Ryan Bingham’s Secrets Of The Gate Check

Ryan Bingham, the 10 million mile frequent flier played by George Clooney in the movie “Up In The Air,” knows a thing or two about efficient air travel.

Ryan’s key to quickly navigating airports: Avoiding gate check delays.

First of all, Bingham recognizes that checking bags adds an average of 35 minutes to each flight (not to mention the $20 – $25 checked bag fee). Therefore, he uses a Travelpro® Rollaboard® carry-on which meets all Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and airline restrictions, and accommodates everything he needs for his business trips.

He also complies with the TSA’s “3-1-1″ rule, which allows travelers to carry-on one quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag containing 3.4 ounce (100 ml) bottles of his gels and liquids. Ryan breezes through security by placing the quart-sized bag in the screening bin which airport security X-rays separately.

Bingham packs all metal objects (watch, cell phone, loose change, etc.) in his rollaboard luggage, eliminating his need to handle them at the security checkpoint. Plus, he keeps his computer readily accessible in the convenient laptop compartment.

One way that Ryan could further streamline his trips through security would be to carry on “checkpoint friendly” briefcase.

Travelpro’s checkpoint friendly bags feature a padded sleeve compartment which holds most 17″ laptops. Bingham would simply unzip the back of his computer case, lay it flat on the conveyer, zip up the case once it passed through the X-ray machine, and then, proceed to his gate.

Ryan uses common sense as he minimizes his time in gate check lines:

• He packs light, reducing the amount of luggage he must pass through security.
• He wears “slip on” shoes, avoiding the need to untie and retie his shoe laces.
• He surveys the gate check lines, and avoids getting behind groups likely to take excessive time getting through the checkpoint (mothers traveling with small children, for example).
• Speaking of traveling with small children (which obviously doesn’t apply to Bingham), make sure your young ones are both dressed and packed properly. A few minutes of pre-trip planning can eliminate lengthy checkpoint delays.

If you follow Ryan Bingham’s gate check strategies, you and your rollaboard carry-on luggage will zip through airport security and be “Up In The Air” in no time.