while those travelling within Canada should consider www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca. If you need clarification, call your airline.