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TSA and Breast Milk: AGAIN!!

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Old Aug 20, 2017, 9:33 pm
  #91  
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Originally Posted by InkUnderNails
From the twitter post:

"Those bags of milk should NOT be sitting on table where God-knows what else has been placed there."

The tool case that I drag trough oily, greasy, dirty factories from coast to coast gets its time on the same tables. I have never seen them even wipe it down after they finish with my bag. And not to be too disgusting, people do not leave their roller bags outside the the restrooms or carry them in and out either. They roll them along floors that have just been mopped with strong chemicals or sprayed for vermin or insects overnight.

I work in food processing plants and there are very serious regulations for the handling of food and its containers. This meets none of them.

This may be dangerous treatment in addition to rude and inconsiderate.
I don't think TSA does anything that takes travelers health and safety into consideration. It took action by Congress to force TSA to stop taking naked pictures of travelers.
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Old Aug 21, 2017, 6:42 am
  #92  
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Originally Posted by Boggie Dog
I don't think TSA does anything that takes travelers health and safety into consideration. It took action by Congress to force TSA to stop taking naked pictures of travelers.
And, of course, the Blue Cancer Boxes that the TSA would not allow to be tested by an independent agency.
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Old Aug 21, 2017, 10:04 am
  #93  
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Exclamation Moderator's Note: Topic Drift

Second reminder!

Originally Posted by TWA884
Reminder!
Originally Posted by TWA884
Please let's get on topic, which is: TSA and Breast Milk.

Thank you,

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator
If you wish to discuss ETD testing, TSA dogs, screener's discretion, etc., when not directly relevant to breast milk, please post in one of the existing threads on those topics or start a new one.

Thank you,

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Old Jan 15, 2018, 6:18 am
  #94  
 
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From Stacey Armato on 1/14/18 re breast milk

The TSA apparently cannot train its screeners on proper procedures:

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Old Jan 15, 2018, 10:01 am
  #95  
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To hold TSA accountable under the BABES Act, a federal law, will require lawsuits. Hold both the individual screener(s) and DHS/TSA accountable. If a screener violates the law they should be punished as provided by law.

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Old Feb 13, 2018, 6:06 pm
  #96  
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My daughter connected in ORD about a week ago on her way home after a 5-day trip. She had about 50 bags of frozen breast milk. TSO told her she could not bring all the bags with her through security. She told him that he was wrong. He then said she'd have to open every bag and allow them to test each one for explosives. She told him no, as her arriving flight had arrived late and she was in danger of missing the next flight.

TSO finally obtained a supervisor, who didn't seem to know what to do. The TSO asked the supervisor, 'what are the rules?' (imagine that: the TSO does not know the rules, and even more strangely, thinks there are rules!) After some hemming and hawing, the supervisor said she had to open four bags for testing. (This is not the TSA's rule of course!)

Then the TSO wanted to physically dip the test strip into each bag. My daughter refused to allow that. However the TSO and supervisor said she had no choice. So after testing she threw away the opened bags that had been contaminated by the test strips.

This process by the TSA is completely out of control. Nonsensical... illogical... illegal... and so on. She (and I) were very angry about another "fine" example of the TSA's "making us safe."
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Old Feb 13, 2018, 6:16 pm
  #97  
 
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Originally Posted by KDS
My daughter connected in ORD about a week ago on her way home after a 5-day trip. She had about 50 bags of frozen breast milk. TSO told her she could not bring all the bags with her through security. She told him that he was wrong. He then said she'd have to open every bag and allow them to test each one for explosives. She told him no, as her arriving flight had arrived late and she was in danger of missing the next flight.

TSO finally obtained a supervisor, who didn't seem to know what to do. The TSO asked the supervisor, 'what are the rules?' (imagine that: the TSO does not know the rules, and even more strangely, thinks there are rules!) After some hemming and hawing, the supervisor said she had to open four bags for testing. (This is not the TSA's rule of course!)

Then the TSO wanted to physically dip the test strip into each bag. My daughter refused to allow that. However the TSO and supervisor said she had no choice. So after testing she threw away the opened bags that had been contaminated by the test strips.

This process by the TSA is completely out of control. Nonsensical... illogical... illegal... and so on. She (and I) were very angry about another "fine" example of the TSA's "making us safe."
I was under the impression, that like liquids TSA used to "test" in the gate areas, the strip was only to be waved over the liquid, not dipped into it. Am I wrong?

I think your daughter needs to file a complaint with TSA and the DHS IG's office.

P.S. I hope she made the screener(s) change gloves before testing the breast milk.

PPS I just found this information: "4. Breastmilk will be screened by x-ray or another testing method.

Additional screening measures may involve testing with strips that detect explosive residue. You may be asked to transfer some milk into a separate container for testing."

https://www.themommyscoach.com/tsa-breast-milk/

Again, file that complaint with the DHS IG: https://hotline.oig.dhs.gov/hotline/hotline.php

ETA: Note that like changing gloves, TSA does not voluntarily suggest that the milk can be transferred to a separate container. It's apparently the passenger's responsibility to request it.

Last edited by petaluma1; Feb 14, 2018 at 6:03 am
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Old Feb 13, 2018, 6:21 pm
  #98  
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Originally Posted by KDS
My daughter connected in ORD about a week ago on her way home after a 5-day trip. She had about 50 bags of frozen breast milk. TSO told her she could not bring all the bags with her through security. She told him that he was wrong. He then said she'd have to open every bag and allow them to test each one for explosives. She told him no, as her arriving flight had arrived late and she was in danger of missing the next flight.

TSO finally obtained a supervisor, who didn't seem to know what to do. The TSO asked the supervisor, 'what are the rules?' (imagine that: the TSO does not know the rules, and even more strangely, thinks there are rules!) After some hemming and hawing, the supervisor said she had to open four bags for testing. (This is not the TSA's rule of course!)

Then the TSO wanted to physically dip the test strip into each bag. My daughter refused to allow that. However the TSO and supervisor said she had no choice. So after testing she threw away the opened bags that had been contaminated by the test strips.

This process by the TSA is completely out of control. Nonsensical... illogical... illegal... and so on. She (and I) were very angry about another "fine" example of the TSA's "making us safe."
Contact the ACLU and local media. File a complaint against the screeners with the DHS OIG.
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Old Feb 14, 2018, 11:06 am
  #99  
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Originally Posted by petaluma1
I was under the impression, that like liquids TSA used to "test" in the gate areas, the strip was only to be waved over the liquid, not dipped into it. Am I wrong?
You are wrong. The screener always has the final say.
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Old Apr 20, 2018, 4:19 pm
  #100  
 
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It's happened yet again

https://patch.com/florida/miami/miam...st-milk-behind

A mother claimed on Friday that she was forced by a TSA agent at Miami International Airport to leave behind her baby's breast milk or risk not being allowed on her flight.
*

For those not reading the link, according to her tweet on the subject, two containers of breast milk were thrown out.

In addition, she was told by a screener, who claimed he was a supervisor when she asked for one, that she could not take pictures/film.

Last edited by petaluma1; Apr 20, 2018 at 4:27 pm
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Old Apr 20, 2018, 4:59 pm
  #101  
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Absent formal acknowledgement from TSA, I will assume this episode was either a misunderstanding on the pax's part about the handling of breast milk or the result of an aggressive pax burdening an over-stressed TSO.

In the unlikely event that it is true, the actions of that one single TSO amongst tens of thousands, in no way reflects on the performance, etc. of all the other fine folks in blue.

Don't believe me? Just ask any TSO if I'm not right.
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Old Apr 21, 2018, 12:22 pm
  #102  
 
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Follow-up to report of mom's experience at MIA

Just received call from Deputy Security Director @tsa @asktsa who listened, agreed a kinder approach is what they work towards and wants to recommend they take out bottle/bags one by one out of the cooler. Thank you for listening. My goal was to help other moms
Haven't we hear this song before? Why is TSA removing bottles/bags from coolers. Should not the passenger being doing that? (I thought TSA could not remove anything from a bag without informing the passenger beforehand, but just this week there have been reports of TSA removing an expensive camera and other items without informing the owners. The camera went missing for 24 hours.)

I fear this poor mom is going to be disillusioned.
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Old Apr 21, 2018, 8:31 pm
  #103  
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We don't even know if she actualy got this call. Has TSA confirmed it?
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Old Oct 15, 2018, 2:35 pm
  #104  
 
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TSA dumped breast milk

Gieseke claimed TSA agents wanted her to open her bag of milk to test it, but she felt uncomfortable doing so and asked them to do a different screening method.

"I was told 'Too bad, we have to open it up and test it or you can't take it with you,'" Gieseke said.
Unless the rules have changed yet again, there are TSA employees at MSP (the same airport with the 95% failure rate in the most recent testing) who need to lose their jobs, not be "retrained" but lose their jobs.
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Old Oct 15, 2018, 2:39 pm
  #105  
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Originally Posted by petaluma1
TSA dumped breast milk



Unless the rules have changed yet again, there are TSA employees at MSP (the same airport with the 95% failure rate in the most recent testing) who need to lose their jobs, not be "retrained" but lose their jobs.
Two words:

"screener discretion"
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