luvtofly4me

As I was checking in today.. I was asked "Do you have any household aerosol items in your bags?". I travel every week for at least the last year, and have NEVER had such a question being asked of me. So I answered " I have aerosol hairspray in my bag, is that a household aerosol product?". She responded with "NO, do you have a aerosol household cleaning product like Lysol in your bags?"

I don't really know what the difference is between aerosol Lysol and aerosol hairspray is.
W.T.F? Is there a new threat regarding aerosol products in your checked bags? Does it have anything to do with any recent developments?

Wondering....

chollie

Nope, haven't heard that one.

I have been asked if I had liquids or knives in my checked bag. ??

I wonder if they're looking for things like ammonia or drano, potentially caustic fluids? Although that doesn't explain the question about aerosols.

obscure2k

Please continue to follow this thread in the TS/S Forum.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

HSVTSO Dean

The difference between the two is that something like aerosol Lysol™, or, like, Raid™ or something of that nature is considered hazardous material, whereas something like hairspray or Off!™ is not.

It all has to do with the "personal use" aspect of the aerosol, the size of it, and whether or not it's flammable.

A few 'for examples':

Flammable aerosols of a non-personal use is considered hazardous material and barred from flying regardless of size.

Flammable aerosols of a personal use nature is considered exempt, provided it's less than 18oz.

Non-flammable aerosols, whether personal use or not, over the 18oz limit is considered hazardous material and barred from flying.

(the unofficial definition we've been using at HSV for the past several years is that it's considered a personal use item if you spray it on yourself, rather than spray it on something else. You spray Raid™ on a cockroach, for example, while you spray Off!™ on yourself as a repellant.)

The only thing that doesn't neatly fit into one of these categories is Static Guard, which, for reasons unbeknownst to me, isn't considered personal use. Strictly speaking, since it's flammable, it's considered hazardous material no matter what the size of the can is. Whether or not it gets stopped is a crap shoot - some TSOs are more than likely to just ignore the requirement to take it, since they, personally, consider it to be a personal-use item.

Incidentally, who asked this question, anyway? The airline agent when you were checking in?

luvtofly4me

Yes it was the agent while checking in.. She did not ask do you have any firearms in your bag or any of the familiar questions. She just asked the one question, Do you have any aerosol products in your bag. That's what threw me off. When you have to give your bags to TSA to scan, they don't even ask that question, just the firearm question.

niksal

I don't know if this is OT or not... I just bought a new pair of shoes (on a business trip), and to protect them I also bought a shoe care spray (7 oz). I didn't even think about how I'm going to get it on the plane with me. It says in big letters extreme danger, that it is very flammable, poison, and contents under pressure. Can I take this with me as checked baggage or do I have to dump it before I travel?

Fornebufox

Another question is the definition of aerosol: I would assume the pressurized can is banned, how about a pump-type spray bottle?

Global_Hi_Flyer

As I was coming back through Passport Control at ATL on Tuesday, Mr. Immigration Man looked at me and asked in a very good disapproving southern Baptist Preacher drawl: "Do you have any al-co-hol with you?" I wish that I could have truthfully said "I do not imbibe", but since I couldn't honestly say that, I just responded with "no".

No further questions, and off I went to Customs.

HSVTSO Dean

Most of the pump-bottles are okay. That one depends heavily upon what it actually is inside of it. If it's flammable, and not a personal-use item, it's still a no-go. I can't actually think right off the top of my head of any time I've seen a pump-bottle of something be turned over to the airline as hazardous material. Pressurized cans, all the time.

Dump it before you go, it'll be considered hazardous material as it isn't exempted under the personal-use stuff.

Flaflyer

Well if you have really stinky armpits, Lysol might be sprayed on oneself.

But Lysol is 79% ethanol or 158 proof, over the 140 proof limit for booze. IMHO, spray Lysol is one of the most potent consumer products ever marketed to the general public.

Not to recommend anyone trying it, but Lysol is a really fun play item for Bored College Students on a Saturday Night, or just add a Bic and you have Flamethrower in a Can™ they sell at Walmart. (Not that I tried it back when I was young and more foolish, but it goes 20 feet and four feet wide--be careful to not ignite your block!!!!!) (and yes, I have all my original fingers and eyebrows, than you very much for asking. )

A can of spray Lysol is definitely HazMat.

breny

Meh--I check my can of Niagara spray sizing when I travel. It doesn't come in 18 oz or smaller. The only time I've ever had a problem is when my luggage was hand-checked (before that airport got scanners).

18 oz, 20 oz, hairspray, spray starch, blah blah blah. Personal items versus household item? Stupid.

I wouldn't dump it unless I was forced to.

And water is a dangerous material in your bag but completely harmless in that big can next to the screening area and when bought from Hudson News or another vendor.

My contempt isn't for you Dean, it's for the stupidity of these kinds of rules.

HSVTSO Dean

It actually has nothing to do with the LGA prohibition. This was checked baggage I was referring to, wherein the LGA prohibition does not apply. The airlines, however, are prohibited from transporting hazardous material. It's not exactly a TSA rule - if we find it, we tell the airline operators and they deal with it. Knowing what is, and what is not, classified by other agencies of the government that police the transportation of HAZMAT is, however, important if we're going to be the ones who notify the airline operators.

It's kind of like illegal narcotics in that respect, in that we're not really looking for it, but if it happens to fall in front of our face, we tell the people who need to come take care of it. For illegal narcotics, obviously, it's law enforcement. For hazardous material, it's the airline operator.

Which, incidentally, is why the counter agent in the OP's post asked in the first place. It's the airline's responsibility to ensure that no hazardous material are being transported; that particular agent went ahead and just asked. Most of the time, however, they just rely on us to find it. Which, as I've already said, isn't exactly reliable since that isn't what we're looking for.

/salute

exerda

Huh--the few times I deal with a check-in agent these days, the questions are:

• What is your destination today?
• Can I see your ID, Mr. Exerda?
• Are you checking any bags today?

Very strange that you were asked about aerosols.

kaka

talking about which, what about CO2 in a pressurized can? I've read the website of a few airlines and it doesnt talk about pressurized cans with non toxics/non-flammables. (I've recently learnt about soda stream, but they dont sell them here in HK.)

guflyer

At least a couple of years ago, it was very common for agents to ask about aerosols when checking bags in Australia. Since the liquid ban there does not apply to domestic flights, I recall some aerosols (such as deodorant) being allowed in carry on bags and not checked bags. I do not remember what the rule was or if the procedure still exists there, but I was surprised that passengers were not asked the same questions when checking in in the US.