dsm22

I just came back from visiting the grandparents in Florida. While in my local airport I had some problems getting through security.

They examined my luggage through the xray machine a few times, then they decided that they would go through my carry on.

They took all the batteries out of my camera and case and tested all of my things and the inside of my bag. When they got to the inside pocket of my carry on, that made a bunch of alarms go off.

I ended up having to be patted down and they filled out a piece of paper work on me because they said that it tested positve for a chemical that was not allowed on the plane.

I was a lttle nervous about the whole situation and did not care for the way they were banging around my very expensive camera. I totally understand the need for security, but what the heck made all that happen?????

Then she asked me if I use a lot of hand cream and lotion. Well, yes, a ton of it every day. (I have very dry skin because I have to wash my hands a hundred times a day for my job) That is what can set off a security alarm??

I have to leave from the same airport when I go to LV this month, and probably the same airport in July. I am a little worried something else will go off and I will be in trouble or something.

I asked them what I could do to make the process easier for them. She said something about me having a lot of electronics. I had a battery charger, 8 batteries, my camera and my cell phone. Less than a lot of others are carrying these days.

I just wish I knew what caused all the problems so that I could avoid the embarrassment and have my trips go more smoothly. Seems I am always getting my things searched.

Any thoughts from the serious travelers out there???

OldSouthernBelle

Well, a co-worker's son was detained like that due to having traces of nitroglycerin on his luggage. It seems (the co-worker's)significant other had handled his RX that AM (often used for angina) and THEN helped the son with the luggage! Belle.

LoveItaly

Hi dsm, after Sept 11th I had a problem similar to yours every time I went through security. I got so I just expected it. This year I have just gone through security with no problem whatsoever. And I have done nothing different. I can't figure it out. Very strange.

turn_it_on

I fly through Burbank and San Jose several times a month and every now and again, only in SJC, they want to swab my carry on for explosives after it's been run through the xray. Never my purse, just my bag, and they never find anything. They wipe it with that big Stridex pad thing, so my bag doesn't have any zits, but does anyone have any idea what would trigger this?

And congrats to Burbank airport for NOT noticing the exacto knives I forgot I had in my pencil case when SJC caught them right away. I feel safe. AND patriotic.

love
red white 'n' roxy

Wednesday

I'm sure we will get an official airport answer here from someone, but the wipes are looking for traces of chemicals/drug compounds...and hand lotion has glycerin in it-I just looked at a bottle of Aveeno....perhaps it picks that up slightly too, as you have then touched your luggage, etc and the remnants are there....I guess when they find even teeny positives, then the are required to break you down completely...just a guess...

tigerhawk

Above poster is correct - the glycerin in some lotions is in nitroglycerin. Look for a lotion without glycerin.

Put all your batteries, battery chargers, etc in a plastic ziplock bag, take it out of your carryon and run it thru separately. That should decrease the searches. I have trouble in Cedar Rapids with a small pair of blunt nose scissors - they are clearly legal but in my backpack they always triggered a second search of the bag. Now they are in a clear plastic cosmetic case with my prescription drugs in an outside pocket of the backpack so they are in plain view of the screeners - no more opening of the bag.

Basically anything that you even think might trigger a second screen should be in clear plastic and either easily visible or sent thru separately.

Rookie

Tigerhawk gives execllent advice! I had problems with battery chargers in December. Send them through the xray in their own clear bag, separately.

I packed the chargers separately (but not in a clear container) and placed them in the top of my carry-on. 1st airport TSA screener took the bag out, looked inside, and put it back. Second airport TSA screener dumped the entire contents of my carry-on before letting me continue. Third & fourth airports I ran the chargers bag through separately - TSA screeners looked inside that bag.

Now they get packed in a clear container and they still go through separately - no problems since.

suzanne

My BF and I flew from NY to Houston last weekend with a swiss army knife keychain in our bag. They didn't detect it either way. On previous trips where he forgot to leave it at home, it was always detected on the return portion of the trip (usually Florida) but never on the way out of NY. My BF has spent more on mailing this silly knife (an old gift from me) home than what it's worth.

Anyway, it looks like security differs a lot from airport to airport.

Statia

Suzanne, at least he could mail it! My DH has lost more Swiss army knives than you can shake a stick at after leaving them in his pocket when he's traveling. I refuse to buy him any more.

Interesting thread. I guess I will quit wearing lotion when I travel. I know I've been pulled aside from having mustard in my baggage, but never from having lotion on. Who'da thunk?

dsm22

Wednesday, your guess was right on, I have EXTREMELY dry skin and I use rose water and glycerin all the time. My dermotologist said that is what I should use. I guess I need a permission slip for my dangerous chemicals! If I don't use glycerin and put it on while I am damp, I may as well not bother. And I will look like an aligator.

Tigerhawk, thank you for the advice, I shall pack the batteries and everything in a baggie. I do already put majority of my stuff in baggies. Like all my "beauty" stuff, and suntan lotion.

LoveItaly, I was expecting a little extra too, like being pulled out, but not the bells and whilstles and paperwork. Every time since 9-11, I have been "randomly" pulled out and all of my luggage searched.

Turn it on, guess I am zit free too! See, how do they miss exacto knives? I used to be able to travel with some scrapbook stuff, but I don't anymore.

Thanks for all the replies! Now that I know it is the lotion, I am not sure that I will be doing anything about it though. Guess I will see what happens when I go to Vegas, great, Vegas, where it is so hot and dry and I felt like every bit of moisture was sucked out of my body. I cannot even imagine how I would have felt without any lotion.

LoveItaly

Very interesting about the hand lotion as about a year ago I changed lotions, and that is about the time I have just waltzed through security (without my shoes on of course). Guess what, just checked the jar of cream that I have stopped using on my hands and the second ingredient listed is Glycerin. How interesting.