Immediate Change in TSA Carry-On Requirements

[34TigerLily]

God forbid anything should happen, but when something does happen because it wasn't really "water" in that bottle brought from home, or that block of chedder cheese was really C4 plastic explosive, or the harmless chemicals in your carry-on were mixed to create an explosive device - I can just hear everyone screaming - why weren't you looking for that???

 

The alerts will come and go - frankly it is inconvenient - but I'm damn glad there are doing whatever they can to keep us safe, silly as some of it may seem to some of us.

You totally misinterpreted me. We carefully check the TSA website to make sure that we comply with the regulations. My point was that there was an incredible backup at the security lines at the airport because the new regulations were not announced in advance and were not on the website. If we had known in advance, we would have packed the "banned in carryon" item in checked luggage, as the police told us to do next time we travel. Also, the TSA agents TOLD us that they were not instructed on what to do with the new regulations. These people are our front line for security at the airport and THEY admit that they are not adequately trained.

[bjkTX]

I didn't misrepresent you, I wasn't talking about you. I'm glad you go the extra mile, and I agree if they let everyone know ahead of time things would go much smoother. Yet on my last trip people going through the security line didn't even know they needed ID - so not sure everyone would get the word no matter what they did :-)

[34TigerLily]

The purpose of my post was to inform everyone to read the ingredients of all of the items in their carryon luggage. If anything contains hydrogen peroxide, don't put it in your carryon luggage or you could be subjected to additional delays, embarrassing questioning, and you may not be allowed to board.

That said - I must respond to some fo the comments. My daughter and her family live in Manhattan. My son-in-law works and always has worked a couple of blocks from Ground Zero. Many of their friends and college classmates worked in the World Trade Center. I could not reach my family for hours and hours on 9/11, and when I did reach them, they told me about what they saw and lived through that day and in the months that followed that most of us only caught glimpses of on TV. Every day I am reminded of their losses and every day I see the lasting pschological effect this has had on them. The rest orf my and DH's sisters, brothers, neices, nephews, and cousins live and work in the New York metropolian area. Every day, they cross the bridges and tunnels and ride the buses and subway in and into the city. Every day I worry about each and every one of them. My 9/11 experience is personal in a way only someone who live in New York or who has close family or friends in New York can understand. Therefore, I always arrive at airports 2 hours before my flighht because I expect unforseen delays which I willingly indure. I do not begrudge the delays. I want more, not less security measures. What I do begrudge is that more time and money is not spent to adequately train the security personnel that we hire to protect us. They admit that they do not feel adquately prepared for their job. This makes me very uncomfortable and angry at our priorities.

[BurBunny]

Is the OP in the business now? If so how would we reach the bunny?

 

Hi Lynn! Yes, and have been for quite some time. Of course not permitted to post contact information, but signature includes my company name ;)

[Toto2Kansas]

Hi Lynn! Yes, and have been for quite some time. Of course not permitted to post contact information, but signature includes my company name ;)

 

I have to say that the 'Bunny' and I haven't had a lot of contact since she has been so busy. So...........I did a google search and WOW, I am impressed. Way to go BurBunny!

[Jacqueline]

I just came back from my second trip from mexico in 4 months as well as my March cruise and a few trips to my daughters college in Ohio. I can't speak to how the TSA works at every airport, but I have had no problems whatsoever. Yes, make sure that you leave plenty of extra time, if the lines are long.

The more efficent one is the more the odds are in your favor that you will have a better chance of moving thru at a good pace. - IE wear sandals, have your 1 quart zip locks with your liquid products, put your cell phone thru,and so on. Of course there are exceptions to every possible situation based on the screener, but I have never been stopped or searched and neither have my kids. Sad to say, by accident, I have also gotten thru forbidden items that were stuck in odd places in my carry-ons from previous trips where the kids have used my bags (the worst was a whole bottle of nail polish remover zipped in an outside compartment).

My big beef is with the airlines- if only they could run on time and we could all make our connections.

[JolieMadam]

Going through security check in a Mexican airport for the return trip to the U.S., we did not have to forfeit our water bottles. We thought this unusual but it's Mexico...as we were boarding at the gate, everyone is subjected to another security check of carry-on bags. The water was taken away from us and we were glad of the extra security.

[gambit57]

Now if we could bring our own bottles of water through security, I would be much happier. It doesn't make sense that you can buy bottles of water @ $2 or $3 after security and board the plane with them but not allowed to bring your own. To me, it's just a money maker for the stores at the airport. I guess its another way for it to look like they are doing something for our sense of security. :( But not really!

 

Read the news on terrorist arrests and then think about it. They caught a guy trying to light a bomb hidden in his shoe. Now, they make us x-ray our shoes. If they didn't do anything about a technique that has been tried, why have security at all?

 

The same thing happened with bottle water. Some terrorists were caught bringing liquid ingredients to make a bomb while on board. That's why they limit the amount of liquids you can bring on board now. So no one else can try the same thing.

 

You can be cynical about it and that's fine. However, it's not as if they just pulled these ideas out of their nether regions.

 

Training and how good the screening is a totally different issue. But, these new restrictions had a legit reason behind them.

[captainbk]

When I travel, my carryon bag is all electronics. Two digital SLRs, chargers, laptop, two portable hard drives, MP3 player, noise cancelling headphones.......I will just dump everything into bin. LOL ....I also carry an extra pair of underwear and a shirt.

 

I really worry about snatch and grab of expensive stuff while you are stuck behind sombody going through the metal detector.

[Davey Interweb]

The same thing happened with bottle water. Some terrorists were caught bringing liquid ingredients to make a bomb while on board. That's why they limit the amount of liquids you can bring on board now. So no one else can try the same thing.

 

No. If you're referring to the alleged plot uncovered in the UK in August of last year, no one was caught attempting to bring "liquid ingredients to make a bomb" onto an aircraft. This simply never happened.

 

Please don't see this as an attempt to start an argument or anything, but it seems there's still a great deal of misinformation and exaggeration circulating over this particular episode. The entire thing was blown out of proportion from the start.

[prarie cruiser]

I travel weekly for my work. In general, I think the TSA folks are trying very hard. We do not always know what the terrorists have on their agenda next, that's why we call them terrrorists. So, if TSA has to change up the rules on occassion that is OK by me. If anything, I think airport security is far too easy to get through. It bothers me they are now allowing lighters.

 

That said, us weekly travelers know there are some ways to make life easier. Always assume there will be a line and allow yourself extra time. Take a carry on as you cannot assume your checked luggage will really get there. Keep anything strange in your checked luggage. Be prepared to take all of your electronics out of your bag and put in the bin(s). Have your ticket and ID easily available. Always wait until the person ahead of you has cleared before you allow your bin to go through the machine. That way, it is not sitting out there being available for theft. TSA hates this of course, but it is the safest way.

 

If you travel enough, you will eventually be searched. Sometimes it seems its every week, then you might go for weeks without a search. What really drives me crazy are the stupid people who actually show up without a ziplock bag for their liquids (most weekly travelers have figured out how not to even carry these), and also those travelers who argue with the TSA about their precious bottle of water they are drinking. Yeah, I wish I could take one through the line too, but those days are gone!

[MoonPet]

What I do begrudge is that more time and money is not spent to adequately train the security personnel that we hire to protect us. They admit that they do not feel adquately prepared for their job. This makes me very uncomfortable and angry at our priorities.

 

Well said.

Add to that the inconsistent rules that not only vary from airport to airport, but also within the same airport on the same day.

[nomars_girl]

You totally misinterpreted me. We carefully check the TSA website to make sure that we comply with the regulations. My point was that there was an incredible backup at the security lines at the airport because the new regulations were not announced in advance and were not on the website. If we had known in advance, we would have packed the "banned in carryon" item in checked luggage, as the police told us to do next time we travel. Also, the TSA agents TOLD us that they were not instructed on what to do with the new regulations. These people are our front line for security at the airport and THEY admit that they are not adequately trained.

 

I agree - they don't always know the rules themselves. One wanted to take my solid deodorant stick away from me under the liquids ban. It wasn't a liquid, gel or aerosol. One of the other security agents saved me by telling the first one that if it was white, it was all right.

 

And I wish one of the major toothpaste manufacturers would start selling a 3 oz tube of toothpaste. Everything is either too big for a carryon, or it is less than one ounce and will barely get you through a trip of a couple of days.