Points Scrounger

Why I thought the public supports all this by a wide margin?

MSY-MSP

I think the "general" public supports the lifting of the liquid ban, and limiting the size of most items. However, I do not think the public likes or supports the baggie part of the plan. It is too much of a pain for the average person, and the actual procedures for handling the liquids seem to create more of a burden on the public. For some reason I think Hawley's 6 weeks of this is likely to be followed on by a complete ban again. I think they are going to come out and say that the procedures are unworkable.

FWAAA

In my dozen or so trips thru LAX T-4 security since Aug 10, I've noticed a recognition by the screeners that they are enforcing very silly rules - most have been apologetic for opening carryons to check that the saline is 4 oz.

Not quite as apologetic and deferential as the screeners at NRT, SIN, HKG and BKK have been (they universally appear to view these no-liquid rules as completely assinine - something that only Stupid Americans could come up with and support), but the LAX screeners are slowly realizing that they're just the circus performers in the TSA's Security Circus.

I'm hoping that more and more screeners realize that they've been played and that they aren't actually making anyone safer - they've just doing a song and dance. Modern Day Minstrels.

pbjag

PBI yesterday -- received a nod of approval and a comment "she knows what she's doing!" from the TSA screener when they saw my neatly packed ziplock bacg with neatly stowed <3 oz toiletries. I appeared to be the only one, though -- the other lanes were filled with confused travelers (who appeared to be leisure travelers) with no clue about the new regs.

TPA today had a long table set up, staffed by three TSA agents to inspect/hand out plastic bags. Unfortunately, this setup apparently reduced their staff resources for the screening lanes -- only 2 lanes were open.

Better yet, not one single person except me had brought toiletries with them to carry on, so these three agents were doing absolutely nothing except sitting there twiddling their thumbs. When the screening line grew to more than 50 people, a couple of people in line asked if additional lanes could be opened. The three "declaration agents" with nothing to do replied "sorry, we don;t have anybody available to work another lane."

Points Scrounger

This brings out a thought I've had since Baggie Day. I don't understand how a person can confiscate items for weeks on end knowing with full certainty (shampoo is shampoo, you know it when you see it, etc.) that all they're doing is inconvieniencing (I'm deliberately avoiding using "harrassing") many people a day whom the screeners know with almost full certainty pose no threat at all, while tons of plastic goes needlessly in landfills.

For those screeners who get off on it - and yes THEY EXIST (though not in the legions one might assume from reading certain posts) - one can only feel sorry for them.

deac83

DCA this morning.

They have a check point at security to check the size of your plastic bags.

Very stict. 2 items in a larger bag will be rejected.

essxjay

Could you clarify? Do you mean "only two items in a gallon-sized bag" will be rejected?

mikeef

Sounds like they were more concerned with the size of the bag than the number of items. But these days, who knows?

Mike

deac83

Yes that's exactly what I mean. One traveler in line held up a gallon size plastic bag with two 3 oz bottles in it and they told him he had to check it because the bag was too big.

The DCA situation was as follows.

Before getting your ID and boarding pass checked there are two TSA agents standing on the other side of the ropes so that as you near the ID check they you must pass by them (potentially have standing in line for 15 min+ to get there). They have a table set up with 3 things on it. 1. A plastic bag with several items comfortably packed in it (the good example), 2. A plastic bag packed to the brim (the bad example), 3. Sketched out 'sizer' of the exact size of the correct plastic bag you are allowed. They actually were rejecting bags that did not fit in these exact dimensions, even if the bag was clearly a 'quart' size.

Besides the fact that what they are doing clearly does not follow the intent of the rules, this has created two additional positions for TSA agents to work. I guess the TSA now has unlimited funds for this.

I don't recall reading there were be a 'sizer' implemented. Maybe they can also require you to pour your liquids out and mesure the exact onces as well.

And to be clear this was at security for the AA concourse.

DroolingLamb

What happens to all the confiscated items?
Is there a sale?
Do the TSA agents keep them?
Are they thrown away?
Mailed to you?

tdo-ca

A deodorant stick and a blister pack of Tylenol - both were just chucked into my carry on for the return.

Return was from DCA, and my experience was similar to the others, only I downsized to a "snack size" bag and TSA was cool with it - they were definitely restricting against larger bags, and I heard them apologetically trying to explain that they had to have a standard, and this is better than nothing.

As for the "confiscated" items - big trash cans nearby, mostly filled with water bottles. Some places have mailer/SASO options.

Buster

This is absolutely absurd. How are we supposed to know what "sizer" each airport is using? What if one likes the Hefty dimensions and the other the Ziploc dimensions? Do I need to buy 4 different kinds of quart bags just to be safe?

Sigh. Air travel hardly seems worth the trouble these days.

pattybin

I spoke with a gentleman earlier today who had traveled out of Memphis yesterday. His 4oz. bottle of hair gel that was visibly only half full or approx 2oz. was taken from him.

dw8146

PHL - Terminal E today, baggie king and queen after ID checker and before WTMD/X-ray asking if passengers had any liquids, toothpaste, etc. Pulled out my .85 oz tube of toothpaste, sans baggie and waited for what I thought would be a demand of where's my regulation baggie. To my surprise I received no such interrogation and was waved on. Turns out, at least at this checkpoint, they were being sensible about letting one small item into a bin rather than requiring the regulation bag.

Points Scrounger

Well, see, if they had to estimate by eye and start making assumptions, then folks would sometimes get through with say ... as much as 3.5 oz!