Flying can be stressful enough, and delays for various reasons add to it. A pilot’s wife points out that clothing can also create bottlenecks at airport security.
Clothing items that can create bottlenecks at airport security Photo: Archive
A content creator named Laurie, who is also a pilot’s wife, shared some of the clothes that travelers should never wear when going through airport security.
Laurie stated on TikTok that when you head to the airport with a sweater wrapped around your waist you are “doomed” to be late.
“Nothing can be tied around your waist“, she said, adding “Just put it in your luggage or carry it on the plane“. She did not specify why people should refrain from doing so.
The influencer also said that sequined clothes “could make you late for your flight.”
“Don’t wear sequins like I did on Christmas day years ago,” she explained as she showed off a long-sleeved shirt that had a small sequined pocket.
Passengers have also long been told to remove their jackets or coats before passing through a metal detector, the Daily Mail reports.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently explained on Facebook why people should avoid wearing clothing with “sequins, beads, or shiny threads”: “If your holiday sweater has these things, it often alarms our supplemental screening security equipmentr”.
Instead, the government agency urged travelers to opt for “comfort” during the flight, suggesting they pack bright clothes in their suitcases.
The clothes you should avoid wearing on the plane
While the pilot’s wife warned about the clothing items people should not wear at security, a flight attendant also listed a number of items that passengers should avoid on board.
Andrea Fischbach, a flight attendant at American Airlines, recently told Who What Wear that there are various things to consider: from loose clothing so you don’t increase your risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), to to avoiding frayed parts that could put you at risk in the unlikely event of a fire on board.
Andrea explained that the looser clothing was essential for maintaining healthy blood circulation and helped avoid DVT that frequent flyers are prone to especially if they don’t move during the flight.
She also noted that passengers should refrain from wearing heels, bulky accessories, including jewelry, and footwear studded with many metal ornaments.
The flight attendant also advised people to be properly equipped for the cold temperatures on the plane, noting over time that scantily clad passengers often end up asking the staff for blankets.
