3-1-1 question
 

I've been carrying a gallon sized ziplock bag with me for my 3-1-1 liquids. This is obviously larger than what the TSA says the limit is, but no one has questioned me. I have a small eagle creek mesh bag that I've been using for my toiletries, and I've had to always remember to take my liquids out and put them in the ziplock before going through security theater.

My question is, do the liquids have to be in a bag/container by themselves, or can I keep them with my razor, toothbrush, etc in the mesh bag? The TSA website isn't clear about that. They do say is MUST be in a 1 quart zip top bag, but between my experience with the gallon sized ziplock, and from seeing people use zippered clear containers, I'm not sure how closely they enforce those rules. I even put all my liquids loosely in a TSA bin, because I forgot my ziplock, and no one said anything. I understand that the TSA can vary from airport to airport, but do you think I'd be able to get away with keeping my stuff together?

I always travel with my liquids in the same clear bag as the razor, comb, and other stuff and have never encountered a problem.

I once (long ago) was subjected to a stern speech because my toothbrush was in the liquid bag. I continue to keep it there, and have never again had trouble (in fact, I don´t bother to take it out anymore).

Your experience may vary. They are consistently inconsistent.

Technically speaking, the LAG bag is supposed to be alone. That being said, your experience will vary from airport to airport, some are more relaxed and tend to work with the passengers as long as the "dob" kit or toiletries bag is outside of the larger carry on bags. Some, not so much. As always, it will vary what type of response you get from the TSOs depending on the airport.

This is not really the way it should be, you should get essentially the same experience over the same subjects, but that does not appear to always be the case.

Having studied well on FT about TSA avoiding products, I carry very little in my 3:1:1 zippy bag, but my toothbrush does ride with my toothpaste.

The battle I've been having with the TSA is that they don't like my Rx special mouthwash one darn bit. When I doing a One Bag trip, I recant the Rx mouthwash into a 100 ml Scope bottle and have no issues as the two products are the same color.

When I'm checking a bag I double bag the Rx mouthwash and put it into my checked bag, but fear loosing it along the trip.

The TSA is square headed on this issue.

Thank you everyone.

I think you could say that about pretty much everything TSA related.

The times they've asked me about the bag, they seem completely baffled that I don't have one at all.

I've read here about attempted (perhaps successful) confiscations when somebody had one small bottle of liquid and failed to put it in a Kippie bag. As if it was now contraband for not being bagged. Some checkpoints give away bags. Not all.

Witnessed it at ITO. The woman ahead of me had one tiny bottle of lotion confiscated because it was not in a baggie.

Sadly, I had spare baggies, but I didn't offer her one because I didn't want to incur the retaliatory wrath of the confiscating TSO. I've also been challenged (once) because the ziploc seal broke - the baggie was held together in the middle by the slider. Fortunately, I had a spare working baggie (slightly smaller) and was able to keep most of my 3-1-1 liquids after transferring them. Of course, that triggered an full bag search....:rolleyes:

Note: supposedly the purpose of the ziploc resealable baggie was to trap telltale 'fumes' that nasty stuff might give off. ORD wouldn't accept the drawstring baggies PHX TSA used to give out (labelled 'Courtesy of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport TSA') because they weren't ziploc resealable, so they didn't trap the fumes - or so they told me).

Did anyone ever see the baggie 'fumes' being tested? How was that supposed to work, anyway? How were the fumes going to be contained while the testing went on? :rolleyes:

I've had that happen to me at TUL; all my liquids were compliant, but in a gallon ziplock. The TSA confiscated all my otherwise legal items (since I didn't have time to check the bag). I had flown with that same gallon ziplock for years prior to that without a problem, so it obviously depends on the airport.

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there you go applying logic where logic has no place.

I actually called for a Supv, and she confirmed that my items were all compliant and were not a threat to aviation security. But since they weren't in a quart sized bag, they couldn't fly. Rules is Rules.

That would make a good motto for TSA in general... ;)