Community
Wiki Posts
Search

Salt not allowed in carry-on bags?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jul 30, 2016, 10:22 pm
  #16  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,109
Originally Posted by Mark_T
The TSA website clearly and specifically allows a wide variety of 'salt' type products in your carry-on so I do think the potential risks of corrosion have been considered andare viewed as insignificant.

However the TSA always reserve the right to reject any item they wish on the day so once they say 'no' there really isn't a lot of point in arguing about it...
Just because TSA doesn't prohibit it doesn't mean an airline can't. TSA seems more concerned with imminent threats rather than something might cause an issue way down the road. Hawaiian doesn't mention pure salt as prohibited, but they do prohibit salt water --

http://hawaiianair.custhelp.com/app/...check-in-items
xliioper is offline  
Old Jul 30, 2016, 10:34 pm
  #17  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Atherton, CA
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP; Owner, Green Bay Packers
Posts: 21,690
Originally Posted by cynicAAl
salt is a granule, not a powder. But what exactly is the threat to aviation security here ?
Simple a salt.

Not allowed on planes.
Doc Savage is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 12:42 am
  #18  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Monte Sereno, California
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA EXP, 2 mm, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,398
WRONG....

In the past 6 months I have been traveling back and forth from Brazil. There is a brand of organic sugar I love and of course bring a few bags back for baking, coffee, etc.

I asked AA at GIG and GRU if it was ok to carry this on... the answer was yes. I have gone though customs and TSA with bags of this sugar at JFK, LAX, DFW, MIA... NO PROBLEM.
This sugar is crystallized so it looks like sea salt.

This sugar is far superior to any sugar I've had in the US, I'm very picky about what I put in my coffee.


Originally Posted by AAaLot
I am writing this on AA forum since it was AA security that enforced this rule

I was flying SAL-DFW on AA -- in SAL each gate going to the USA has its own security ran by the airline, AA in this case

I was trying to bring a sealed bag of sea salt (1lb) -- such bag I was told needed to be in checked bags -- I asked to see a printout with this rule, but was told that not all items are on the list.


Last edited by Radiant Flyer; Jul 31, 2016 at 12:49 am
Radiant Flyer is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 12:47 am
  #19  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Gold, WN A+ & CP, HH Diamond, Hyatt Platinum, National Executive Elite
Posts: 3,246
Originally Posted by Radiant Flyer
WRONG....

In the past 6 months I have been traveling back and forth from Brazil. There is a brand of organic sugar I love and of course bring a few bags back for baking, coffee, etc.

I asked AA if it was ok to carry this on... the answer was yes. I have gone though customs and TSA with bags of this sugar at JFK, LAX, DFW, MIA... NO PROBLEM.

This sugar is far superior to any sugar I've had in the US, I'm very picky about what I put in my coffee.
Not to put too fine a point on it but I'm sure you do know that sugar and salt aren't the same thing, right? Just making sure.
justhere is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 2:12 pm
  #20  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC, USA
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10,968
My bet is that the contract security agent just thought it was unusual that somebody would travel with a big bag of salt. Why go to the trouble of traveling with salt when it is easy to purchase this condiment/spice virtually anywhere in the world? It could mean you have something to hide.

Remember, those contract agents are used to seeing the same kinds of stuff in people's luggage over and over again, all day long. They know what is "normal" or typical for somebody to have in a suitcase when departing from that particular airport. Anytime they see something unusual or out of the ordinary, they are paid to be suspicious, even if it is not a threat.

Furthermore, customs agencies across the world sometimes find prohibited goods/items concealed in consumer dry goods like powdered milk, infant formula, spices, etc. Sometimes smugglers even use the empty packaging of consumer items because it looks so innocuous at a glance. There are lots of episodes on YouTube showing it. Basically, anytime they open bags and see a large quantity of a random food item/ingredient that can be easily purchased locally upon arrival, they wonder why somebody would go to the trouble of shipping it or traveling with it from far away.

Last edited by ESpen36; Jul 31, 2016 at 2:20 pm
ESpen36 is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 2:19 pm
  #21  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC, USA
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10,968
Furthermore, as noted upthread, USA-based airlines are private companies and can decide to prohibit whatever they want aboard their aircraft, within the confines of the law. If AA hires contract security and instructs them to prohibit salt in carry-on bags, all you can do is write to AA and inquire about the policy.
ESpen36 is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 2:26 pm
  #22  
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: TPA
Programs: BA Silver; Hilton Gold; IHG Diamond Ambassador; Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,815
Originally Posted by ESpen36
My bet is that the contract security agent just thought it was unusual that somebody would travel with a big bag of salt. Why go to the trouble of traveling with salt when it is easy to purchase this condiment/spice virtually anywhere in the world? It could mean you have something to hide.

Remember, those contract agents are used to seeing the same kinds of stuff in people's luggage over and over again, all day long. They know what is "normal" or typical for somebody to have in a suitcase when departing from that particular airport. Anytime they see something unusual or out of the ordinary, they are paid to be suspicious, even if it is not a threat.

Furthermore, customs agencies across the world sometimes find prohibited goods/items concealed in consumer dry goods like powdered milk, infant formula, spices, etc. Sometimes smugglers even use the packaging of dry goods because it looks so innocuous at a glance. There are lots of episodes on YouTube showing it. Basically, anytime they open bags and see a large quantity of a random food item/ingredient that can be easily purchased locally upon arrival, they wonder why somebody would go to the trouble of shipping it or traveling with it from far away.
I'll give you one reason, from personal experience. Often I would stay in a kitchen-equipped studio/condo for a week or two, and either
- bring smallish quantities of things you can't buy in small supply, or
- buy more than I need and bring the rest back

What can I say -- I was cheap and hated to waste.

And, yes, I got flagged once at X-Ray due to a few pounds of rice. Once they opened and saw the clear bagful I was good to go.
SpammersAreScum is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 2:28 pm
  #23  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NYC, USA
Programs: AA EXP 3MM, Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10,968
Originally Posted by SpammersAreScum
I got flagged once at X-Ray due to a few pounds of rice. Once they opened and saw the clear bagful I was good to go.


Exactly. It's just not what they are used to seeing. So they were more interested.
ESpen36 is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 2:44 pm
  #24  
 
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,695
I gave up over $1,000 usd in dead sea salt products when the liquid ban occurred flying from TLV>PHX while making a connection. I had a choice to check the products as baggage but I knew I would miss my flight. This was early on and the security gals put all of it on the table to take home as it was just the 1st day of the no liquid ban
Centurion is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 7:32 pm
  #25  
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP/OWE, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 880
Originally Posted by RichVan
Grab yourself some water, make a high salt solution and dump it somewhere critical and you could potentially down the road compromise aircraft integrity due to galvanic corrosion if other metals are present.
Maybe that's why they're changing their planes over to composite materials?
GlobalMatt is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 7:59 pm
  #26  
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: IAD
Posts: 736
Going back to what the threat to aviation security would be. So the logic would be that a person trying to cause harm to an aircraft would:
  1. Board a flight, and place the salt in a location of the aircraft somewhere critical that is also aluminum.
  2. Note the tail number of the aircraft.
  3. Hope maintenance misses it for many months.
  4. Keep reading the news looking for stories of downed aircraft and compare the tail number from step two.

Seems a little far fetched to me.
IAD_flyer is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 9:29 pm
  #27  
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: London; Bangkok; Las Vegas
Programs: AA Exec Plat; UA MM Gold; Marriott Lifetime Titanium; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 8,745
I travel with a one-quart sized reusable plastic baggie containing 2-cups of a white powder mix in my check-in bag: one cup of sea salt and one cup of baking soda. It's for nasal irrigation.

EVERY SINGLE TIME TSA opens the bag and inspects it. Overseas? They have NEVER opened my bag to inspect it.

Annoying. I know darn well they are looking to see if it is drugs. Gotta love that mission creep . . .
Always Flyin is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 9:52 pm
  #28  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: SJC/SFO & ORD
Programs: LT Gold/BA Executive Club/AS MP/Marriott
Posts: 1,646
Originally Posted by IAD_flyer
Seems a little far fetched to me.
Though very highly unlikely, certainly theoretically possible.
Jacobin777 is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 10:09 pm
  #29  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
Originally Posted by ESpen36
Furthermore, as noted upthread, USA-based airlines are private companies and can decide to prohibit whatever they want aboard their aircraft, within the confines of the law. If AA hires contract security and instructs them to prohibit salt in carry-on bags, all you can do is write to AA and inquire about the policy.
TSA is not contract security and isn't hired by the airline. They are an agency of the federal government.
MSPeconomist is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2016, 11:21 pm
  #30  
Hilton Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: District of Columbia
Programs: AA ExecPl, AT Gold, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Diamond, Hilton Diamond, National
Posts: 2,441
Originally Posted by MSPeconomist
TSA is not contract security and isn't hired by the airline. They are an agency of the federal government.
I don't think TSA operates security in El Salvador.
chrisny2 is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.