I wonder if the common point of failure is the inability of the TSA to disseminate information to its clerks, or the clerks' inability to absorb the information disseminated.

1) 3.0oz -> 3.4oz
2) Nexus cards
3) Photography/videography at the checkpoints

...et cetera, ad absurdum.

AND according to at least one TSO here, gallon size bags are permitted at the checkpoint...

...and how many times have we seen TSA employees post things to various internet fora with "facts" that are entirely untrue? I've lost count.

And that is again a reason why some of us feel that there is a credibility factor. I actually appreciate the input of some of the TSOs here but there have been several threads where two of them posted conflicting information on the same threads. I don't think that it is out of malice or a desire to confuse necessarily, but rather I think that it represents the varying interpretation of the rules that TSOs themselves seem to have.

Skirts is another example - 'bulky items must be removed' = all skirts are bulky and are thus subject to a pat down is the result from some TSOs. Yet other times I can travel for weeks without a skirt induced pat down. I have also quizzed various managers around the US and some tell me ALL skirts and some tell me long, heavy skirts are the issue.

Then there is the issue of contractors - MCI and SFO have different interpretations or different rules, or have told me that TSA gives them directives to follow which differ from those that other airports must follow.

Don't you get it? It's another layer of skewrity. TSA knows very well that metric prevails in the 'stan countries, and therefore terrorists will have difficulty getting quart-sized bags over there. Without quart size bags they will not be able to smuggle their liquid WEI onto aircraft. Only genuine red-blooded 'mericans will be able to find genuine approved bags. TSA is keeping Amerika safe.

FWIW, they were enforcing this at CZM last weekend also. (Yep, I know that's Mexico but I also know they're under a lot of pressure to comply with US screening procedures - and are probably even receiving US financial aid to implement them.)

Luckily I had an extra Kippie on hand to deliver to a fellow pax, who was being told she had to discard something clearly under 3.4 mL due to its lack of bag.

I'm not piling on whomever posted this (forgot to copy the username and my browser is wonky this morning, so can't go back), but it's things like this that make me CRAZY. Seriously? Staff are not permitted to OK a couple of items that would clearly fit into a quart bag b/c of the size of the bag?

If this is going to be the mentality, I'm going to continue to do whatever I can to ensure that we have common-sense security in this country, rather than the current adherence to head-in-the-sand, blatantly ridiculous, rules for the sake of rules.

If common sense is taken out of the equation, all is lost.

Hate to say it, but that ship has already sailed. Long ago.

hee hee hee! Touche...

The rule is fairly simple

1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag

The organizer cube clearly does not fit this description in any way shape or form, and should not be marketed as something that does.

I'm not saying the rule makes any sense, but in this case, I can see why they did not allow it through.

This lack of ability to use common sense is an issue, but I have mixed feelings about this. In the US, the security screener position is generally viewed as an entry level, unskilled position.

In other countries (the UK, Germany, Canada, and the Channel Islands most recently) I see screeners locate and remove items larger than 100ml and/or not in a plastic bag. Generally they investigate the item, swab it, speak (politely) to the passenger, and in almost every case I have seen they allow the item to pass. (The exception I saw recently was at TXL with an older couple having ALL their LGAs full size in their luggage, but the screener kindly explained, arranged for LH to retrieve their checked bag, and found the wife a seat to wait for her husband while he checked those items)

However, the difference I sense is between professionals and generally unskilled labour which seems to lack the ability to follow even basic directives. I don't think that I would want TSOs to use their own judgement on those types of things as right now many of them fail at following the basics.

I just looked at the link from the OP.

It is a quart-sized clear plastic zip-top bag, with the possible exception of the reinforced edges. But it does seem to fit the description rather closely...

Can you share a link to where this comes from? I couldn't find it on the TSA website.

Recently (in Canada where I live), I can no longer find the "Zip-Loc" 1 quart size (or equiv.) with the slider. I still see slyder-style for med & lg thou.

Well, except SATTSO, a generally reliable source, posted months ago that a gallon-size baggie is now acceptable, as long as the quantity of contents doesn't exceed what would fit in a quart-sized baggie.

I've use gallon sized bags, small bags, and quart sized. As well as hard plastic bags that came in a travel kit.

Most airports I travel through continue to "Bark" that liquids and gels must be removed. ORD/DFW/STL/IAH.

They also say to remove the laptop, but I have a checkpoint friendly bag and don't. So the bottom line, if your bag is easily viewable on the x-ray, they may be allowing the liquids through.