Tips for travellers flying through the Ottawa International Airport this holiday season

Holiday travel packing tips CATSA offers tips for travelling through airport security during the holiday season. CTV's Austin Lee reports.

Travellers planning to fly through the Ottawa International Airport over the Christmas and New Year's season are being advised to give themselves extra time to make their flights, ensure their travel documents are up to date and leave your gifts unwrapped until after clearing security.

With the busy holiday season set to begin, the Canadian Air Transport Security Agency (CATSA) and the airport are offering tips to reduce travel-related stress and keep passengers moving over the holiday season.

CATSA spokesperson Dominique Huras says it's important to be prepared before you arrive at the airport for your flight.

"It facilitates the process, ensures a smoother experience and a more positive experience. Security screening and travelling during the holiday season is stressful enough as it is," Huras told CTV News Ottawa.

"So, if you're prepared ahead of time, you know what you can and can't bring; once you go through security screening, it's a lot quicker, a lot smoother and a lot more pleasant at the end of the day."

CATSA offers the following tips for passing through airport security screening before boarding your flight.

Gifts

"Don't wrap presents," Huras says if you are planning to pack presents in your carry-on luggage.

Huras says you should leave gifts unwrapped when you're going through the screening at the airport.

"Sometimes (gifts) are subject to inspection and we don't want to have to unwrap a present with the person you're travelling with who the gift is destined for."

Huras notes some airports have gift wrapping stations once passengers pass through security.

"The worst part that could happen is you wrap a present beautifully and then we have to unwrap it because we have to check it.  Just wait, bring it with you, do it when you get to your destination or if you're not travelling with any friends or anything, do it while you're waiting for your flight."

Prohibited items

Huras showcased several items that are not allowed in carry-on suitcases, including:

Snow globes: Huras says while snow globes are popular, "Unfortunately, they cannot go into your carry-on suitcase because the liquid inside is over 100 millilitres." You can put snow globes in your checked suitcase.

Liquids, aerosols and gels over 100 ML:  Containers of liquids, non-solid food and personal items must be 100 ml/100 g or less to be packed in your carry-on bag.  All containers of liquids, food and personal items must be in a plastic bag, and the bag must be taken out of your carry-on bag and placed in a bin for screening.

"Avoid packing gifts and souvenirs containing liquids, aerosols and gels in your carry-on," CATSA says on its website. "These include: liquor, wine, beer, snow globes, cans of condensed soup, maple syrup, perfume, and lotion. Put them in checked baggage or ship them separately."

Stuffed animals: Weighted stuffed animals are not allowed to go through airport screening, and will need to be placed in checked luggage. CATSA says certain powder and granular materials inside weighted animals (glass beads, poly-pellets, sand or pebbles) are limited to a quantity of 350 ML or less (roughly the size of a soda can). There are no exceptions for medical reasons.

CATSA says regular stuffed animals are allowed to pass through security screening.

Scissors and other weapons are prohibited in your carry-on luggage. CATSA says a knife with a blade 6 cm or less is permitted when flying within Canada or to an international destination. Knives of any type or length are not permitted in your carry-on bag for flights to the United States.

Surrendering items

If you have a prohibited item in your carry-on luggage while passing through security, you will have to turn it over to CATSA staff.

"It's not confiscated, it's surrendered – so, you'd have to surrender it," Huras said.

"We don't want you to have to surrender your items. You also have the option of checking your suitcase at that time or mailing it back home or having someone pick it up for you."

Other tips for travelling

The Ottawa International Airport offers the following tips for travelling over the holidays:

CATSA recommends international travellers give themselves three hours to get through security before your flight, while travellers should plan to arrive at the airport two hours before their flight.

"Make sure you give yourself enough time," Huras said. "The holiday season is very busy. You have traffic, you have parking, just going through security screening. You want to be able to relax before you get on those long flights."

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Tyler Fleming