Carry-on luggage rules
 

We are flying from the U.S. to London via Northwest & want to do carry-on only going there (we'll check some luggage returning to U.S.). After searching the NWA website, I'm still very confused about what must fit into the quart-size ziploc bag - esp. lipstick, deoderant (solid), powder, etc. Any help out there?

Any liquids that you are carrying on need to be in amounts 3 oz or less (for each item) and in the quart-size ziploc. This includes gels, deodorant (roll-on or stick), lipstick, lotions, toothpaste etc. I find it easier to check most of my liquid type items, then there are no size restrictions. I only take the bare neccesities on the plane such as some hand lotion.

Be aware that London is very restrictive (at least departing from, not sure if the same restrictions hold for arriving). When departing you are only allowed one bag...that includes purse, laptop...anything! It all must fit into one bag, so checking the luggage definately helps when London is involved.

margy

Hi J,

Have you looked up the regs at
www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/
permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

Each passenger may have ONE quart size bag. No individual container in that bag can be over 3 oz. EVERYthing in liquid, gel, creme, etc., MUST fit in said bag. Including lipstick, gloss, balm, deodorant, hand creme, eye drops, etc. If you think it may be a liquid, gel, creme, it probably it, put it in the bag.

here's the link
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...d-items.shtm#1

I am leading a student/parent trip to France next month, and I need to be sure and have my travelers aware of this. Thanks for the web link.

There seems to be some confusion about lipstick and solid deodorant.

Solid lipstick and solid deodorant do <b>not</b> need to go into the ziplock. Only gel or liquid lipglosses and gel deodorant.

The first few weeks of the liquids/gels rules - lipsticks/Chapstick and solid deodorants were included. But now they can go in the luggage w/o being in the ziplok. Lip gloss and roll on deodorants do have to be in the baggie.

So the general things in the ziplok would be toothpaste, mouthwash, lip gloss, creams/gels, shampoos, woolite, Tide stain sticks, nail polish/remover, wet ones, and so on.

Powders are not a problem. You can get quite a lot in the quart sized bag - I teach a packing class and the participants are amazed at how much comes out of that little baggie. And there are other tricks - like taking tooth powder instead of toothpaste.

You can't take a 4 oz bottle of - say mouthwash, but w/ only 3 oz of liquid in it. They must be 3 oz or smaller containers.

I really don't see the need to take shampoo/conditioner since most every hotel/B&amp;B will provide it.

TSA.gov has all the dos and don'ts

Once again, I am totally and completely jealous of those who can use whatever shampoos, soap, etc are provided by the hotel. In my next life, I wish to come back as someone without sensitive skin and whose hair can tolerate different shampoos - LOL.

J_Correa--You are not alone, unforunately.

is contact lens solution exempt from this regulation? I heard it was, since I have never seen lens solution in small containers

there are small bottles of contact lens/saline solutions. But they are exempt from the 3 oz rule so no need to look for any . . . .

My husband has very sensitive skin, but the solid cakes of shampoo, conditioner, and shea-butter moisturizer bars from LUSH worked just fine for him. They also don't need to go in the quart bag, being solids.

So we needed only one quart bag for the both of us to contain a small tube of Art of Shaving's shave creme, lipgloss, small bottle of mouthwash, and toothpaste. Everything else was excluded, being a solid (deodorants and the above LUSH items) or powder (mineral cosmetics).

This was fine through all security checkpoints on both sides of the ocean on several trips recently, but one U.S. screener stopped me and removed my tiny pot of hair wax (an opaque solid) and said they consider anything you can &quot;smear, drink, drip, or squeeze&quot; to be in the restricted category. He just put it into the quart bag and we were on our way.

However, at another checkpoint my mothers physician-prescribed gel orthotic insoles were taken away. (We didn't realize she put them in her carry-on --not wanting to risk loosing them if her luggage was lost-- or I'd have told her to put them in the checked bag.) Both of these stops were on different dates at DFW and both times the screeners were very polite even though she was unhappy about the insoles.

There appears to be confusion within the TSA, also. I made it through one security check with my lipstick and my mascara, it was in my purse. However, the same items were in purse in DC and they were confiscated. Just to be on the safe side, I'd recommend putting everything in the ziploc that you can.

Hi all, again, this is the reason I just wrote a new book called the &quot;The Empty Carousel&quot; A Consumer's Guide to Checked and Carry-on luggage.

Check it out at www.TheEmptyCarousel.com

You, the air travel consumers that I have helped over the years when I was the system manager of baggage services for over 52 cities for a highly awarded domestic airline are my inspiration for writing this book!!

In all your situations, pains and losses suffered, there was one common theme; the air traveler does not know the rules because the information regarding your most valuable property when traveling, your checked and carry-on luggage is vague if you can find it at all!

The Empty Carousel gathers that information for you, explains it, and reveals what you can do so you don't become another vicitm or statistic in the uncertain world of checked and carry-on luggage.

Even if the book does not answer your specific question, you can contact me and I will find the answer you need and email you. By educating you, the air travel consumer, everyone wins!!

I am here to help, please help me get the word out. There is also a link to the book on www.petergreenberg.com as I was a guest on his live radio show on March 31st. Check it out. Thanks all.

Scott

www.TheEmptyCarousel.com

julielovett,
The NW website is pretty specific. I can't see what your problem is. Solid is not liquid and powder is not liquid. For a synopsis of the rules see http://tinyurl.com/3yeqvt.

Scott,
I looked at your site. It doesn't seem to work when I get down to the order a book link.

I've read the TSA website MANY times. But I still have a number of questions over items that are not addressed on that website.

I find it easy to believe that TSA inspectors are themselves somewhat confused about the rules.

I've decided that I'm NOT going to put the stick deodorant or lipstick in the baggie...saving room for other items.

NOW....my last question (for now) is the little packages of moisentened towelettes...things like &quot;wet ones&quot;....clorox disinfectant wipes....handi-wipes...etc.

Are these items restricted to the baggie? Does anyone know FOR SURE????

(NONE of those packages even say how many &quot;ounces&quot; they are....since they are not really liquids!!)

I'm ready to give up guessing and just check a bag with all the &quot;liquids&quot;.

Scott, I would like to remind you that advertising is not allowed on this board.

suntravler,
Wet ones, moistened towelettes, and the like do NOT have to go into the zip-lock.

yeah - this is the second time Scott has pulled that trick. <u>No advertising allowed</u> . . . .