Don’t make these mistakes if you want your experience with airport security to go smoothly.
While these might seem like normal, common behaviors by flight passengers, if you commit these actions, transportation security officers (TSOs) may be on high alert and slow down your trip.
Jeff Price, an airport security coordinator-trainer and a professor of aviation management at the Metropolitan State University of Denver in Colorado, has an extensive background in airport management and 33 years of aviation security. He spoke with Fox News Digital about certain behaviors that flight passengers should be wary of when going through TSA.
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“There’s a variety of things that people look for or the TSA personnel will look for — and many of them are the same things that we train airport personnel,” Price told Fox News Digital.
The owner of Leading Edge Strategies, an airport management training company, Price shared a variety of everyday behaviors that will raise flags for TSOs.
A professor of aviation management at the Metropolitan State University of Denver (not pictured) shared common behaviors by flight passengers that might raise flags through TSA. (iStock)
Price noted that it typically is not just one type of behavior that may alert TSOs.
Rather, he said, “you look for clusters of those activities. It’s typically never just one thing.”
He added, “There are really three things that you look for when you’re doing suspicious awareness training or suspicious awareness activities.”
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“You establish the baseline.”
Price went on, “You have to look at what’s normal. That’s the baseline … So then you’re looking for deviations from our baseline.”
Transportation security officers (TSOs) are trained to look for certain behaviors by passengers — and if these action appear in clusters. (iStock)
So what are some of the suspicious behaviors?
Price said one of the more common behaviors that might raise eyebrows among security is whether people are dressed appropriately for the weather at their departure or arrival point.
It can be suspicious if travelers are dressed for weather that does not align with either location — leading to a potential red flag from TSA.
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Another “common” behavior that could flag security personnel is when people are seen yawning excessively.
“Exaggerated yawning, lots of yawning — that might attract attention,” said Price. “When people are stressed, they tend to want more oxygen.”
One common behavior that may raise some questions is lack of eye contact or even the “thousand-yard stare.” (iStock)
Another bit of everyday behavior that might cause concern is what Price called “the thousand-yard stare” — or a lack of eye contact.
The aviation professor noted that eye contact makes some people uncomfortable and is a normal sort of behavior for them. This is why the idea of behavior clusters is important, as it is usually not just one action or behavior that poses a threat, he said.
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“One of the things we do [to] train is we’ll send people out to watch [airline travelers] and just observe their behavior and get a baseline of what’s normal in the airport. Then we can start looking for what’s abnormal — and you start looking for clusters of that,” Price said.
He also noted that an excessive amount of talking or conversing with TSOs can be considered suspicious behavior.
Trying to converse with security personnel may look like you’re attempting to distract the officers from their job duties, said an aviation expert. (iStock)
“Sometimes that can be seen as trying to distract them from their job duties. Especially the folks working the X-ray equipment or the technology, the screening technology itself,” the security expert continued.
“They really don’t want to engage in conversation there. They’re focused on what’s in that bag.”
“It might just be that you’re upset with the whole process.”
Price said a security officer’s sense of smell will also play a role in recognizing certain behaviors, including an overuse of perfume.
While this action may not seem out of the ordinary in other circumstances, at the airport, it could appear to be an attempt to mask another scent.
The best thing you can do when going through security is to focus on the reason why you’re at the airport. (iStock)
Traveling can be frustrating and irritating, which may lead at times to aggressive behavior.
“Displaying aggressive [or] threatening behavior will definitely get the attention [of security personnel],” said Price.
“It might just be that you’re upset with the whole process. You’re having a bad day, but it’s also going to get you some additional attention.”
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When going through security on your way to board your flight, the best thing you can do is focus on why you’re at the airport in the first place.
“Just be focused on your intent. Why are you there at the airport?” said Price.
Be aware of how your actions may be perceived when going through TSA, as certain behaviors may raise flags. (iStock)
“You’re there because you want to catch your flight on time and get to your destination, so focus on those things that are going to achieve that goal,” he said.
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“Really just be cooperative with the security and the airline personnel.”
He said that security processes can be frustrating at times, but they’re a necessary evil.
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“It’s going to be annoying at times, but that’s the nature of security. Security is meant to get in the way.”
