wetrat0

If they really wanted to up their customer service game, the TSA should be offering to trade each confiscated toothpaste for a shower curtain, light bulb, or similar amenity that might be missing from your Sochi hotel room. @:-)

DeafBlonde

After hearing about the Sock Monkey and Woody weapon confiscations, I think I know how TSA will guard against the toothpaste/sunscreen substitution scenario:
You will be asked to rub your sunscreen onto your teeth, and they will shine a uv tanning light on your teeth. If your teeth do not get sunburned, you will be allowed to procede to your gate.

dan1431

My buddy was flying to Moscow from the USA for work the other day and witnessed something that I found amusing.

A fellow pax had all his liquids prescribed, for example, my friend said that the toothpaste was clearly Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste but a pharmacy slapped a prescription label on the tube and the box and the TSA did not attempt to confiscate it, likewise for a host of other products that this pax did not want to check.

It did cause a bit of an uproar according to my friend as other pax complained how unfair it was that this person was allowed to have his liquids because of a loophole while they (the other pax) had all their liquids either confiscated or packed in their checked luggage. One man apparently demanded that said pax be denied boarding and apparently the gate agent did call a Supervisor who did talk with TSA but it was determined that TSA didn't want to mess with prescriptions and thus allowed the PAX to fly.

My buddy spoke with this pax for a second and he said that his MD and Dentist both understood and were more than willing to write prescriptions for said items, but the real issue was the pharmacy as he had to visit four pharmacies before he found one willing to play ball. It was an independent pharmacy apparently and the Pharmacist charged a nominal fee for printing the labels and ensuring the items were as prescribed.

In my buddies case, he asked a local Russian colleague to pick up the few liquids he would need while he was in Moscow so he really didn't care but found the hole episode amusing.

IMHO kudos to the pax with the perscriptions while I might not be brave enough to do such a things (I tend to be more "sheeple" than agitator) I do give the pax credit.

Dan

RadioGirl

Great story!

I was wondering what "no liquids" meant in this context. So it sounds like they are allowing exemptions for prescriptions, and (maybe) infant formula and the other "exceptions" to the 3.4 ounce rule?

kochleffel

I was traveling on the very day that the U.S. promulgated the "no liquids" rule (2006?). I knew about it in time to pack such liquids as I had in a bag that I could check, but I held on to a prescription nasal spray. The TSA told me that they would have allowed it if there had been a prescription label, but there wasn't -- pharmacy had put the label on the box it came in, not on the bottle.

x1achilles

Toothpaste has been banned for years in tubes larger than 100g (3oz.). What's the fuss?

InkUnderNails

Please do not succumb to the TSA unit conversion ignorance in the name of simplicity. It is 3.4 oz (approximately).

Spiff

It should never have been banned in the first place.

When the ignorant little jackasses "in charge" of TSA double down on their own stupidity, they should be called on it.

CPT Trips

More to the point, manufacturers know that toothpaste is not a liquid. The sell it by weight, not volume. My tube is labeled "3.5 ounces 99 g" and that conversion is correct.

Xyzzy

Gd luck getting the TSA to understand that if they happen to look at the label.

N830MH

Yeah, that was so stupid. There is no banned liquids. And now, the Sochi Olympics is over. They will relax the rules. Hopefully, this will not gonna happens again in the future.

Right, they have to read the labeled. I realize that I saw lady who bought lotion at security on this Sunday evening. I caught her and when I passed at security. She got 8oz lotion and I told male TSO that she cannot allowed to bring more than 8oz. Only 3.4oz. I told other female TSO that she appreciate it to me. I told her that I am very good travel experience for a long time. She cannot bring more than 8oz. She didn't following the liquids policy.

Right, not a liquids. There is no explosives inside. There is no evidence.

Dovster

Why did you say anything at all to the TSO?

N830MH

Actually, I told both TSO about female passenger who bought 8oz lotions. When I saw her and she took liquids out of carryon bag and she put in the bins. She cannot allowed to bring more than 3.4oz. She didn't know about liquids restrictions. She didn't placed them into checked bag. Female TSO say thanked to me. She appreciate it to me. I am acknowledgeable about the liquids policy. I told her that I am very good travel experience for a long time. I have no problem for me at all.

dimramon

Why on earth would you tell that to a TSA clerk? Are you an aspiring TSA clerk, or do you just like to tell on people?
Frankly, I think you should have minded your own business and kept your mouth shut.
It's bad enough that people have to deal with these clerks, but then to have passengers like you...

FlyingHoustonian

The point was that is seems like a rude (better words exist to describe that but mods will most likely not allow) move to many of us. As long as the woman did not put WEI in the bin and TSA somehow missed a stun gun or something many here feel you should mind your own business. You claim to be educated about the rules to include liquids yet you have complained on here before about TSA making you take your shoes off, even to the point of conflict with them, when that is also a rule. It seems you want to have it both ways. But maybe I misunderstood something in an earlier post.