[rquirk]

While we're at it, can we be allowed to carry bottles of water through security? At least in Europe, having to pay 3€ for a 50cl bottle of water after passing through the checks is clearly just a money-making scheme and has nothing to do with stopping terrorism.

[jheitmann]

You can do that today. Just freeze it: https://apps.tsa.dhs.gov/mytsa/cib_results.aspx?search=gel%2...

I learned that from one of the TSA line prep barkers. They were putting such a jolly spin on their spiel and it sounded so ridiculous that I assumed it was a joke. But, both happily and sadly, nope.

[genetik]

When I travel, I bring an empty cycling water bottle with me and send it through the x-ray with the top off so it's obviously empty. Once through security, I fill it up in a water fountain and hydrate for free.

[rquirk]

Yes, I do this too. Incredibly, a lot of airports only have hot water in the bathrooms. Or sinks designed in such a way that a bottle can hardly be filled at all.

[Someone1234]

Only place I've seen that had an actual bottle-fill station was Copenhagen airport in Denmark. But in many ways that airport felt like it was 10 years ahead.

[DamnYuppie]

Pittsburgh, Chicago, Dallas Love Field and Dallas DFW all have special places in the water fountains for large water bottles. Of course it is generally cold as it is in the US and we like our beverages below room temperature ;)

[robertfw]

Pretty sure I've seen them in Salt Lake & Heathrow

[bradleyland]

...and Portland, OR and Orlando, FL.

They're growing in popularity.

[tomjen3]

Rubberhose and funnel. Fuck the system.

[freehunter]

I'm not sure about Europe, but in the US we can carry an empty bottle through security.

I did once accidentally leave a large, full bottle of contact lens solution in my carry on, though, and it passed right through. Maybe that's the trick.

[hn9780470248775]

I typically don't bother to remove "liquids and gels" from my baggage. The detection rate is less than 50%, and even then, they'll only find the most obvious offending water bottle (or whatever). You shrug, say "whoops", and move on.

You could probably claim contact lens solution as a "medically necessary liquid," which is exempt from the rules anyway.

[Lawtonfogle]

>You could probably claim contact lens solution as a "medically necessary liquid," which is exempt from the rules anyway.

That's not a loophole that could be exploited. /s

On a side note, could one seek to get water treated as a medically necessary liquid? It is, and the rules say nothing about being limited to only counting medically necessary liquids that cannot otherwise be obtained on the other side of security.

[dionidium]

> The detection rate is less than 50%

Far less. I, too, never remove this stuff and I've never been asked to.

[peteretep]

This must be a TSA thing; every damn time at LHR I forget anything, it gets caught, they get irritable with me, it needs redoing.

[DamnYuppie]

I agree the security at LHR is far more intense. They caught a lighter and topical gel buried way down in a traveling medical kit I carry. I have gone through TSA 100's of times with this kit and they never once mentioned it.

[__z]

I've (accidentally) carried contraband liquids through TSA airline security 3 times - been "caught" twice.

[pavel_lishin]

I've stopped taking them out as well. The detection rate so far has been 0%.

The detection rate on a flask with vodka in it is slightly higher, which makes me concerned as to what other things you could bring with you as long as it's in an xray-opaque container.

[freehunter]

That's good to know about the contact lens solution. Thanks for the tip!

[freditup]

You still should remove contact lens solution from your bag and put it separately in the bins. It's just not confined to the fluid ounce size limit.

When I do this, they often will spray a bit of the solution and test it for something or other.

[knodi123]

Although for the record, a large full bottle of contact lens solution is permitted. It's an exception to the liquids rule.

Half the time, the TSA misses my solution bottle. The other half, they find it, have me open it, wave it under a chemical detector, and then send me on my way.

[__z]

Contact lens solution is categorized like medicine and is exempt from the liquids rules. Once they did swab the outside of the bottle (for whatever they swab for?)

I travel with an empty water bottle every time.

[AnimalMuppet]

Explosives. It would be hard to empty a contact lens bottle and fill it with, say, C4, without leaving any traces on the outside.