Tips to ease hassles with airport security

WASHINGTON – The Transportation Security Administration offers these suggestions to ease your air traveling experience this holiday season:

. Have boarding pass and identification out when in the security checkpoint line.

. Take off shoes and coats.

. Put any loose metal items, such as coins, in your carry-on bag.

. Leave gifts, unwrapped, in your carry-on.

. Note that snowglobes are not permitted in carry-on luggage because they contain liquid.

. Pack your carry-on bag as neatly as possible and layer items. For instance, a layer of clothes, then a layer of electronics, then a layer of toiletries.

. Put large electronics, such as laptops, in a separate bin to go through the checkpoint.

. Make sure liquids are in bottles containing no more than 3 ounces each, and put the bottles together in a quart-size clear plastic bag. One bag per passenger.

. Holiday foods, such as cake and pie, may have ingredients similar to liquids and gels, and they may be inspected at checkpoints.