• Educating yourself about the most current airline regulations will ensure that you have a streamlined and positive experience.Girl in airport image by Nikolay Okhitin from Fotolia.com
  
  Whether you are flying a short distance or across the Atlantic Ocean, regulations for airline passengers both security- and fee-related have become increasingly stringent and more complicated. Two reasons for this new complexity of airline travel is the rise of terrorism along with a shifting airline market where fuel prices and competition are on the rise.
  
  

Prohibited Items

• No type of weapon or potential weapon is permitted on board a passenger aircraft. Potential threats include not only the obvious items such as swords and guns but also lacrosse sticks and pool cues. A good rule of thumb is: Any object that comes to a point or has a heavy, blunt edge will not pass through security and should be checked or left at home.
  
  

Carry-On Liquids

• Traveling by airplane becomes complicated when security regulations target items which aren't intuitively threatening such as gel candles or bottles of water. In general, any item that is, or was, in liquid form will likely cause a delay for the passenger. To streamline your airport check-in experience and also to increase security coverage, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) encourages passengers to remember the "3-1-1 rule" when packing liquids. Any liquid carried-on must be in a 3.4 oz. or less clear container and packed in 1 quart-sized bag. Each passenger is permitted to carry on one 1-quart bag. Exceptions are for breast milk, formula and some medications, though they must be declared separately at the security checkpoint.
  
  

ID

• Every airline traveler is required to present a federal or state-issued form of photo identification along with his boarding pass before entering security. Acceptable forms of ID include a driver's license, passport or military ID. A valid passport is required for international travel.
  
  

Baggage

• Not long ago, you could carry-on two sizable bags along with a personal item such as a purse, backpack or laptop bag all while still checking up to two bags at no additional cost. Today, many airlines are allowing passengers only one carry-one bag and one personal item. Everything else must be checked in cargo, often at an additional $25 to $30 fee. On some airlines, such as Delta, you can reduce these fees by $3 if you check your luggage online before arriving at the airport. Other companies like United Airlines charge $25 for the first checked bag and $35 for the second regardless of whether you check in ahead of time. It is always best to check the baggage policies and fees of your airline as they may differ.