Seasoned fliers know how to maneuver past airport hassles By Barbara De Lollis, USA TODAY At almost every step before you board a plane, there are things to worry=20 about. Did you overpay for your ticket? Will there be traffic on the=20 highway? Did you pack properly? What will happen at security? Will the=20 plane take off on time? There's little you can do about most of those concerns. That's why Matthew= =20 Bennett, who publishes FirstClassFlyer.com, says some stress is an=20 inevitable part of flying. "Grin and bear it. Just endure it," he says.=20 "It's not like the airports and airlines are out to get us." Very frequent= =20 fliers have a few time-honored tricks to reduce flying headaches, and=20 they've developed some new ones for travel following the Sept. 11 attacks.= =20 Among them: =95 Fly from a smaller airport. Bennett flies out of the Monterey, Calif.,= =20 airport and connects in San Francisco to avoid hassles. "I'd rather=20 originate in a smaller airport because I can show up 30 minutes before the= =20 flight," he says. Airport officials might tell you differently, he says,=20 but it's still possible to arrive, check in and board a half hour before=20 departure in some places. "In San Francisco, you just don't know what=20 you're going to run up against. Could be long lines. Could be traffic." =95 Pack light and thoughtfully. Don't pack wrapped presents or sharp= objects=20 that might trigger lengthy security inspections. Organize your belongings=20 so that if they are opened for inspection, the contents don't come tumbling= =20 out. Zippered plastic bags can help. David Grossman, a former airline=20 executive and USATODAY.com business travel columnist, says he doesn't lock= =20 his checked bags anymore, because security workers will clip the lock if=20 they need to inspect the contents. Instead of using one giant bag, use two= =20 smaller ones to avoid penalty charges, Grossman suggests. Airlines' luggage= =20 weight limits vary, so it's wise to check first. Grossman packs an empty=20 shopping bag, in case his bags exceed the limit. This way, he can toss some= =20 items into the bag and carry the bag on board. =95 Give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport. "The biggest hassle= =20 now is getting to the plane. Once you get there, there are very few hassles= =20 anymore," says former travel industry executive Thom Nulty. Getting to the= =20 gate early is especially important now because more flights are taking off= =20 on time. =95 Avoid big-airport parking. Consider public transportation, a hotel=20 shuttle or off-airport parking, Nulty says. Sometimes, Nulty even saves on= =20 parking by dropping his car off at a nearby dealership for servicing and=20 taking a shuttle from there. =95 Prepare for security checks. Pack watches and jewelry in your carry-on= =20 bag and put your cell phone and loose change in a briefcase or jacket. Open= =20 your laptop case so you can easily put the computer in a bin at the=20 checkpoint. Women should also avoid underwire bras, which can set off=20 metal detectors. Experts also suggest taking your shoes off before you go=20 through security if you're not sure whether they have metal shanks.=20 Grossman says suede and rubber shoes he didn't expect would trigger the=20 alarm have, so now he has just two pairs of airport-tested shoes that he'll= =20 fly with. He also carries a plastic shoe horn in his coat pocket to get his= =20 shoes on quickly. =95 Don't go hungry. Airlines are cutting back complimentary meals and=20 snacks. Several airlines are experimenting with selling food on flights,=20 but that's not yet widespread. Either bring food from home, buy something=20 at the airport or your hotel, if available, or eat before you fly if you're= =20 taking a longer flight that covers a mealtime. =95 Keep copies of passports and credit cards. Alicia Klosowski, a=20 spokeswoman for Rosenbluth International, keeps additional copies of her=20 passport in her laptop bag, wallet and toiletry bag. Grossman keeps copies= =20 of his credit cards at home so if they're lost, someone at home can make=20 the calls for him. =95 Avoid counter check-in. Instead, try the automated ATM-like kiosks in=20 airport lobbies. "They're not a hassle," Nulty says. "They're very easy to= =20 use." Other options: curbside check-in or using some airlines' Web sites=20 from the comfort of your home or office. Several airlines let customers=20 check in, select seats and get boarding passes on their Web sites. There's= =20 another secret plus to using curbside check-in, Grossman says. 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