TSA at it again….

In Oct 09 traveled in China. Their security confiscated all hand-carried alcohol based hand sanitizers. They said the alcohol level made them flammable. Their posted notice said no alcohol liquids were allowed, not even less than 3oz. Have never seen this posted by TSA.

@Martyn: I actually do the same thing with a little bottle of hand sanitizer - a liquid, and alcohol-based to boot - that I keep in a pocket of my messenger bag. It sits right at the top, practically visible if the top flap isn't closed properly and in easy view of the scanners. Like you, it originally went through by accident, and now it's become a challenge. So far I have gone through seven U.S. airports, gotten seven speeches about how all liquids must be removed and bagged and placed in separate containers, and never once had them catch it. Way to go, TSA.

Hi Lucky (great blog by the way) For the last three years, I've carried the same half-finished (and no longer used) lip balm on flights. Nothing wrong with that, you think, but I take it in my pocket, not in a see-through bag. Ever since I once forgot to take it out of my pocket going through security, and it wasn't spotted, I've snuck it through. Just to see if it's possible. If ever it was found, I was just going to let them take it. But it's been missed at screening in five US cities, two dozen European cities, and two Libyan cities. Bottom line, screening just isn't that good. And does the TSA really think that people won't know where they are if the maps are turned off? Any terrorist trying to accomplish something at the end of a flight will a) have a watch, and b) look out of a window, duh.

This "last hour" rule is beyond ludicrous. It accomplishes nothing. As posted above anything that can be done to the aircraft in the last hour can be done earlier in the flight. This is a great example of government bureaucracies running in circles spewing CYA regulations. If you think the "last hour" rule is bad wait until they are fully regulating your health care!

@Miles: +1 @Bschaff1: Don't you think that if someone really wants to get something on an airplane, they will find a way to do it, no matter what type of screening procedures we have in place? My point being, I am not ready to place any blame on the AMS screeners for this yet.