How has air travel changed since the events of September 11th, 2001?

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 fundamentally changed airline travel. Due to heightened security measures, air travelers will find many differences between pre- and post-September 11 travel, including increased time to check in, additional screening procedures for persons and baggage, the presence of armed guards in the gate area and restrictions on what passengers are allowed to carry on the plane.

The Transportation and Security Administration has an extensive list of recommendations for air travelers. Some of the most noteworthy are:

• Arrive early -- you will need extra time to check in and go through various security checkpoints.
• Bring a government-issued ID (federal, state or local). This will be required at check-in and at other security checkpoints before boarding the airplane.
• Don't discuss or joke about terrorism, weapons or bombs while going through the checkpoints.
• Plan to bring no more than one carry-on item and one personal item (such as a purse or briefcase) into the airplane cabin. Additional bags must be checked.
• Bring your ticket or a printout of your e-ticket itinerary (for more on traveling with e-tickets, see below).
• Do not bring firearms, knives, cutting or puncturing instruments or other prohibited items into the airplane cabin. (See below for more on this.)

What personal items are not allowed in the airplane cabin after September 11?

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, you cannot bring any of the following items into the airplane cabin:

• knives of any length or description
• all cutting and puncturing instruments
• athletic equipment that could be used as a weapon, such as baseball bats, golf clubs, ski poles, and hockey sticks
• fireworks, including signal flares
• flammable liquids or solids
• dangerous household items such as drain cleaners and solvent
• pressure containers
• weapons, including firearms, gunpowder, mace or pepper spray, or
• any item that may present a potential threat.