COVID masks required? New tips to quickly get through Biloxi-Gulfport airport security
The number of people flying out of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is almost back to pre-coronavirus numbers, but travel isn’t back to normal.
Those who travel by plane must wear a mask in the airport and on the plane and follow other safety precautions.
“Face masks for both employees and passengers are required throughout the airport,” Kim Jackson, federal security director with Transportation and Security Administration in Mississippi, said at the airport Wednesday.
The mask requirement applies to everyone age 2 and older, he said, and those who refuse to wear a mask face fines.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that so far this year, it has received 3,271 reports of unruly behavior by passengers, including about 2,475 reports of passengers refusing to comply with the federal face mask mandate. The most recent fines ranged from $7,500 to $21,500.
In some cases, the plane returned to the gate or the airport, where the person causing the problem was met by law enforcement and taken off the plane.
That hasn’t happened in Gulfport. But the number of people who tried to go through security with a gun is on the rise, Jackson said. Two guns were discovered at the GPT airport in 2013, and the number peaked at 8 in 2018. Six were seized so far this year.
Guns can be inside checked baggage, he said, and must be properly packed and declared at check-in.
Toy guns and other things to leave home
A variety of toy guns, tools and even souvenir baseball bats were among the potentially hazardous items on display that passengers were carrying through the TSA checkpoint at the Gulfport airport.
When these items are flagged, passengers have the option of taking them back to the ticket counter and having them checked into the luggage, Jackson said, or take them back to their car in the parking lot.
Brass knuckles are a weapon, and the passenger could be fined, he said.
Tips for flying safely
No guns at TSA checkpoints — ever — was one of the tips Jackson listed to get through the checkpoints quickly.
Others are:
▪ Wear a mask. Everyone age 2 and older must wear a mask inside the airport and inside the airplane
▪ Arrive early — 1.5 to 2 hours before your flight. The doors to the plane close 15 to minutes before the posted flight time
▪ Leave prohibited items at home. Check the TSA website
▪ Prepare for the TSA checkpoint. Have a valid ID card ready. Empty pockets and put keys, change and other items in carry-on instead of the trays to reduce touchpoints.
▪ Know the rules for liquids, which are limited to 3.4 ounces, with the exception of hand sanitizer, which has a temporary 12-ounce limit in carry-on baggage.
▪ Enroll is TSA PreCheck before you travel and you won’t have to remove shoes, belts, liquids, food, laptops and light jackets. Most applicants get a known traveler number within five days and membership is good for 5 years.
Get TSA assistance by tweeting questions and comments to @AskTSA or by Facebook Messenger, or call 866-289-9673.
More safety measures
The goal is to make the TSA check-in nearly touchless, Jackson said. New technology has been installed at the TSA checkpoint at Gulfport to verify that a person is scheduled to be on a flight without having to present a boarding pass.
The number of families traveling shows people are feeling comfortable because of the vaccine, masks, acrylic barriers and other safety measures, he said
“It lets us know people are feeling confident in the measures we have in place,” he said.
“We are rebounding. We’re getting a lot of military and leisure travel,” said Chaille Munn, director of marketing at the airport, although business travel hasn’t returned to 2019 numbers.
She said the airport is preparing for the return Sept. 2 of Sun Country flights to Minneapolis/St. Paul, for fall weather and tax-free shopping on clothing and shoes at the Mall of America.
A canopy to the rental car area of the airport is next for improvements at the airport, she said.
This story was originally published July 28, 2021 at 3:23 PM.
