FlyerTalk Forums - TSA Adjusting Prohibitions/Designated "Ask Bart" Thread

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Bart

Please don't take this the wrong way; however, had these items been confiscated, then the post would be complaining about how TSA is carrying the prohibitions to a ridiculous extreme.

There is an awful lot of space between "totally didn't notice" and "confiscation"

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgiaRebel

<lots of snipping>
Got to YQB and no luggage (thanks stupid TSA policies and those who enforce stupidity). Delta does not have another flight, so it will be tomorrow at noon before my luggage can get here. I have to leave for DET before that and my pills for diabetes and hypertension are also in that luggage - I should have taken them out, but forgot in all the aggravation and stupidity).
<snip snip>

- Alan :mad: :mad: :mad:

good lord that's just awful.

One of the two times that Mr SWise's luggage was seriously delayed in the 8 years that he has been flying regularly (weekly for 3 of those years) was post-08/10.

He went two days without his bag for a 4 day trip. :rolleyes:

Granted, I consider him incredibly lucky for never having a bag lost and so rarely delayed -- and he checks every time. ...but for these new idiotic policies to go in and then for him to immediately have a seriously delayed bag is not coincidence, imo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgiaRebel

I had no checked baggage but do have a wound that I need to change out the dressing three times a day.

On 8/25 at MHT I had a screener who, to his credit, let me keep a (75% empty) tube of generic Neosporin when I said 1) it was nonperscription medication under 4 oz, and 2) I had an infected cut on my foot.

While I think it is nosey to ask about medical conditions, I'll at least appreciate the guy for exercising some common sense ^ after I answered his prying question.

If I had a serious wound that needed dressing changes like I did when I flew in May 2005 for a job interview (5 stitches near my knee less than 18 hours old; I almost had to request a wheelchair at ORD) and they tried to confiscate the ointment, I'd call for a LEO and raise holy hell. But first I'd probaby show them the wound and ooze all over the checkpoint floor so they'd have to call out a biohazard cleanup team. :mad:

A little optimistic, aren't you?

Quote:

Originally Posted by studentff

But first I'd probaby show them the wound and ooze all over the checkpoint floor so they'd have to call out a biohazard cleanup team. :mad:

I'm sure it would be days if not months before such a mess was cleaned appropriately.

Have you seen the checkpoint floors?

--Sioux

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgiaRebel

I recently went from BOS to YQB had a meeting and then on to DET the next morning for another meeting. I then would fly back to ATL and be home. I had no checked baggage but do have a wound that I need to change out the dressing three times a day. The medications are all over the counter, but my doctor had written out the details of what I needed on a prescription form. TSA said no can take antibiotic cream and sterile water on board. They will have to be checked or discarded. What could happen to luggage on a direct flight from Boston to Quebec City - right? Got to YQB and no luggage (thanks stupid TSA policies and those who enforce stupidity). Delta does not have another flight, so it will be tomorrow at noon before my luggage can get here. I have to leave for DET before that and my pills for diabetes and hypertension are also in that luggage - I should have taken them out, but forgot in all the aggravation and stupidity). I get to Detroit (on NWA) and check with Delta to see if maybe, perhaps, pretty please my luggage is following me. It will be shipped back to BOS and then to DET the agent tells me. I have no clothes, no medicines, and no patience for stupidity. I go to my meeting and then to a drug store. I show the druggist my prescription and tell him to fill it. He says that I don't need a prescription for these OTC products. When I tell him what TSA has done, he fills the prescription and puts labels on everything (even the sterile water). I go to the airport and have everything in a plastic bag. TSA balks and I ask for a supervisor; I politely tell him what TSA in BOS did and what I have done at the drug store. He looks at the sterile water with my name on it, looks at my boarding pass and then tells me to have a safe flight.

I get to ATL and check with the baggage desk. My bag is still in YQB. Delta will send it to my home. I got it today and found out why it was not on my plane. TSA had a note in the bag stating that they had to do extra screening on my baggage and apologized for any inconvenience. I was ready to blame Delta for losing my bag, but TSA was responsible the whole time.

TSA is nothing more than a bunch of bumbling morons enforcing draconian rules for the appeasement of leisure travelers who wouldn't know safety and security if it bit them in the behind.

If Osama wanted to show how foolish, ineffective, and stupid US policies are, he would do no better than to point to Chertoff's antics in banning toothpaste and Neosporyn.

I always fly to my customer sites, but I am going to start driving and taking the train where possible. If the airlines start losing customers (i.e., money), they might stand up to these poof balls.

- Alan :mad: :mad: :mad:

Alan, copy this post and put it into letters to be sent to your congresscritters and airlines immediately. It's one of the best statements on the problems caused by DHS/TSA that I have read.

Send copies to your newspaper(s) also. With a bit of editing, it might possibly be an op ed piece.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spiff

Unlikely.

The buck stops with these two clowns.

The buck stops with those with the power to hire and fire them and the power to tell them what to do.

Quote of the Week

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgiaRebel

TSA is nothing more than a bunch of bumbling morons enforcing draconian rules for the appeasement of leisure travelers who wouldn't know safety and security if it bit them in the behind.

I nominate this for the Quote of the Week.

And please follow doober's advise to send this letter to your congress critter and the airline(s) involved.

"Prescription" water bottle

I'm going to by flying Alitalia to Asia next month. I've always carried a bottle or two of water in my carry-on, due to a history of cancer (surgical removal of salivary gland and head/neck radiation). The FAs never bring enough water for my condition. Often they don't respond to pages, and if the plane sits on the runway a long time or the flight is turbulent, I can't get to the galley or the bathroom to get more water. I have called Alitalia and my travel agent to ask if I can bring aboard an empty bottle. I don't get any straight answers from them, but the general consensus is no. I thought I might try the empty bottle anyway, since the worst that can happen is it will get thrown away.

I would rather bring my own water than deal with dirty airplane water and unhelpful flight staff. I am a pharmacist and can easily generate a prescription label for just about anything. I am thinking of labeling an amber prescription bottle for water - but Rx bottles are awfully small. Has anybody had experience with a regular 500 ml or 750 ml water bottle with Rx label on it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindabhat

I say give it a shot, by all means. This madness has to be checked somehow. Get to the checkpoint with plenty of time to spare, and if a screener tries to deny you the water, ask an LEO to intervene. I can stand many hours without water, but someone with your medical condition clearly can't (not that it's any of their damn business.)

Last I read empty bottols were ok. And if they take it away or make you dispose of it, you can take the empty bottle you have from the newstand which you will buy on the otherside of security.
Additionally, you can bring a doctor's note.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coast2Coast

Yes. but if the doctor's note is more than 25 words long, it must go in checked baggage.

Of course, if it is legible, profilers will have reason to doubt its authenticity.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgiaRebel

Delta and US Air do not care what you have to say. All my complaints have gotten the stock answer: We must obey TSA rules.

TSA won't respond to my complaints (not even a canned reply). One of my Congress critters can't figure out why I don't want to give up my toothpaste for safety (which is why I am actively supporting his opponent now). The two senators don't have a clue what the fuss is all about.

- Alan :mad:

In addition to the suggestions already made on the subject of your treatment at the hands of the TSA, I would suggest that you contact your local television stations about this.

Also, you might consider calling an attorney familiar with the ADA or civil rights or just plain litigation and see if you have a case.

Also, I'd talk to the prosecutor in Boston (?) (or whatever they are called there) to see if you can file criminal charges against the TSA agent as John Doe. Is battery too far fetched a charge in this type of case?

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindabhat

It really depends on the local rules of the airports you are transiting. For example, most airports will let you through with any liquids that are prescription medications as long as there is a prescription label attached to it. However, the BAA has specifically banned even prescription liquids in sizes greater than 50mL. (from what I understand this is cummulative as well) So if you have to go through a BAA controlled airport, then it doesn't matter if it is a prescription or not you are not getting more than 50mL through. Which I think is ludacrisly low amount of "prescription" medication as this is 1.7oz, and most dispensing is done in larger volumes. I cannot imagine being on a long flight, say 30+ hours and not having access to all of your meds.

As for printing your own labels as a pharmicist, the only thing that I would recommend is that, if possible, you make sure that the dispensing pharmacist is not yourself. I doubt the normal TSA screener would actually look at that, but a foreign one very likely would, especially if they do not speak English. Also if you do print a label for water or other OTC products, use the chemical names. (but you knew that already).

On a side note, I am starting to wonder if the number of "prescription" OTC products coming through the screening point could possiblly lead to backlash from DHS/TSA resulting in something like the obscene BAA rules.