Solid Versus liquid
 

SO, if I freeze my water, technically it is no longer a liquid or a beverage but a solid food item..... hmmmmmmmmmmmm :p

Someone tried this at MHT, the TSA would not let his frozen block of ice in a water bottle through - said it was a liquid and a security hazard.

He choose not to debate the science of ice to the TSA agent. BUT saying that, I am gonna test this one as well next time I fly :p

I've carried popsicles on board before - in a small cooler with some dry ice.

The dry ice is still OK (since it never forms a liquid) but the popsicles are probably no-go.

Thanks to Moron Mineta, Comrade Chertoff and Half-Wit Hawley.

I guess chocolate is still ok, but don't try to carry it on during a heat wave. Same goes for butter.

very interesting question. chocolate in Alaska should be ok while its banned at FLL? ;)

If they banned chocolate... :mad: ( :( ) Now I wonder if liquid-filled chocolates count?

Using this logic, we now have a new category of newly-prohibited items: "future liquids" or perhaps even "potential liquids."

I did some checking and hydrogen peroxide, apparently one of the ingredients of the liquid explosives, freezes at about 12 degrees F and freezes into a crystalline solid. So, it wouldn't even look like frozen water and would be a heck of a lot colder. So, a TSO should logically conclude that the solid substance in the plastic bottle was not peroxide.

Concerning dry ice, I believe it is an FAA-banned item? (Not sure, but I think I'm right.)

I'm certain you're mistaken. ;)

Up to 2 kilos is ok on US airlines.

Actually, dry ice in small quantities (a few lb.) is FAA permitted as an exception subject to some simple labeling requirements. See here. I don't think they've modified that yet, though I doubt screeners would appreciate it (as they did not appreciate my water ice at MHT).

Prior to the current insanity, I had several times carried dry ice and ice cream as carry-on, often with amusing effects but never with hassle by TSA. See here and here .

If we were able to establish that (water) ice were not a prohibited item, then we would be able to carry 5 lb. as dry ice to use as a coolant to keep the "potential liquid" from melting. Of course, quenching my thirst by licking a dry-ice cooled block of water ice (which will have itself cooled to about -78 C and would cause all sorts of injury to one's tounge) seems only slightly more appealing than drinking untreated water from an aircraft lav sink.

What I'd like to know is what they're going to do with undergarments that contain silicon gels either for support or -er- extra comfort. And what about hair gels? I truly believe that the only way of eliminating that threat is to shave all pax bald upon boarding, ready to be shackled (naked and sedated) into their individual cages. :D

I don't fly again until next week. How are they checking for liquids? Are they still searching every bag by hand? Or is it more luck of the draw as to who gets searched?

Well, if silicon passes in undergarments, then I guess we can assume that silicone or saline implants would not be a worry. But WAIT! If you can add saline to those things, you could certainly extract it the same way! So the next move would be deflation before embarcation...

depending on just how paranoid this administration is now...

liquids vs solids (and gels)
 

How are they checking for liquids? Are they still searching every bag by hand? Or is it more luck of the draw as to who gets searched?[/QUOTE]

Oh look, at http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...d-items.shtm#0 it says you CAN wear gel filled undergarments and "personal lubricant"... isn't that special! ;)

AND it provides both a clue as to both how they are screening ("patting down" undergarments might possibly be considered a wee bit intrusive...), a hot tip on how to carry your essential liquid, say for example pure or gelled water as ice (in an undergarment) :rolleyes: and provokes a question:

Mighten't water be considered a "personal lubricant"?