<p>I know there was a similar thread asking what you could carry on a plane these days, but I couldn’t find it. Thought I would google my way to answering my real question, which is: Will I be hassled if I carry on my new portable GPS thing? What could be more useful on a vacation in an unfamiliar city than a portable GPS? So I find my way to the official TSA website, but no mention of GPS. However, in red, there is a bulletin about a new restriction on snow globes!! Strictly forbidden!!!</p>
<p>How do I make blue font? It is blue on their website, with the word “updated” in RED!!!</p>
<p>edit (original source should be edited as follows:) Please ship these items or pack them in your checked baggage… **so that we can smash them and soak your clothes and permeate them with slivers of glass **</p>
They will just take the item, they are not going to arrest you for a snow globe, at least I would hope not. Don’t get me started on airline restrictions.</p>
<p>Yeah, you just might attack someone with the snowglobe!! I am to the point I hate to fly, even though I have to travel for work. You forget to take the partial water bottle out of the pouch in your backpack and OMG, you think you just committed a mortal sin!! The evil glares and admonishments!</p>
<p>I BOUGHT a snowglobe at Ronald Reagan, and brought it through at the beginning of the month. My d. just bought one in Florence, and brought it through both Florence and Philadelphia yesterday. They did, however, confiscate the Italian equivalent of ‘pork chitlins’. Go figure. (those really can be weapons - in Indian airports, they prohibit pickles and chili powders.)</p>
<p>Rudest TSA officials I’ve encountered. They looked in my backpack (carry-on) without consent and without me present. They took it out, asked me if I had books in it. I of course tried to be cordial and said yes, quite a few books actually (figure that, books in a bookbag!). They opened another pocket and took out my digital camera. He told me I had to run it separately. First time I ever had to put that through separately, I had to bite my tongue to keep from getting myself in trouble.</p>
<p>My wish is that TSA could actually get on the same page at every airport and do things uniformly…</p>
<p>The only thing they have you take out of the bag electronically is a laptop. Alot of it has to do with turnover, and the happiness of employees. Most TSA agents I have ran into are very nice people. Its only the policies I don’t agree with.</p>
<p>Nope Joe, untrue. My husband, an avid photographer who often travels with several cameras and lenses, is used to having to unload several cases for the TSA agents. Similarly, IPods, cell phones, etc. are all examined separately.</p>
<p>Well since you called me on it: taking off your shoes, the no liquid thing, the no lighter thing, the no smoking in the terminal so you have to go all the way the eff outside and go through security again thing, and finally the random search thing. The first four things I mentioned are COMPLETELY USELESS, and as for the random search thing, they need to profile the types of people who usually make airplane bombs and search them. Old women, babies, and people in the US military are not going to blow up planes. (McVeigh was ex-military before you try to go there)</p>
<p>You must not follow the news much. Bombs concealed in shoes are not some fanciful theory but a FACT. Google on “Richard Reid” and get back to us.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>Again, you are not paying attention to the news. You didn’t hear about the foiled plot to blow up airliners with liquid explosives disguised as other liquids? It was a pretty big story.</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>No smoking in the terminal is a policy of the individual airports, not the TSA. Some airports have designated smoking areas to serve the sadly addicted. </p>
<p>The TSA is not dreaming these things up just to annoy you, personally. They are in response to REAL threats. They are trying to protect YOU. You should be grateful.</p>
<p>joev, fact is, 19 or so persons flew three civilian planes into buildings; it would have been four except the passengers on flight 93 didn’t sit still and let it happen. We’re fighting some sort of war against persons who don’t wear uniforms, don’t have a common flag, identifiable military installations, or a common land mass. It’s not only possible but likely that the next hijacking attempt may appear in the form of little old ladies, current or former military, perhaps clergy or even someone handicapped etc. </p>
<p>TSA drives me insane sometimes and the processing through security is often slow and frustrating, but, I’d rather put up with that a millions times over than end up a passenger placing that last call home saying something like “my flight’s been hijacked, this will be our last conversation so please listen carefully, here’s where to find the file with all the legal documents including my will, oh and by the way I love you…”</p>
<p>I just traveled one way with a flute (in a case) as carry-on. Sounds crazy but I was prepared for them to give me an argument that you could conceivably use the flute as a weapon. But no way was I going to check that baby! And it was fine.</p>
<p>I just flew BWI-DEN-LAX (almost got stuck in Denver, thank you Mother Nature…) – I had to put my laptop through separately but my Treo was dumped in with everything else (backpack, keys, etc.) – didn’t have a problem with TSA, took a whole minute to get through (the line, on the other hand, was another story). </p>
<p>In DC, esp. on the Hill, I’m used to going through metal detectors every day (although I imagine the ones at the airport are more sensitive), so this is relatively routine. Except for the shoe thing. But I always wear comfy shoes when I fly.</p>
<p>Joev, I agree with Coureur’s questions to you about which policies you don’t agree with because those exact policies were developed due to evidence of those exact threats. </p>
<p>By the way, recently I flew to Europe out of JFK. My husband and I were cracking up at the antics of an older gentlemen going through security. Everyone had to put their belongings in the little tubs and take off the shoes and put them on the conveyer. This man did not want to take off his shoes. He did not want to have to walk in stocking feet through the security thing. He kept asking for slippers and complaining that he did not think he should have to take off his shoes and have to walk in his socks several feet. He kept arguing about this and we had no idea why he thought he was going to be the exception to the rule. Finally, after his fifth or so attempt at refusal and arguing about wanting “slippers”, the security person said, “What do you think we are? The Ritz Carlton?” I mean it was hilarious to see this guy arguing about the rules and thinking he was gonna get through and not have to follow them. He gave up after multiple tries and finally took off his shoes. The lines were so long and he held one up for some time. Then we watched as he had to do the “extra” security check where they scan you all over, etc. He caused himself more trouble for a dumb reason.</p>
<p>I do agree its really stupid, most shoe soles aren’t even thick enough to hide enough explosives to do anything. Some airports will allow you to not scan sandals, I was lucky enough to not have to take them off a few times (I think some airports allow soles <1/2 inch to go through just the metal detector). </p>
<p>My question is what exactly in the x-ray machine can really tell what liquids are in the containers? I know they can’t have a XRD or anything else super-analytical to tell what exactly is in what. So, what’s the deal? What exactly are they looking for? What about components for bombs that separately are benign, but when put together can make an explosive combination? </p>
<p>Also, now you are allowed to use 3-oz containers for toiletries. So, what makes this the magic number? Why can I have 3 3-oz containers with say shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste but not one single 4-oz container of contact solution (which isn’t sold in anything less than 4-oz)? It makes me wonder, they must really not be able to tell what is in the containers for sure. You would think they can tell saline solution with a rather simple concentration easier than a 3-oz container of unlabeled shampoo.</p>
<p>I mean, I know they are trying to do what is best for the public, but I’m wondering the scientific backing of the rules and regulations regarding the liquids and shoe bombs. Anyone know of a good site addressing these issues?</p>
<p>MOWC, I’m from Columbus, and fly out of the Columbus airport every time I go home. I definitely feel that I get more security attention in Columbus than I do in Boston – but maybe I’m just annoyed because yesterday I was running late to my flight and still had my bag searched because I had a “mousse” foundation in my bag which is apparently considered a cream = a liquid.</p>
<p>My “mousse” foundation was picked out by the scanner, which makes me also wonder exactly what the signature of a “liquid” is on the scanners. I grouched to my fiance that we should also put anything glass in our baggies, because glass is also a liquid, albeit a quite viscous one. :P</p>