Hello,
we haven't travelled in a couple of yrs and know about the rules concerning liquids, but are the below allowed?

- dry cereal
- fruits
- airborne tablets
- medicines
- small canned fish
- sandwich (packed at home)

Note that one family member has special dietary needs.

I think water needs still needs to be purchased in the airport itself, correct?

Thank you for any advice!!

All of the above items are fine, although I'd be a little concerned about the smell of canned fish (that's not a TSA rule, just a problem vis-a-vis fellow travelers). Yes, you have to purchase drinks once inside security.

Yes, those are all OK.
Yes, you need to purchase water at the airport after security.

Are any medicines liquid? If yes, they should be in a zippered plastic bag.

I bring an empty water bottle and fill it at a drinking fountain.

sylvia3 - i don't know how you are getting away with that. lol.
i have seen them take food that is not sealed/"packaged". apparently there was some feeling that something bad could be hidden in the ladies sandwich...

Please, please tell me you're not opening the can of fish on the plane! I'm not trying to start a flame war here, honestly, I am just concerned about your fellow passengers. Opening it in the airport could be OK because it's usually not too hard to find a secluded spot in the terminal. But not on the plane, no way.

Regarding the medicines and airborne tabs, I would put them into their original packaging (Rx bottles or store bottle/box) and then inside a ziploc for easy screening. Unmarked pills in a pillbox can sometimes raise red flags.

The sandwich--who knows? I've seen them go through, and I've seen them taken out and dumped. A lot depends on the individual screener, unfortunately.

Buy your water (or fill an mt bottle from a fountain) and sandwich once you pass security and all will be well with the world.

Please, no "canned fish." Last night some idiot brought stinky chinese food on a crowded cross-country flight. Half the plane wanted to kill the person -- and the flight attendant asked the rude passenger to hurry up and eat.

Same here - last week, somebody brought a barbecued meat sandwich on the plane. While it may smell delicious in a restaurant, or in your backyard, it made me gag on an airplane.

Can you substitute a sandwich for jerky/slim jim and maybe trail mix/crackers or maybe a veggie wrap?

Water needs to be purchased at airport inside security - not just in airport (that is why empty water bottle works).

Fruit is an issue if flying out of US.

Canned fish is a serious h ealth risk and should not be included - your fellow passengers will kill you.

peanuts might be iffy also if someone on the plane has severe allergies.Some people who take lots of supplements if carrying in original bottle may need another bag just to carry them.thing like flax seed oil or omaga 3 come in very big bottles.I do carry reg. medication bottle or injections. what about cheese or veggies on the plane. oh seatac has really good food at the airport.have a nice trip

The cereal (although I usually take breakfast bars), medicines (follow the 3 oz liquid rule if medicine is liquid) and sandwich are fine. I did see TSA agents take cans of tuna away from a passenger in front of me (I also don't recommend taking that to eat on the plane)... Also as mentioned, buy water at a shop near the gate after you have gone through security. For fruit - if you're traveling inside the US, that is fine - outside the US, that is an issue - might dried fruits work (I take them alot). Many airports have a huge variety of food available for purchase at the airport that might be workable for you. You don't mention the dietary needs, but if you are traveling from a fairly large airport, you might be fine... good luck.....

Fruit shouldn't be a problem on an international flight as long as you don't try to take it off the plane. You'll have to either eat in during the flight or leave it on the plane when you disembark.

See the 3-1-1 page at the TSA website: www.tsa.dhs.gov/311/index.shtm website. You'd be surprise at how big 3oz is, travel size Edge shaving gel is legal. All has to fit in a 1qt ziplock.

Prescription medicines are exempt but need to be out separate with the liquids. If there is NOT a prescription label, they may not let it through.

Prepared-at-home food is a gamble. Canned food with liquid inside is not worth it. No joke, the fish won't get through. Dry foods and snacks are no problem.

Purchase your water once inside security or wait unti you are on the plane and get it for free.

Be prepared when you arrive at the airport. Have your liquids out and ready. Have your photo ID and boarding pass in hand. All your metal stuff should already be off and either in a convenient outside pocket of a bag or in a handbag. Don't wait to "undress" in the line. You should be able to just walk up, put your laptop in a bin with your cell phone, change, keys, and take your shoes off. You need YOUR boarding pass in your hand. Don't carry someone else's for them.

Once you get through, gather your stuff and move forward away from the end of the xray so others have room -- but don't leave anything. Re-dress where there is plenty of room for people to get by.

People lose things because they put something down to pick something else up. ID's, boarding passes, and laptops. A cell phone without a name on it, clearly visible, is a goner, if left behind. If you leave it, and it has a name on it, the TSA will page you to return and claim it.

Have a great trip!

one more idea: the "Lunchables" sold in the supermarkets are sealed, have crackers, cheese, etc. They'd probably be ok.

These days I wait and buy the sandwich at the airport, rather than home-made, so it's clearly wrapped, sealed & packaged (like from a Starbuck's kiosk) and has never been questioned.

Sylvia, how do you smuggle in an empty bottle? I tried twice, both time they took it away. I felt lucky they just took it without punishing me with a strip search or something.

We have done the empty water bottle several times without any problem. Maybe it just comes down to their moods that day, lol!

This summer we made sandwiches at home and took them to the airport. It wasn't a problem. Oh, and my mother also had a hard boiled egg. The only problem there was she forgot about it until we arrived in Paris. Ick!!! LOL!