Liquid /Gel Ban Enforcement?
 

Initial reports suggest that, in many/most instances, the liquid/gel ban is unenforceable and TSA is not enforcing it by detailed inspections. Compliance is voluntary.

And I just bet that the terrorists will voluntarily comply, too! :mad:

I've been thinking of carrying a small tube of toothpaste in my clothing next time I fly (on August 30). That may be all I really need that might be a problem under the new rules, and they'll never find it in my pants. I can carry on everything else I need. I can even shave with ordinary soap (although shaving cream is better, obviously).

Bruce

The world has gone insane. I didn't realize how many items are liquid/gel until all of this baloney started.

This ban is totally unenforceable unless TSA plans on going through each and every bag that comes through the checkpoint. Not going to happen. I think all of this will die down pretty quickly.

It's really hard to find good quality shaving oil in a hurry. Plus the bottle isn't that big. I can hide it right next to my chapstick. ;)

I suppose shaving gels are banned, but what about shaving creams? :cool:

I'm more interested in knowing:
1. Is there a penalty for attempting to bring liquids aboard an aircraft? -&-
2. Is there an enforcable penalty for REPEATEDLY attempting to bring liquids aboard an aircraft?

Dunno. Excellent questions.

Taking it further, I asume (without having researched it) that the 2001 revisions to the US Code (the Transportation Security Act) grant Chertoff/Hawley the authority to ban even benign substances like water and chapstick. But imagine the criminal trial where the accused asks to see Government's Exhibit A; opens the cap, and promptly drinks it. The jury goes "GASP" and the defendant smiles. Will the defendant be convicted? If yes - of what, exactly?

Water can hardly be classified as a weapon (which the current statute criminally punishes).

If Chertoff banned hair tomorrow, would that be an enforcable ban?

My guess is that water is banned not because the TSA has any lawful authority to ban it, but that it has the 44k people and enough guys with guns on its side to prohibit it.

Attempted smuggling of water probably gets you the civil fine notice; repeat attempts probably puts your name on a list that gets you arrested the next time you try it.

Kona security just allowed a chapstick that I explicitly showed and asked about. Sounds like the vaseline tube type wouldn't be allowed, but a chapstick 'stick' is allowed. But, that's just one screener at one time on one day.

I very much get the impression this is largely voluntary and that lots of 'prohibited' items are coming through.

In theory I suppose TSA could issue civil fines as water is now a prohibited item. :rolleyes:

But I suspect it will be like the lighter ban in that as long as you don't say something really stupid, you can get away with "oops I forgot about that." If they start catching these things on x-ray, it will also be like the lighter ban in that you can get away with a few hotel-sized items in your pockets as long as you don't get SSSS or other secondary.

My plan today if my items were detected was "oops I went hiking last weekend" for the sunscreen in my backpack and "oops I forgot about that spare mouthwash/shampoo in the zipper compartment of the rollaboard," for those items.

Doing anything that could be construed as pure artful concealment though (e.g., sewing items into bag liner?) and can't be interpreted as accidental is probably a bad idea as some power tripper might make a big deal. Trying to bring something to the same checkpoint a second time (after confiscation/turn-back) is probably a bad idea too. But I suspect TSA management knows how stupid they will look if they start fining/prosecuting people for carrying water. And banning harmless everyday items that people don't think about makes it inevitable that people will forget about them. It's not like we're talking about guns here.

When water is criminalized only criminals will have water....

I have one of those little pocket Listerene sprays...that has liquid, but I don't think I could GET to it easily. It would not get picked up by a metal detector, I think I will just "forget" to take it out of my pocket...would a FA have a panic attack if they see someone using breath spray?

So I am going to walk through security with the most unkempt hair and blackened teeth--they'll wave me right through. ;)

Not at all. After all, FAs are there for our safety, not for your comfort.

You will be only be restrained and handcuffed, your flight will be diverted to the next airport, and the FBI will meet you at the plane. Then we read about it in the Newsstand forum.

If a FAM is on board, he might just shoot you.Later, they will say they suspected you operating a liquid bomb trigger mechanism. And the usual suspects in the Travel Security forum will celebrate the FAM's actions.
Better safe than sorry. :D

So if you want to live, consider switching to Listerine PocketPaks. But then again, I'm sure some TSA genius will find a way to label that one a "gel".

I went through SYD and LAX. At LAX they said there was a ban. I didnt have any but it seemed pretty much routine security. The Starbucks was telling people when they ordered that they had to drink it before boarding which was about the closest thing I saw to enforcement. In SYD it was very rigorously enforced. I guy near me had his non-prescription individual, individual use eyedrops not allowed. They said if they were prescription it was okay, if not, he couldnt bring them. After security each carryon bag was hand searched and each passenger was hand searched at the gate. They told people that if they bought replacements for things in the stores in the airport they would confiscate them at the gate and they were doing that.