haven't flown in a decade, aiport screening question:

[Squiddles]

After 12 years of motherhood, and only 2 separate nights away from my kids... EVER.

My best girlfriend is taking me to Hawaii for 5 nights ? (she travels frequently and gets killer deals)

Anyhow... we are packing only carry-ons which is no biggie because I rock at light packing.  But I am stumped by the liquids rule!
On the TSA website it stresses that each passenger is allowed only ONE quart size bag with all your liquids inside (of course in 3.4oz containers)
I have just a few more small items than fit inside one quart size baggie!  Is this seriously enforced?  My friend does TSA precheck, where they don't make you take your liquids out so she says she never sticks to the one baggie rule and never gets stopped.  But I am afraid to pack an extra quart size bag of liquids and have them make me throw something away! LOL (I will be going through the standard, slow check in line).

Any of you seasoned travelers have advice?

[vonfirmath]

Yes. That is a pretty strict rule in my experience going through lines.  I generally buy stuff on the other end.

 

Edited November 9, 2018 by vonfirmath

[SKL]

I agree they are likely to be strict.  I would not risk it unless you are OK having your stuff thrown out.  Most likely they sell whatever you need in Hawaii.

[mommyoffive]

I agree.  They are getting even more strict too.  

Are you staying in a hotel?  Lots of times they have freebies in the room.  We just buy everything when we get there.  

[SKL]

1 minute ago, mommyoffive said:

I agree.  They are getting even more strict too.  

Are you staying in a hotel?  Lots of times they have freebies in the room.  We just buy everything when we get there.  

True - I never pack shampoo, soap, etc., unless I need a specific kind e.g. for acne.

[Scarlett]

I have flown twice in 15 years so I don't know, but I wanted to say wow what a fun get a way!  Enjoy!

[Squiddles]

okay, very good to know!  I will keep just the stuff I really need of my own product (I'm an ingredient snob lol) and plan on buying stuff there.  Actually if I skip the sunscreen and get some there the rest of the stuff will fit... staying in a condo so no samples ?

So now I'm curious about how she gets away with the packing liquids rule.. maybe she's just been lucky... hmmm

THANK YOU!!!

[mommyoffive]

1 minute ago, Squiddles said:

okay, very good to know!  I will keep just the stuff I really need of my own product (I'm an ingredient snob lol) and plan on buying stuff there.  Actually if I skip the sunscreen and get some there the rest of the stuff will fit... staying in a condo so no samples ?

So now I'm curious about how she gets away with the packing liquids rule.. maybe she's just been lucky... hmmm

THANK YOU!!!

 

Your friend is awesome.  Have a great time.  We do pack sunscreens when we travel because we have sensitive skin in our group.  We go with the solid sunscreens like deodorant so they don't count in the liquids. 

[Bootsie]

There are huge differences, depending on who is doing the screening, what airport you are flying through, and what the specific threat level is at the time you are flying.  You might get by with the extra liquids one direction (or maybe both), but I would not count on it. 

[livetoread]

I fly a couple of times a year, and I’ve had more than one quart bag, I’ve forgotten to take it out, I’ve forgotten to put liquids in, and generally violated rules with zero problems. That isn’t to say I would expect to get away with it, but I always have. I kind of marvel at how often I’ll get on my flight and open my backpack and say, “Oops”.

[Corraleno]

I have Precheck and TSA still goes through my toiletries sometimes. Once they insisted on throwing out my Ban roll-on because it was 3.5 oz instead of 3.4! I've seen them make people throw away peanut butter, homemade jam, yogurt, a snow globe, and even a tub of hair wax that I would consider a solid not a liquid. On the other hand, I've occasionally gotten through with a small (like 1 oz) bottle of hand sanitizer in my purse instead of the quart-sized baggie, and no one said anything. It really depends on who's doing the screening that day and what kind of mood they're in!

[EmseB]

I fly a couple times a year. Last year (2017) for some reason I got it in my head that they weren't doing the whole liquids in a ziplock anymore (I thought I heard a news story, read something, I don't know), so I didn't do it. Everything was just in my toiletry bag like normal. No one was asking for baggies, no one stopped me, no one threw anything out or went through my stuff. This was both ways, different cities each time. But when I told my husband I hadn't been doing it he gave me the o.O, so I started again this year. 

Not that I recommend *not* doing it, but just to say there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of rhyme or reason to any of it. Or careful checking in any case.

There is a video of Adam Savage on YouTube of him talking about how he was allowed to go through security and fly with a 12-inch metal blade in his inside jacket pocket (it has language, so).

[City Mouse]

I have had the same experience as Corraleno. Sometimes the check; sometime they don't. If you want to chance it, I would suggest making sure you are not bringing stuff that you would be upset to throw away at the airport.

[threebyme]

Yes, I'd say it could depend on mood and how busy it is.  I went through airport security recently and they didn't have us take off shoes- and we went through the good ole metal detector- they seemed to be rushing us through since it was busy!

[vonfirmath]

OTOH, In Phoenix, AZ, in 2016, I had to throw away my favorite water bottle because it still had water in it and I didn't have time to get out of line, toss the water, and go through the line again.

[gardenmom5]

if you want to take more - you can check your bag. much more lenient.

yes - some airports will strictly enforce it, other's . . not so much.

 

can any of your items fit in your GF's quart bag?

[SKL]

In the past year, I've had stuff thrown away on the way back from Iceland and from Australia.  The Iceland one was a small body lotion sample  from a hotel we stayed in - my kid had it in her backpack pocket and nobody realized it.  Boy did I get the stinkeye.  The Australia one - again in my kid's bag and forgotten - was a small souvenir with a plastic fish swimming around in water.  The security guy felt bad throwing the kid's souvenir in the garbage, but in it went.

[mamakelly]

Just a few months ago I was taking a friends daughter to her gate and walked with her through security. She had left a full size tube of toothpaste in her carryon. They pulled her and her bag out of line and sent her though secondary inspection. It was a hassle and time consuming. Don’t risk it. Oh and they made her throw the toothpaste away. 

Edited November 9, 2018 by mamakelly

[Rachel]

I’ve found the airports to be inconsistent. I will say that they seem more lenient when you have precheck. They are also more lenient with males vs females. My dad and husband never bother with pulling their liquids out and have never been searched. I’ve been in line with them and they won’t be asked to pull the baggie out but I will! Having kids with me almost begs for them to scrutinize my stuff more carefully. 

Enjoy your trip!

[Lanny]

Remember to wear shoes that you can easily take off. My wife forgot that on our last trip and she did have to remove her shoes in one of the airports.

Also, that's a long flight and your feet will swell. Wear comfortable shoes with lots of expansion room.

Aloha

[Annie G]

1 hour ago, vonfirmath said:

OTOH, In Phoenix, AZ, in 2016, I had to throw away my favorite water bottle because it still had water in it and I didn't have time to get out of line, toss the water, and go through the line again.

That stinks! I fly out of O’Hare most of the time and they have a trash can right there where they go through your stuff and they’ll let you empty your bottle into the trash can.  I went through once and they pulled me aside and found the water and asked if I wanted to stand there and drink it, pour it out, or toss the whole thing.   I was so glad- I totally forgot there was water still in it and I LOVE my water bottle!

[KidsHappen]

What do they do about babies' bottles? Ones that are actually being used by the baby?

[Frances]

2 hours ago, KidsHappen said:

What do they do about babies' bottles? Ones that are actually being used by the baby?

I flew this week and while waiting in line and drinking all of the water in my water bottle before going through security, I was reading the various signs and if I recall correctly, baby formula is exempt from the regular rules.

[vonfirmath]

On 11/9/2018 at 11:49 PM, KidsHappen said:

What do they do about babies' bottles? Ones that are actually being used by the baby?

 

A certain amount of baby food is exempt if the baby is travelling with you.

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/special-procedures/traveling-children

[rjand6more]

I had a friend in a group get called out(10 minutes as we were all waiting) for a liquid highlighter in her purse.  I would have never thought.

So, no, they did not put her in jail.  And we had plenty of time, but it was a hassle. So, I would say to not risk it. I understand loving products, but I have found alternatives to liquids :a solid foundation I like ok, a solid deo, I don't use hairspray, lipstick instead of lip gloss, etc.  And I buy what I need when I get there if I can't fit it in the quart bag.

[importswim]

I fly a lot and DH flies even more (he's an airline pilot lol!) and it really just depends on which TSA agent you get and which airport you go through. I generally don't pack anything outside of the 1 quart rule though because I don't want the hassle of deeper screening (sometimes they make me pull the baggie out, sometimes they don't). Can your friend put your couple of extra things in her baggie since she has TSA Pre?

I hope that you have SO MUCH FUN!

[TravelingChris]

We have Pre Check but as other's said, I am the one they are always checking.  With the one type of detector, they usually check my left leg (I figure they are picking up remnants of my blood clot since I do not have any implants at all).  On the way out recently, my bag wasn't checked. On the way home yesterday, for the first time ever, one of my asthma or allergy items in my purse made them check my purse by hand (I do not know if it was the inhaler, the spacer, the peak flow meter, or the AuviQ.)  Not as annoying as the rude woman who decided to do a complete body patdown because I had a medical bag with a nebulizer. 

And yes, it has been noted in media investigagions that they harass women more and elderly more and disabled more because all those groups are less likely to cause a fuss and they get quotas in.  

[elegantlion]

I would either buy there or buy travel size - which you can get anywhere these days. Don't forget toothpaste counts too. Alternatively, you can buy travel sized bottles and fill with your own brand of shampoo, lotion, etc. Make sure you have it somewhere accessible in your luggage, as I've generally had to pull mine out when going through security. 

[klmama]

Interesting that you say they check women more.  When traveling with dh I've never had a problem, but when traveling alone with the dc I get patted down every time.  

[J-rap]

I generally don't carry on my bags, but just last week I had a gallon-sized ziplock bag that I carried on and it was no problem at all.  I guess it depends on the airport.

 

 

[73349]

I actually have found that having DS with me means I will *not* get extra screening, whereas DH and I used to get pulled all.the.time., and DH still does if he goes alone.

OP, if you haven't tried a shampoo or conditioner bar, those are a way to reduce your liquids. I also use solid deodorant, a stick sunscreen (Neutrogena Baby), and no makeup, so I often wind up with toothpaste as my only liquid.

[lulalu]

Have fun! 

I have always found that rule to be very strict. 

I have had many experiences that were not great at airports! Check your purse and all things well, it is easy to forget what is hiding in there. I always forgot to check my purse. Well 6 hours in security while in Germany, and now I never forget to look through my purse. 

[Katy]

It's strict.  A friend of mine was just complaining on facebook that a breastfeeding mom & baby traveling with her was made to throw out several bottles of pumped breast milk, even though she was pretty sure that was illegal.  The baby had been premature and wouldn't latch, so she was an exclusive pumper.