petaluma1

Quote was not my experience. However, it seems that possession of food, Pre or not, makes it more likely that you will be groped, Pre or not. Someone posted a picture last week on @TSA of their bag of Jordan almonds being swabbed!

With all these new procedures in place, I would imagine that the testing failure rate would soar to new heights - although I guess you can't get much higher than 95% can you?

zitsky

This all does seem pretty strange. It's like a war on food. I can understand chocolate and maybe coffee if they are dense, but energy bars and the like. Sigh.

chollie

It's a combination of screeners taking 'Final Say' to new limits and another failed attempt at 'pax training'.

Some of the food (notice it's all 'snacks') is clearly being confiscated because a TSO wants the food.

The rest is pax training. The extent of the new harassment is all over the web, not just on AskTSA. Runners and athletes are getting their snacks and protein bars and supplements challenged and confiscated at record-breaking rates - always with an accompanying intensive genital grope.

This ramped up attack on baby food, breast milk, medications, adult food - even questioning the amount of snacks someone brings - are all coming straight from HQ.

zitsky

So medications will get me "enhanced" screening? Well I guess, sign me up then.

richarddd

I sometimes fly with a fair amount of chocolate whey protein powder, repacked into baggies. It sounds like this new policy could be a problem.

petaluma1

Yep.

chollie

Yeah, I'm not happy about this. I've had my own issue with TSA over having my medical nitro confiscated - I do not need more meds taken.

There's been a subtle shift in the wording of some AskTSA replies. They are telling some people that meds are OK but have to be removed and declared prior to screening. (Failure to do so results in a mandatory punitive grope, I kid you not). In one instance, the tweeter they were responding to was specifically asking about pills. TSA used to say you only had to remove and declare oversize medical LGAs. Something's changing, and not for the better.

Yeah, I'm hearing from both distance runners and a couple body-builders I know that protein whey powder is now drawing attention. Put it in baggies, thinking it's easy to squeeze a snack-size baggie and know that nothing is concealed in there, but no, some TSOs will stand there and open every single serving-size baggie. I guess it's part of the larger war on anything consumable: foods, supplements, meds.

richarddd

Have you heard any ways of minimizing problems? One or two large baggies? Prayer?

chollie

No, and if you come up with something, I know plenty of people who'd like to hear it, including me.

Prayer and use strong baggies or double bag, because an impatient gloved TSO can rip a thin baggie while trying to open it. Baggies are probably better anyway, but a young body-builder I know got grief over an unopened (new) quart-size container of whey protein and had to open it at the checkpoint.

I hope the idiots who confiscate this stuff don't take it home and try to snort it or smoke it. TSA's physical standards are pretty low; I haven't seen many TSOs who look like they know what to do with protein powder.

eta: I forgot until petaluma1 posted: do NOT check protein powder in any form if you can help it. They will open it and they will toss it back in your bag without resealing it - even if it's a brand new sealed container. TSA's idea of workplace humor.

petaluma1

Here's an example of what TSA can and does do to baggies:

Boggie Dog

No, it's a war on people exercising their right to travel freely. TSA does not support the basic concepts of the United States.

zitsky

How do we stop this nonsense? Now I'm on the do not fly list.

Boggie Dog

I don't know. Our congresscritters are not willing to step up and reel in TSA. That leaves one option, travel by other means than commercial air which is simply not an viable choice for a lot of people.

Complain, complain often. Complain to the electeds, DHS OIG, civil rights organizations, airport authorities, local government and ant one else you can think of.

Until some group takes notice TSA has us truly by the balls.

zitsky

Careful now. Let's keep this thread clean. LOL

I just don't know what to say.

BSBD

Literally. I recently saw a FB post from a friend that she was asked to open a factory-sealed can of tennis balls. "Can I bring" on the TSA website says tennis balls are allowed in both carry-on and checked luggage.