ilya7x

It is not an option to buy 3.4 oz bottles in my city (all I can find is 2.4oz at Target) I dug deep in my bathroom and found a bunch of small lotion bottles. One is a bottle still with the label (3.4 oz scented lotion). I have a few other bottles that are slightly shorter, I think 3 oz but it does not say 3 oz anywhere on the bottle. Also some little white non-see through containers I presume to be less than .5 oz (they were sample sun screens)

Is this okay? (I need to divide 4- 4oz organic sunscreens into smaller bottles) I called TSA (they took down my first and last name, why?)
and they said it's up to the checkers "discretion"?

Also anyone here have experience ask another stranger flying to hold their quart size liquid bag for them? No way all my stuff will fit in just ONE. >=/

Thanks for any advice. ESpecially in the next couple hours because I am leaving in the next 15 hours

UshuaiaHammerfest

Unmarked containers are perfectly fine. Never had an issue.

That's not true. If the container is less than 100ml and does not contain prohibited liquids, it is allowed.

That strikes me as a very bad idea. Not only is it against the rules to carry two bags on, but if someone decides to report that you asked you may face much greater scrutiny at the hands of TSA.

Fit your stuff into one bag. Whatever you can't fit, plan on buying at your destination.

chollie

I have had bottles confiscated because they weren't labelled - even though they were in a baggie with other (slightly larger) bottles that were clearly labelled. TSO just told me that was procedure (ie, "checker's discretion", aka, 'whatever they feel like doing'.

Absolutely no way someone else should be holding anything of yours or vice versa. Way too much at risk.

What kind of baggie are you using? If you use the ones with the little sliding 'zipper', they seem to hold a bit more.

I've had a TSA ask for my BP and ID just to get a comment card. One supervisor in LIH used to log the information of anyone who opted out. This is always 'just' for their records. I suspect Nappy never gave up on her idea of a 'domestic extremist' database, and that's probably where all this information will end up.

The best part? When I wanted the comment card, it was actually to praise a competent, respectful screener. I don't do that any more. If the price of complimenting a screener is to get an entry in a TSA database, forget it.

DanishFlyer

I'm guessing OP meant that if a container looks to be close to (or over) 3.4 oz, and is not marked, then what? I think there could be a risk that some screener decides that since the bottle is not marked 3.4 or less, it is over and OP will surrender the bottle.

I don't have experience with this size issue.

However, I have had an unmarked bottle tested (how, I do not know, since the lady hid everything from site, shampoo was tossed once I got off the flight) at BHX last year: "Since some of your bottles are unmarked, I will just randomly test one of those" Because, really, the marked bottles OF COURSE contains what it says on the label...

However, I have never gotten asked or anything about my unmarked bottles anywhere else.

DanishFlyer

cordelli

It's up to the checker to allow something to pass or not if it's not marked with a size on it. Even if it's smaller than a marked 3 oz bottle, they may be a pain and refuse it.

I would never ask a stranger to carry stuff for me, nor would I ever do it for somebody else.

Put your carry on in one bin with a bag, and put your shoes and jacket or whatever in another bin with another bag, and the odds of them figuring they are both yours are very low.

Some quart size bags are much larger than others, if you have more than one brand/style at home check to see if any are larger.

ilya7x

Thanks for the replies. This is my first time really travelling. I would really hate for everything to be thrown out if the TSA was rude. So if I were to bring regular non-carry on luggage then your bottle sizes don't even matter, correct?

squeakr

lili

I've been carrying two refillable 3 oz unmarked bottles from Target for a few years now and no one has ever commented on them. They look enormous next to the 1.1 oz hotel shampoo bottles. Cordelli's two-bin trick for two baggies is good and has been reported on the women's board to be quite successful. Enjoy your trip.

UshuaiaHammerfest

+1

You may lose one of the bags but it's highly unlikely.

iluv2fly

My record is four baggies on one trip.

Emeraldcity

LOL Was behind a woman who tried to do just that. TSA told her she could only keep ONE of the bags (she had 5), she then turned to complete strangers and asked them to take one of her bags through.
Needless to say, she lost four of her plastic bags.

The other solution is to just check your bag.

peachfront

If someone asked me to carry something for them, I would refuse and feel obligated to report that person to the authorities. Sorry. Use solid sunscreen. I spent a month in South Africa in January and I survived and you can't possibly be any paler than I unless you are Casper the Ghost himself. For some people, checking a bag costs money and time, so I understand the reluctance to do so. But check out the solid sunscreens, they do work, if you use them under make-up. (Sorry, male readers, I do not know if they work alone.)

lili

The other solution is to just not take your baggie out of your carry on. I only put mine in the bin when I'm running late or with friends and don't want any holdup. The other 95% of the time I leave it in my carry on and the TSA seems to have no problem with that or the other miscellaneous liquids in the pockets of my suitcase and purse.

Caveat: I don't know what they would do when the x-ray shows a bunch of baggies, but I can assure you one baggie and some odd stuff passes every time. YMMV of course.

MSPeconomist

Several years ago I had an issue with an unmarked bottle I purchased as an empty bottle and filled with liquid. The bottle was tiny (IIRC one ounce) and clearly marked with it's volume. The screener was upset that it wasn't an original travel size bottle of shampoo, mouthwash or whatever and said something about not being able to know what was in my unlabeled bottle. I avoided pointing out that she couldn't know anyway unless the bottle was factory sealed.

Since then I recycle hotel toiletry bottles and any sample/travel sized ones I get. As long as the liquid of a well know brand label isn't obviously of the wrong color for the label of its contents, how can the screeners know?

squeakr