I would have declared the contact solution separately if I needed a larger container, but the 3.5 oz bottle fits easily in my baggie and I went blithely along assuming it was only 3 oz.

I fly a lot. No matter how long these security arrangements have been in place there are always some people who do not get the word!

I still notice passengers having items confiscated because they violated the rules. I noticed women with large containers of really expensive perfume and face cream given the choice to go back to the ticket agent and ship it with the checked in bag or tossing the items out!

Next time you fly take a look at the junk that TSA finds! A quick look in the box shows jackknives, box cutters, huge containers of ?? liquid! Big bottles of expensive booze, fancy colognes and one time I saw one woman have 3 tubes of hemorrhoidal cream taken away! Why did she think she would need so much on a 12 hour flight?

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It is a small price to pay for security. If we don't take the war against terrorism seriously we are doomed! There are nut cases and religious zealots out there who can't wait to murder as many innocent people as they possibly can!

I went to Las Vegas last weekend and did carry-on. I usually check but thought I'd give it a try. I put all the liquids in really small bottles...I got them at a craft store actually..I got a ton of stuff in that quart bag. I was afraid it was too full and they might confiscate it but they didn't. I had no problem coming or going.

I am traveling next month and haven't done so in over a year. I have also never travelled with face powder (loose powder) in a bottle. What is the rule on loose powder specifically? Are powders not allowed at all, even in a 3 oz. container?

I know a compact is an option, but I was just wondering, as loose powder looks better on me and shopping for it while there is not an option. Thanks.

I've found that the free baggie the TSA hands out at the airport is larger than my own baggie, so get a couple of those free baggies when you can. They'll hold more little bottles.

On size: I usually take the small bottles of shampoo, etc. at hotels, empty them out, and fill them with my own liquids. Never a question of how much those small bottles contain.

My backpack has a small mesh pocket on the side for water battles. I put my liquids baggie in there and, of late, no one seems to care that it's not taken out and put separately in the bin.

AmySabato: "Are powders not allowed at all, even in a 3 oz. container? "

The rules are for liquids and gels. Nothing to do w/ dry or powdered products. You can take as any loose powder you want in your carry on and it does not have to fit in the quart sized baggie.

Just a question about mascara, is it okay for it not to be in a clear tube?

Mascara goes in the ziplok baggie - doesn't matter if it is a clear or opaque tube.

My sincerest thanks for your responses.

Janisj, another Aussie asked earlier in this post if anyone could supply the dimensions (in area) of the bag. I'm reading through old posts to try and find this exact information myself - leaving next week!

I've seen the bags listed in carry-on rules as 1 quart or 1 litre, however in Australia our bags are sold by area as they are flat and not 3 dimensional. Are you able to advise the size in inches or centimetres of the bags which are "1 quart" in size? I failed maths in year 12 and haven't been able to find a conversion tool on the net.

quart bags in the US are 17cm x 20cm. As long as you have something close it'll be no problem. Nobody measures the exact size of the bag, so anything roughly 20cm x 20cm would be just fine.

Or for those who are metric challenged 17cm x 20cm is roughly 7in x 8in.

Thanks. Even the Aussie airline sites mention the volume, rather than area.