Did something change about carrying of liquids?
 

I just returned from a weekend trip today and was surprised by how TSA screened (or rather didn't screen) our liquids that we were carrying on.

We didn't check any bags, and we dutifully put all our liquids in the mandatory quart size containers. We get up to the x-ray machine and between dealing with coats and our shoes, we completely forgot to take our ziploc of liquids out of our carry on bag and put them onto the belt separately. We realized this as we were putting our shoes back on and completely through security. Both my husband and I did the same thing.

We figured this was a fluke - but low and behold the same thing happened on the return flight - again we don't take the separate bag out and leave it in our larger suitcase - and nothing was said.

We were flying out of Baltimore and Detroit.

I'm always amazed at how much the screeners miss - after I got married, the name on my ticket did not match the name on my ID - I flew at least 5 times and they just didn't notice.

I'm perfectly willing to put up with long lines at security if they are actually providing security - but it always makes me mad to go through the whole routine if they are being sloppy.

I made the same mistake a few mo ago leaving, forgetting to take out the ziploc. I now leave my ziploc bag inside my carry-on and no TSA agent has asked me to take it to view.

I flew out of Sea-Tac this morning and none of the screeners mentioned it - usually someone is standing at the beginning of the line giving the spiel.

SavTrav -

How many ounces were each of the liquids inside your quart ziplock?
If they were each 3 oz. or less, they would meet the requirements.
We flew out of Charleston, SC a week ago; we saws garbage containers full of bottles of "Sticky Fingers" BBQ sauce (local favorite)that had to be tossed. One lady in front of us have to toss several tubes & jars of new lotions & creams she had just bought (about $100 worth!); she WAS able to keep the small 3oz. free sample tube that came with it. Little consolation - lesson learned to send purchases home by UPS, or pack them into a carryon!

HotWheels, I'm sure SavTrav was using the "correct" size containers -- but that wasn't the point - the point was that they tell you you have to take the qt.-size plastic bag out of your carryon so the screeners can see it, but they often don't notice when you leave it in your carryon bag (same thing happened to me going to Dulles from SFO on Thursday).

Considering that phony bomb parts weren't snagged at several airports during recent tests, I would say screeners aren't working very hard.

When I fly out of Boston and Providence, RI, the screeners are extremely attentive about every single teeny tiny thing. Obviously, one wants them to be doing their job, but my personal frustration is that I use a Tom's of Maine toothpaste which is for "sensitive teeth" and comes only in a 4 oz. size. Because of dental issues, I prefer to brush my teeth every several hours and therefore, I want to have this toothpaste on the plane with me when I am flying to London or Phoenix, both flights that take five or more hours one way. So... when I travel, I take in my carry-on a tube of this toothpaste that is almost used up. I also carry a full tube of this toothpaste in my suitcase that I check through in cargo. The last time I boarded a plane in London en route to Boston, I was permitted to bring the toothpaste tube that did not have much in it. But recently, while going through security in Providence, the security guard made me throw out the tube of toothpaste because on the outside it says 4 oz. and as the man said, "I don't care how much is in the tube. If it says 4 oz., it's not going on the plane."

What is ridiculous is being asked at that point if I want to return to the check-in area to put the toothpaste in my suitcase which is going in cargo. I don't know why they bother asking because the suitcase has already started its trip away from the check-in area after having been screened by a machine en route to cargo.

I even contacted Tom's of Maine to ask if they could sell me small sample size tubes so that I would not have this problem, but I got an email back saying that they do not make this toothpaste in a smaller size.

Conclusion: my personal opinion is that the level of scrutiny depends on what airport you are in. In Phoenix the security people are organized and thorough but very friendly with booties for people to wear when they take their shoes off to walk through the metal detectors. In contrast, the security people in Boston and Providence are intense to the point of obsessiveness. To me, this is totally understandable in view of the route the terrorists took on 9/11. In southern New England, we know the airplanes passed over us on the way to New York City, and the pain of that knowledge will leave us only when those who were alive that day pass away.

Having said that, I still wish Tom's would make a "sensitive toothpaste" tube small enough to carry on board.

If anyone has any suggestions for me, I'd appreciate hearing them.

Jane

Hi jane,

This may help....

http://www.easytravelerinc.com/index...&ProdID=44

On my recent trip to the US, the only place I was asked to put my bag of liquids out of may carry on was in Perth, west Australia, before I left.

I kind of forget o was supposed to take it out and no-one in Sydney, L.A. Las Vegas or New York wanted to see it. I presumed they could see it as it went through the Xray machine.

In New York i had forgotten about a lipstick in my handbag and it wasn't picked up. Either the machines are more sophisticated, or they are becoming a little less convinced that we are all carrying dangerous substances in our make up kits.

Would someone please tell me why I have to remove my shoes to get through Security in the US yet when I fly into the US from both Japan and Europe I don't have to?????

Dukey, Richard Reed.

According to the TSA website carrying 3oz bottles of liquid in a quart sized bag still applies. As others have stated, mine has either been scrutinized, to the point I thought the TSA agent was looking for the name of the color on the nail polish, to forgotten in my bag and gone through without incident.

The answer to Dukey's question seems to be some kind of profiling.

At LHR the other day, people were being selected for shoe removal after going through an official outbound passport control, manned by Immigration officials, and not just the private-sector subcontractors who man the security lines.

A quick glance seemed to show that those selected for de-shoeing matched the common sense view of potential terrorists more closely than a random selection of the (mostly) fat, middle-aged, whites going through the system at the time. It certainly looked as if people were being selected on some criterion, and not just on the basis of every 20th or whatever.

I've gone into more details on another thread but on a recent trip (flying from Toronto to DC) the screening was much more rigorous regarding bottle size and for the first time ever, I was told that bottles had to be labelled (ie not those carry on sized generic bottles you buy in the drugstore). The problem for me is that the rules seem to change from minute to minute, from trip to trip. I've wondered if the security is greater because I'm flying to DC, but there were plenty of people in that line who were going other places.

I've always been asked to remove my shoes, along with everyone else in the line, no matter where we're going.

Friday I flew from Kaua`i to O`ahu with only carry-on luggage -- and was not asked to show my bag of toiletries.

Flew back home on Saturday, was asked to show my bag AND had to toss out my toothpaste, as the container was too large.

No rhyme or reason to the TSA searches; perhaps they are allowed some discretion as to their policies?

I leave stuff in my bag accidenatlly all the time and never get 'caught'. Mostly lotions that I forget to put in the bag.
I wanted to take my lunch on my last trip and carried, in a brown paper bag, container of applesauce, cheese, apple chunks. NO PROBLEM AT ALL. I was willing to toss the applesauce, if necessary.
I do try to keep within the limits, just in case but it seems they have relaxed considerably.
If you have a special toothpaste, squeeze some into a snack size baggie for the flight.
Bite a little hole in corner of the bag and squeeze it out. You can do however many little bags you need.
No more problem.

I always take my shoes off.

They were still enforcing the rule that liquids go through the machine in the quart baggie, on November 4.

Keith

Agreed, they are still enforcing the rule that liquids go through the machine in the quart baggie.

What they are not enforcing, at least not on the last 6 flights I've taken, is that the baggie needs to be out of your luggage and visible.

I think what they enforce changes from day to day and from airport to airport. Who knows -- they may change the rules several times a day. All I know is that whatever your airline tells you is OK has very little bearing on what the screeners will let you take through.

In my experience, the last couple of times I've flown, the screening has been more strict rather than less.

Flying last month out of San Antonio and Tampa, liquids weren't checked at either airport. Still, better safe than sorry, I wouldn't dare tempt the fates and take the stuff I'd dearly love to...like my nice big bottle of contact lens solution, or Estee Lauder Fruition (yikes$$$). Flying sure is a nuisance these days!

Many thanks for the suggestions!

Maria_so: I checked out the link and was delighted to see the products offered ~ perfect for my needs.

TxTravelPro: I never thought of putting the special toothpaste in a small baggie. It's a great idea that I will use on my next flight.

Thanks, again,
Jane
(and I'm not even the OP)

The three of us just went through security at O'Hare. I put my bag of liquids in a bin. Mr_go forgot to take his ziploc bag out of his rollaboard, and no one said a word. Allie_go forgot to take hers out of her backpack--her bag got pulled for a search and she was told the liquids should have been put in a bin. I think it all depends on the screener.

BTW, no lines at security (T1) at 1:30pm on one of the busiest travel days of the year.