You don't need empty bottles. Simply buy as many as you want after you pass thru security and then stow them in your carryon luggage. Even better go with canned soft drinks as they can't be differentiated from the airlines cans (just make sure you get the right brand, i.e., pepsi v. coke)

I boarded 4 planes last week, the TSA was only conducting gate checks at 2/4 (to/from DCA) and even then your chance of being searched was about 1:10, less if you timed it right. Further there was no gate rape so you could probably stuff them in your pants, skirt, etc. as they were only rummaging thru bags.

The whole idea of confiscating items like water that are so easily obtained (after the checkpoint) and easily hidden is beyond absurd.

P.S. SFO missed my neosporin, but it was confiscated at DCA, which I gather means the screeners in the Washington area are more competent, so to speak.

I do have to give props to Bart's counterpart. The screener wanted to take my flonase (minus the prescrip.) but he was overruled by the supervisor who correctly noted that it fell under the nasal spray exception, with or without prescrip. Bravo.