travelnews: Holiday Travel from Portland Airport

[Carolyn Wooley <cwooley@oregon.uoregon.edu>]

Improved North Security Checkpoint

In partnership with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA),
Portland International Airport (PDX) now offers two additional screening
lanes at the north security checkpoint, which serves concourses D & E. The
expansion from six to eight lanes will help TSA screeners serve travelers
more quickly. To enter the checkpoint, all travelers are required to show
a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or
passport, and a boarding pass. Boarding passes are available at airline
ticket counters and computer kiosks in the airport, as well as most
airline websites and skycap curbside stations.

The airport's other (south) security checkpoint, serving concourses A, B &
C, expanded from six to eight lanes last summer and also requires a photo
ID and boarding pass. With the checkpoint improvements, all passenger and
carry-on baggage screening at PDX is conducted at security checkpoints
rather than gate areas.

What To Expect, Travel Tips

The air travel pace picks up Nov. 21 for the Thanksgiving holiday and
remains steady through Dec. 2. PDX will serve an estimated 585,000
travelers in the two weeks surrounding Thanksgiving. To make their journey
as smooth as possible during the busy conditions, travelers should
consider a few tips available on the PDX website at www.flypdx.com and the
toll-free information line at 877-PDX-INFO. Both also provide flight
arrival and departure information, security and parking information, and
other facts about PDX. The TSA has a complete list of items prohibited on
flights on its website at www.tsa.gov.

Travelers should check with their airline for guidance regarding when to
arrive at the airport, but for at least the busy early morning hours, a
good rule of thumb is to arrive two hours before the flight. When
possible, travelers are encouraged to expedite their check-in process by
using self-service, computer kiosks offered by many airlines. PDX
encourages reviewing flight arrival and departure information before
coming to the airport by checking www.flypdx.com or calling 877-PDX-INFO.
All PDX parking facilities should have ample parking this holiday season,
and TriMet's Airport MAX Red Line is a great option for travel to and from
the airport. TriMet information is available at www.trimet.org and (503)
238-RIDE.


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