Airport Authority offers summer travel tips

SAN DIEGO — With summer being one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority is reminding passengers and other airport users to keep in mind several useful tips to help make travel to and from San Diego International Airport (SDIA) more convenient.

Plan ahead

Arrive at least two hours before departure for domestic flights; three hours for international flights. Flight status can be checked at http://www.san.org/flights. A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Web site provides up-to-date, estimated wait times for security checkpoints at SDIA and other US airports: http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov.

Think security

The TSA reminds travelers to be prepared and plan ahead for security. Passenger preparedness can have a significant impact on wait times at the checkpoint. Travel tips for parents, persons with special needs and the general public; lists of prohibited items; and more is at the TSA Web site, http://www.tsa.gov.

Traffic and dropoff

Curbside Parking – Curbside parking restrictions are strictly enforced. Vehicles left unattended at the curb are subject to immediate ticketing and towing.

Verify correct terminal – Passengers are asked to check with their airline or travel agent to confirm departure terminal in advance. Frequently, commuter flight airline tickets do not specify the departure terminal.

Parking

For information on short- and long-term parking, the Cell Phone Lot and disabled parking, visit http://www.san.org and click on “Parking,” or call (619) 291-2087.

Volunteer Airport Ambassadors

Dressed in their distinctive green polo shirts, Volunteer Airport Ambassadors (VAAs) provide wayfinding and other forms of assistance to passengers and guests from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. VAAs are based at the information desks in the baggage claim areas of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. They also roam the airport and operate a courtesy shuttle in Terminal 2 West to assist guests with mobility impairments.

Passenger Assistance Program

As part of the TSA’s “Summer Partnership Program,” the Airport Authority has hired some 30 workers to assist passengers during the busy summer travel season. The summer workers help travelers with their personal belongings and manage queuing of lines. The program will be in place from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

The program at San Diego International Airport is unique among the nation’s airports, providing this assistance to streamline the screening process and decrease wait time at security checkpoints.