Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/12/2009 (4097 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Artan Morina displays items seized from passengers at Winnipeg airport. He'll be taking his keen eye to the Olympics along with five others from here.
Six screening officers from Winnipeg's Richardson International Airport are going to the Olympics, but not as spectators.
They'll spend up to 60 days in British Columbia, working to ensure the safety of air travellers going to and from the site of the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
An airport screener checks a passenger.
"I take my work seriously," said Artan Morina, one of 153 screening officers from across the country who will be working in B.C. during the Games. Morina said he was selected to join the Winter Games air-security team because of his diligence, as well as his experience as a point leader, at screening checkpoints.
Assignments have not yet been confirmed by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority but Morina said he will receive training and additional briefings once he arrives in B.C. in late January.
"My expectation is, yes, it's going to be busy, yes, there's going to be a high volume of passengers coming through. However, we are there to make sure that these passengers enjoy their time in British Columbia, as well as their flying safe to go back to their homelands."
Screening officers across the country will remain "as vigilant as ever" this season, said Kevin McGarr, president and CEO of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority in a news release.
Air travel security is increasing in 22 locations near Vancouver and Whistler, the host communities of the 2010 Games. These include all major airports as well as smaller, more remote air-entry points, even flight schools.
Meanwhile, as holiday and charter flight season gets underway, the Winnipeg Airports Authority is providing air travellers with security tips on how to make their flight a safe, pleasant one.
On Wednesday morning, screening officers at the Winnipeg airport displayed bins of banned items, from scissors, pocket knives and lighters to cans of beer and bottles of energy drink.
Some of the more unusual items seized included box cutters, a hammer, a miniature cleaving knife, handcuffs and an incense diffuser.
Most of the time, people may not even realize what's in the bottom of their bags.
Airport personnel urge air travellers to pack smart this winter.
When people are unprepared, delays are inevitable, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority notes.
jennifer.pawluk@freepress.mb.ca
Travelling tips
TO help make flight arrangements a little easier for those travelling through Winnipeg this winter, the Winnipeg Airports Authority offers the following tips:
Confirm flight times, luggage limits and documentation requirements ahead of your flight; airline information is available at www.waa.ca
Double-check the packing regulations for both carry-on and checked luggage with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.
Arrive early; the holiday and charter period is one of the busiest travel times of the year, so it has a big impact on traffic at the airport.
Headed somewhere warm? The UPS Store, located at the north end of the main floor, offers coat and baggage storage. Call 784-5799 to make arrangements.
Need help? The airport's information centre is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., or look for a Goldwing Ambassador -- volunteers in gold vests who can offer assistance in several languages.