Originally Posted by
mahohmei
(Question: I've never been a victim of a gate search. Do TS"O"s do Liquid Tests or make people surrender liquid during gate searches?)
I have witnessed a TSO go ballistic because someone had their personal water bottle full during a gate check. The TSO was demanding to know how the pax got it through security and asking if the passenger wanted to fly today. Apparently, the concept of carrying it through empty then filling it up at a water fountain is completely foreign to them.
I've also had a TSO at SNA do a gate search of my laptop bag, during which he found a non-aerosol hand sanitizer spray. He asked if I'd had it out in a separate bag during checkpoint screening. When I asked what business it was of his, he replied that he would have to confiscate it if it hadn't been properly screened, then asked again. My reply was, "Sure, whatever," and he just put it back into my bag and sent me on my way.