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Airport Security Officials Warn Against Bringing Wrapped Gifts through Checkpoints

By Eileen Buckley

Buffalo, NY – Holiday travelers heading to the airports are urged to bring un-wrapped gifts.

Transportation officials say air travelers should not wrap their holiday gifts and packages. That is the recommendation from the Transportation Security Administration. Lawrence Fogg is the federal security director at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. He says even though the gifts will be placed through the scanners, airport security might be forced to un-wrap the holiday packages. Fogg says that wastes more processing time for air travelers.

And there is one item that Fogg says always causes problems at airports during the Christmas travel season.

"Believe it or not, one of the worst things is fruitcakes," Fogg said. "If they are in checked baggage, that bag has to be searched manually because the item is so dense."

Fogg says travelers who need a full run down of items they can and can not carry on airplanes should check out the transportation administration Web site.

"The Web address is www.tsa.gov," Fogg said. "There is a list of items that are prohibited with carry-on luggage."

Air travelers can bring along wrapping paper and tape, to do gift wrapping once they arrive. Fogg also recommends that valuable gifts not be placed in check-in luggage to avoid loss or damage.

According to national numbers, close to 38-million people are expected to travel by air between the Christmas and New Year holidays -- that's about a six percent increase from last year's air travel numbers.