Originally Posted by
Efrem
Toothpaste in the U.S. is sold by weight, not volume. Unfortunately, the name of the standard weight unit (the ounce) is the same as the name of the volume unit that TSA agents use as a size criterion. Since toothpaste is rather dense, a 4.8 ounce (by weight) tube of toothpaste contains less than the allowable 3.4 ounces (by volume). Does anyone have any experience with TSA agents in this regard? ...
Blogger Bob over at the TSA blog has essentially said that they sorta kinda know that fluid ounces and avoirdupois ounces aren't necessarily the same thing but they don't really care. (I suspect he doesn't really get the complexity of it but just nods along.) And to be honest, in an organization that struggles to train its people that photography is allowed, that Nexus is legitimate ID, and that 3.0 is not the same as 3.4, getting them to do a conversion from toothpaste by weight to fluid ounces is a big ask.
Originally Posted by
Efrem
Do they know this, ...
No.
Originally Posted by
Efrem
... and let that size tube through?
Maybe. There are reports from various outstations that they're not as fussy about liquids as they used to be. YMMV (a lot).
Originally Posted by
Efrem
Do they see "4.8 oz." on the label and say "No way?"
Probably.
Originally Posted by
Efrem
Can they be convinced?
Not with any appeal to mathematics, science or logic, no. Maybe with "please, dude, just this one time."