CONFIRMED: Airport Security Doesn’t Understand Physics
Jackie Reddy September 15, 2015
When is a liquid not a liquid? When it’s frozen of course! Here’s what happened when one man decided to test the logic and limits of airport security.
Airport security is Byzantine in complexity, especially when it comes to flying with liquids. Determined to push the rules as well as the patience of staff, one man set out to find out what, exactly, would happen if he tried passing through security with a bottle of frozen soda.
Simon Perry provided insight behind his recent experiment to Gizmodo, explaining that on a previous trip, he had become concerned “about the monopoly that the shops have in the airport for selling drinks and it just occurred to me that only liquids were banned, a frozen drink isn’t a liquid.”
Perry tested his theory last week on a flight from London to Los Angeles. In preparation for his experiment, he froze a bottle of Diet Coke into a large block of ice. The idea was that the ice would melt and Perry would be able to enjoy his drink without shelling out in Duty Free.
Armed with this theory and with his block of ice in tow, Perry approached the security checkpoint at London Heathrow Airport (LHR), where he showed staff his drink and advised that he, “had a liquid, but in solid form.”
At this point, Perry says he was told by both the security officer and supervisor that it would not be possible for him to take his drink on the flight.
“[The officer] told me that it wasn’t allowed so I asked under what grounds, given it is not a liquid. When he said I couldn’t take it I asked if he knew that for sure or just assumed,” said Perry. “He grabbed his supervisor and the supervisor told me that ‘the government does not classify that as a solid’. I decided to leave it at that point. I expect they’re probably wrong to take it from me. They’d probably not seen it before, didn’t know the rules, and being a bit of an eccentric request, decided to act on the side of caution. They didn’t spend the time to look it up.”
Though the U.S. and U.K. have differing rules with regards to flying with frozen liquids, for any further confusion, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) advises that all travelers check here before flying.
[Photo: Simon Perry]
The rule against liquids is due to the fear that there are some liquids that are NOT explosives, but could be used to do a chemical reaction on a plane. None of these problematic liquids will freeze/remain frozen for any length of time at room temperature. So the fact that a liquid can freeze and remain frozen long enough to get it through security actually demonstrates that it is NOT the chemicals in question. The author was stupid in that he said, "I have a liquid in solid form". It appears to me that he was the one who didn't understand physics, because that statement is self-contradictory and created needless confusion. Why on EARTH would you claim you have a liquid when you have a solid? If I claim "I have a deadly weapon in the form of a ballpoint pen," they're not going to let me take it through security. Even though any ballpoint pen could be used to kill someone, and they let other ballpoint pens through security, mine is not getting through that day. Period.
Who said the flight was delayed? I said he held up the line so he could get a story. Assuming it's not just made up, which is completely possible with a Gawker site.
"If the tubes were each 3oz, and they fit in a quart bag, you didn’t need to bother freezing them, they were already under the liquid limits." True, but like Mr. Perry I was curious how they would react to the frozen aspect. A better test might have been to leave a larger frozen container in the carry on to see how it scanned.
"At the next opportunity I presented to airport TSA three 3oz food grade silicone Gotoobs filled with frozen pesto in an approved quart sized bag. That TSA agent gave me the stinkeye and was going to disallow them, but after conferring with a supervisor when I protested let them pass. And dinner was saved." If the tubes were each 3oz, and they fit in a quart bag, you didn't need to bother freezing them, they were already under the liquid limits. Agreed, though, the limits are dumb.
Another surreal moment at CDG security check where I was bringing with me cheeses. They let camembert go through because "it felt hard". They dumped the gruyere because "it could melt". Go figure.