Letter from TSA
 

Hey all

My girlfriend and I were travelling in the US and she had some aerosols were removed from her checked baggage.

She received the letter, but I threw it away.

She is a journalist here in Finland and would like to do a story on this. I understand this is a generic letter, so, could someone please scan theirs (remvove/blur) personal details and mail a copy to me I would be very appreciative.

Alternatively if there is one floating on the web...I have googled a lot.

I am in the doghouse :( help me please...

Thank you very much.

I throw the notices in the recycling bin whenever I get them.

I hope your girlfriend is doing the story on the angle that the aerosols should not have been removed from her bag.

Sorry for the experience.

Yes, from that angle and also the inconsistency.....we took 7 internal US flights before this became a security risk :)

Words of advice: don't go too deep on the inconsistency angle. The TSA loves to use the "designed inconsistency" line. It's a "cover your butt" line from the TSA to answer the complaints from travelers about inconsistency.

If you search this forum (I'm too lazy to do it right now), search for a thread started by user name AA2070 and read about his experience in Boston. There, the Federal Security Director used the "designed inconsistency" lie to cover the butt of him and his workers.

There is a TSA person who regularly posts here who has specifically stated there is no "designed inconsistency" in the standard operating procedure.

Your girlfriend is likely going to run into a bunch of dead-ends with the TSA, because they do not like to cooperate (as would any agency or company) with negative press.

Aerosols have been prohibited from checked bags for many, many years. Long before the advent of the TSA.

What's your point ?

Not sure there is one . . . ;)

In any event, it brings up an interesting situation where the TSA is actually "enforcing" FAA rules, right?

MISSION CREEP!!!!!:D

Actually I didn't know this, probably because I never check my bag unless there is no option.

Just what exactly constitutes an aerosol anyway?

According to this page at the TSA, aerosols are not prohibited items.

That page is about carry-on luggage, OP's aerosol(s) were checked. See the DoT (not FAA) version: http://safetravel.dot.gov/index_aerosols.html

Per the DOT page you cited, aerosols used for personal medicinal purposes or are toilet items ARE permitted in checked baggage. Although the OP will have to confirm that his gf had items along the lines of hairspray/deodorant and not WD40 or spray paint, your blanket statement that "Aerosols have been prohibited from checked bags for many, many years" is inaccurate (or at least incomplete).

Depending on what was confiscated, the OP may have a legitimate gripe.

You'd need to cite every airline's CofC to demonstrate the inaccuracy of my statement. Perhaps you are correct that it is not the TSA's job to enforce whatever prohibitions apply, but gripe as much as you want, you'll get no sympathy from the TSA or the airline.

You're wrong here as others have noted ... and it has nothing to do with CofC's of the airlines. For example, my aeresol hairspray is permitted either in carry on (small, expensive sizes) or checked without issue. The stuff that is not allowed are the household cleaner and other commercial use aerosol type containers and yes, those have been prohibited for some time.

Given the origin of this couple, it could be that the TSA goons couldn't figure out what the product was so they pulled it whereas either the bag wasn't opened or the products were recognized as personal and therefore allowed at the other stations during the trip. Regardless of the reason, it shouldn't have happened if they were personal products.

Maybe the OP needs to type it more S_L_O_W_L_Y

OK, I'm wrong. Go ahead folks, pack your aerosols. :cool:

Moving right along...