Non-toiletry liquid?
 

Or more specifically, fountain pen ink.

I am traveling and had need of my fountain pen. Because of the stupid ban, I left the ink at home, and paid the TSA-tax of buying an $8 bottle of ink at my destination. I will be headed home this weekend, and would like to keep the bottle of ink and take it home with me. The ink bottle is 57 mL (labeled on the bottom, no english units), which is by my figuring 2 ounces.

I can easily put this in a zip-loc bag, along with my deoderant and toothpaste.

Question: will this be confiscated by the TSOs at the airport? Or can I get it past them? I'm flying out of DCA (with a stop at MCI)....

ANd no, I don't have an empty container to fill.

This has been gone over pretty thoroughly in the last few days but I still sympathize with you completely about this, as I'm also the owner of a lovely fountain pen which does not use cartridges.

Maybe ask your question in a different way? Not, "Is X item allowed" but rather, "Why would X item not be allowed?"

Liquid items up to 3 oz. that are not on the exempt list, i.e. Rxs, contact solution, baby forumula, are allowed and must be contained in a ziploc-type quart bag and put in a bin.

If my 75ml $36 tube of moisturizer is allowed, then so is your 57ml $8 bottle of ink.

That said, if you're still concerned about the arbitrary application of the liquid rules, be prepared and carry with you a pre-addressed Fed-Ex label and box with a small sheet of bubble wrap.

Yes, it sucks to have to be so pro-active after the fact.

I managed to sneak a vial of Cholula past the screeners at LAX last night - comfortably resting in a mini glass bottle (formerly contained a contact lens) in my one quart baggie along with my toothpaste and other toiletry liquids.

Airline food will be better as a result.

Say it's liquid eyeliner! Offer to apply some to the screener!

I travel with aromatherapy essential oils and it's my understanding that liquid is liquid. But who knows?

Well, given the experiences of our colleagues had in IND and MKE, it could be a strict-reading issue. The TSA documents never mention "all liquids" just toiletries. Since the bottle and cap both say "Parker", I suspect I'll have a hard time convincing them that it's toiletries.

I suppose I could call it "tattoo ink"...

Yes! That would definitely make it a toiletry.

It's touch-up ink for my tattoo...and no, you can't see it! ;) :D

Could I bring a couple of my favorite "minis" in the plastic bag? :p

Quantity and Quality
 

All liquids are not created equal on the TSA farm. :td:

Remember, 2.99 ounces of mouthwash is now totally harmless. 3.01 ounces of mouthwash will drop a 747 out of the sky in seconds.

And 0.01 ounces of Jello is the most dangerous substance of all, forbidden.

Don't forget to carry your permitted corkscrew, but no wine bottles are allowed.

You are now an expert on the 8/10v.9/26 Rulz, have a nice trip. :D

For medicinal purposes, naturally. Sorry to hear about your rhumatiz.

I plan to travel with lens cleaner in a small bottle. If the TSA starts trying to confiscate it, I'll go with small, unmarked bottles (from somewhere like the Container Store), like I already have for shampoo and soap.

Likewise, in case the TSA doesn't consider sunscreen and DEET insect repellant to be toiletries, they will go into unmarked small bottles. :td: :mad:

What about the TSA stations where "officers" are paranoid about anything being in unmarked containers?

Remember, everything is supposed to be standardized nationwide now. The TSA was implemented so that there would be one set of policy applicable to all airports in a uniform manner. :mad:

Hahahahaha, that's right... just like the 1" shoe rules.... entirely uniform across the country. Remind me why we are apying billions and $5-$10 per time we fly for this garbage?

I've successfully brought airline-size alcohol bottles (most are 50ml) through security (sometimes not even in a compliant baggie!) with slight inspection and a smirk, but no comment.

What -- not in a Scope bottle colored with the appropriate green or cinnamon food coloring?
:)

Stop giving me ideas! :D

Just as a follow-up, I did get the ink through without much problem. There was a 60-second delay as the X-ray screener had to figure out that it was less than 3 ounces (the bottle was 50 mL, and marked only in mL).

This is good to hear...I bring my fountain pens with me (not really out of necessity, just self-indulgence) and have been wondering if I could bring ink through without a lot of trouble.

Slight thread hijack - your fountain pens don't leak at altitude?

I don't use them at altitude... but no, there's no problem on the other end. Then again, I don't fill it until the other end.

I'm almost certain that the TSA screener didn't know what the ink was. The only label on the bottle says "Parker (followed on the next line in smaller type by) Quink".

GIven the inconsistancy at various airports, I'd be prepared, though, to fork the ink container over. IOW, don't take your best ink along.