Okay to bring MRE's through TSA checkpoint?
 

I've looked through many posts on the TS/S board, and nearly all relevant posts concerning MRE's were pre-8/10/06, so I was wondering if there is now a definitive policy about bringing MRE's through the TSA checkpoint. I have even asked some TSA folks at IAD, and essentially got exactly what expected I from the union of two dysfunctional orgs.

I know there were no prohibitions before 8/10, but since most MRE's have a gel-like consistency, they might now be prohibited. Yes, I know not to bring MRE heaters. And yes, I actually do enjoy MRE's (and yes, I also like camping in the wilderness, traveling to faraway lands, outdoor sports, and plinking, and no, I am not interested in "just" a 3-year committment in "Italy or Korea"!!), and find that in those rare times I am in Y, or stranded at ORD, that the nourishment does me well.

Eeeewwww. I am shocked, I tell ya. I had no idea anyone actually liked those things. :eek: :eek:

At any rate, if the TSA regards it as being as dangerous as jars of baby food, you're out of luck.

Since 8/10, my daughter has gone through TSA with her MRE's (HNL) and gotten them confiscated (OGG). She said TSA in HNL knew what they were and didn't see them as a problem. She thinks TSA in OGG took them because they didn't really understand what they were but were sure they were the self-heating ones (they weren't).

She swears by them when she's backpacking. :)

I flew out of RIC during the "mass exodus" Sunday right before Christmas (all the soldiers from Fort Lee heading home for a couple of weeks) and TSA personnel were making everyone throw away their MREs or eat them before proceeding through the checkpoint. I think they had peanut butter and a fruit cup in them, both of which are too liquid/gel-like to pass through security these days.

TSA at RIC are usually pretty level-headed and follow TSA SOP well, so I imagine that the liquid/gel ban applies to MREs just like it does to civilian food. :rolleyes:

After Katrina some of those MRE's started tasting pretty good.

Not that this means the TSA agents you run into will know their own policy, but here's a quote straight from the TSA site:

"Flameless Ration Heater (FRH) - A product most commonly found in MRE's, used to heat food packages. There is no limit on the number of MREs an individual may possess in checked or carry-on baggage, but the MRE(s) containing FRH(s) must be unopened (original factory seal is unbroken)"

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtrav...ted-items.shtm

I'm going camping in two weeks and will bring MREs. I will print out this page from the TSA site, but that will likely be no match for incompetence.

emphasis mine: as much as you will be in the right, sadly i think you are doomed.

Please, please, post your experiences back here. I would like to know what happens. Thanks!

report of experience
 

Outbound I had ZERO issues. I had 5 full MRE meals in my carry on. These MREs included the self-heater. I think TSA was supposed to inspect them to verify they were unopened, but they did not (unless they can somehow tell that from the xray?). This particular airport has a lot of military personnel come through, so the TSA was likely familiar with the item there.

On the return I had a couple left over MREs (ended up cooking some steak over the campfire :)); I again had no issues. However, the xray screener did run my bag through a second time, but that was it. No manual inspection or anything.

I had a lot of other camping gear in my carry on, so perhaps that cued the screener to what it was. Or perhaps I just got lucky. I don't know, but based on this one occurrence I must say I was a bit impressed, because I was fully expecting to have them thrown out.

One thing, though... both airports are very small... around 10 gates. It would be interesting to see if the TSA at a larger airport is as familiar with some of the more obscure rules like this.

Doomsayers, all o' yinz! Always assuming the worst. :p

Yinz? If you weren't a southern boy, I'd think you're from Western PA. :D

But yeah, we often do assume the worst. Too often we're right. :td:

Thanks, mwarden, for reporting back. Are you allowed to actually heat up one of those MREs with the heater on the plane? Or am I going to be met with the police on the other end?

I have a 17 hour trip coming up on US. I would rather eat one of the MREs than what US claims is food.

US serves food? :D

And they have a 17 hour flight?

Very close! My wife is born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA. It's one of many fun and interesting words that has rubbed off on me over the years we've been together.

Nice. I grew up in Western PA (town SE of Pittsburgh called Johnstown) and everyone there uses it. Really easy to pick out. :D