Travel light with eye on comfort
By Chris Oliver
Advertiser Staff Writer
Flying almost anywhere from here in December means wearing warmer clothes. Looser-fitting, comfortable clothes that will keep you warm during the flight and in airports are easiest.
Judy Joseph, manager of Pzazz, an upscale consignment store on Wai'alae Avenue, travels to the Mainland and Europe several times a year. She finds a black pants suit in a mix of Lycra the most practical and comfortable outfit.
"Trousers keep me warm, skirts don't," she said.
Joseph's advice: Travel light and smart.
"I always go for the upgrades, and I find looking smart is much more likely to help me get them," Joseph said.
Suzie Box of Kailua always carries a lightweight wool wrap in her carry-on bag.
"It's saved my skin on so many trips, I never travel without it," Box said.
Husband Martin carries a light hooded fleece jacket which doesn't wrinkle, weighs only a few ounces and can be compressed easily.
Another reader wrote that while travel clothes that aren't supposed to wrinkle indeed don't, they also aren't as comfortable as cotton.
Things to keep in mind
• Wear low-heeled shoes that can be slipped on and off easily for inspection at security checkpoints.
• Keep a travel packet of disposable wipes in your carry-on for unexpected spills.
• Know that any metal detected at the checkpoint must be identified: jewelry pins, necklaces, bracelets, rings, watches, earrings, body-piercing jewelry, cufflinks, lanyards, shoes with steel tips, heels, clothing with metal buttons, snaps or studs, metal hair barrettes, belt buckles, even underwire brassieres. Hidden items such as jewelry in piercings may result in a pat-down inspection. You may ask to remove jewelry from your piercing in private.
• If you set off an alarm, you will be required to undergo a secondary screening, including an electronic wand scan and a pat-down. You can remove metal items at the security checkpoint and place them in the bins provided. The bins will be sent through the X-ray machine. You can save time, however, by placing such items in your carry-on baggage before you get in line.
• Avoid having in your pockets keys, loose change, lighters, mobile phones, pagers and personal data assistants. Put them in your carry-on baggage until you clear security.
• Pack your outer coat or jacket in your check-in baggage when possible. Outer coats must go through the X-ray machine for inspection. If you choose to wear an outer coat to the checkpoint, you will need to either place it in your carry-on or put it in the bin that is provided for you. You may need to remove suit jackets if requested by the screener.
