flying with formula

[nvrdunn]

I have read the TSA website about being able to go through security. I do have a question though, if you can bring premade formula through the security point, can you bring a bottle of water sealed through as well to make your babies bottles? That seems to be unclear.

 

Any personal expierences would be great.

[klauer]

I would buy a bottle of water when you get through security.

[youngestof9]

I would just wait to get through security and buy a bottle of water at one of the shops - then you can bring it aboard the plane without issue.

[RoadTripFanatic]

They will let you carry pre-mixed formula through security but not the bottled water. Just make sure you declare it to the TSA agent before putting it in the scanner. It will make life easier. In fact once you get through security look for a vending machine to buy the water. I pay $1.50 at the vending machine vs the $2.50 in the gift shop.

[GirlWriter]

Yes, you can bring bottled water through security if you are traveling with a baby. I have done it several times, with multiple bottles of water at a time. All they do is require you to remove the top from each bottle, and they hold some sort of strip over it -- if it changes to a certain color, they know it's not water.

[Baxter]

I haven't had any issues bringing any liquid through security when travelling with kids (and we fly a lot!). Water, juice, milk...on occasion they will ask what it is, but generally they don't even open the bottles or sippy cups.

[gtalum]

Just bring the powdered formula, and buy a bottle of water or (GASP!) use the tap water behind security. ;)

[Tggrtoes]

We've had bottled water confisgated when traveling with DS, but the premixed formula is fine. I did have a baby bottle of water (had forgotten to pre-mix it) that went through once at a smaller airport - I didn't claim it and they didn't see it.

 

There is a Starbucks past security at our airport and I always asked them to do 1/2 hot water and 1/2 cold from their machine so it's filtered and already warm. Works like a charm. ;)

[NEcruisers????]

I have had a problem once, bringing a bottle of water through security for my daughter, that was flying from Washington state on Airtran :( (that was the first and last time I ever fly with them), otherwise we have never had a problem. We have never had to open a bottle for security to check either. We have flown internationally as well without any problems taking bottles of water or formula.

[RoadTripFanatic]

I have had a problem once, bringing a bottle of water through security for my daughter, that was flying from Washington state on Airtran :( (that was the first and last time I ever fly with them), otherwise we have never had a problem. We have never had to open a bottle for security to check either. We have flown internationally as well without any problems taking bottles of water or formula.

 

They tested my 9 year old daughters migraine meds. It was in the prescription bottle with label and everything. They made me open it and they held that thing over it. That was after we had flown with 500 ml of meds out of the country with no problems, flew out of Rome with no problems and 250ml left and when we hit ATL security they made us have it tested.

[crusinmama06]

I would just wait to get through security and buy a bottle of water at one of the shops - then you can bring it aboard the plane without issue.

 

Yep, this is what I would do. Security is too strict with liquids to worry about them throwing away the pre-made formula.

 

We travel through the North Eastern airports all the time -- which obviously is where the 9/11 terrorist attacks originated and ended. What's ironic is that we really don't get scrutinized going through security here. But coming back from Florida, the security is tougher. :eek:

 

I always laugh that some of the most strict and less forgiving security (non smiling) and pushy security guards are in Orlando International Airport. So Mickey is safe. :D;)

[sharktums]

I'd say about 75% of the time they would let us travel with as much formula, milk, and bottled water as we wanted as soon as they saw our daughter.

 

Our most used airports in the US are LAX, MCO, TPA, ATL, but we've pretty much been through them all these last three years!

 

Internationally, I believe that Amsterdam airport and a bunch in China were the only ones that would take ALL liquids away, no matter if you had a child or not.

 

AMS is a major pain as you clear security AT the gate for most flights so we had bought water and milk and it was taken away when getting on the plane!!! Then we had to bug the flight attendants right away.

[jtm22372]

they tested our dd,s sippy cup of milk flying home from miami

[NEcruisers????]

I always laugh that some of the most strict and less forgiving security (non smiling) and pushy security guards are in Orlando International Airport. So Mickey is safe. :D;)

...And we fly into and out of Orlando all the time and have NEVER had any problems with formula, water, or liquid meds (many of them)...

I do have to say that we typically fly SouthWest (LOVE, love, Love them) and they are so happy to assist in any way necessary.:)

[bigpuma]

We inadvertently brought a bottle of water through security the last time we flew with formula. They saw the bottle and just made us take it out of the bag, but they let us keep it for the formula.

[sas80]

I have read the TSA website about being able to go through security. I do have a question though, if you can bring premade formula through the security point, can you bring a bottle of water sealed through as well to make your babies bottles? That seems to be unclear.

 

Any personal expierences would be great.

 

Yes you can and it doesnt matter if the seal is broken or not. Disclose that you have the water. they will ask you why. You will say for formula. They will make you wait while they run a beam of light thru the water in order to verify that it is only water. (Spectrum analysis, I believe)

 

This will take time.

 

Be warned that, while all of this is going on, your bags may be sitting on the xray machine and, therefore, the line will be held up.

 

It's up to you if you want to do this or not. If you do it, plan ahead so you have extra time.

[mom2isabella05cole08]

I've gotten in the habit of printing out the page from the TSA website the night before we leave just so I have it on hand in case someone questions it or tries to tell me otherwise. I recently flew from Tampa to San Fransisco with two kids under 5, brought on bottles of pedialyte, water, and juice boxes. The security guy at the Tampa airport at first said that we weren't allowed to bring it with us, and I explained that I had over 8 hours of flight time between my two flights, and my two kids would drink more than that in that time frame. Once he realized I had two kids (DH had taken them to the side after going through security so as not to hold up the line trying to get shoes back on) and that we had a long flight, he was fine with what we were taking.

[nvrdunn]

Thanks everyone. Dh flew on Saturday with the baby and one airport they let him through with a bottle no problem. The second airport (returning home) made him open it and they did some form of a test on it but let him take it through security.

[MCManders99]

Only take what you need through security for the flight. I accidentally made more than enough cups for my DD when flying from Orlando to Cleveland and they made me dump some, since it was only a 2 1/2 hr flight with no layover. They said I should put the extra stuff in checked luggage.