Confiscated at the Airport (Fun and commiserating)

[Fogfog]

Was reading a thread about marmite and peanut butter being confiscated at airport terminals when going through security.

And read people post about bottles of wine that were OK when people started on their journey--only to have them taken from them when they connected for domestic flights

(including cosmetics and alcohol bought at duty free IN the airports)

 

Anyone have any experience with this? 

 

 

[Cruise Junky]

she never made her flight...

 

Gotta love Ms. Zhao and her can-do attitude. Unfortunately, our travelling buddy couldn't hold her liquor very well. According to reports, she quite quickly began "acting wildly and yelling incoherently." She fell to the floor and stayed there until the police arrived. They took one look at her and did not allow her to board her flight. Zhao's family was called to pick her up and, when she sobered up, she was released to them.

[mayleeman]

If you have a domestic US stop on the way to your final US destination you can continue carrying on your liquor purchased at the original departing airport's duty free store, but only if you do not have to go through security again.

 

We were told we would have to claim our checked luggage at the interim stop and put purchased liquor in there. I have no idea how that would be arranged. With that hassle, we didn't buy any.

Edited June 15, 2019 by mayleeman

[Denny01]

Unless things changed this last year, you can’t bring bottles of wine on International Flights out of Europe. We watched a young couple arguing with security in Paris DeGaul about their wine bottles. The couple insisted they were told by the wine shop it was OK to carry it through and security was explaining it was Not. 

 

If you buy some liquor in the airport area after security, that’s OK to carry on, but when we fly into a US entry airport, we have to pick up our checked luggage and carry it through Customs and then check it back in. I’d think you could put your bottles you bought in the airport in your checked luggage since you’ll have to go through US security to get to a connecting flight.

 

We always forget that we’ve filled our water bottles after the initial security and I have to run around finding a place to pour them out when we go through security in Atlanta. Done if a few times. Hope I remember one of these days!

 

Den

 

[Highpeaklad]

2 hours ago, mayleeman said:

If you have a domestic US stop on the way to your final US destination you can continue carrying on your liquor purchased at the original departing airport's duty free store, but only if you do not have to go through security again.

 

We were told we would have to claim our checked luggage at the interim stop and put purchased liquor in there. I have no idea how that would be arranged. With that hassle, we didn't buy any.

 

Unusually, everyone has to claim their luggage at the first stop in the USA when transferring to another flight so it’s easy to put your bottle into your checked luggage at that point. 

[waterbug123]

17 hours ago, Fogfog said:

Was reading a thread about marmite and peanut butter being confiscated at airport terminals when going through security.

And read people post about bottles of wine that were OK when people started on their journey--only to have them taken from them when they connected for domestic flights

(including cosmetics and alcohol bought at duty free IN the airports)

 

Anyone have any experience with this? 

 

 

 

 

This is all pretty normal.  Marmite and peanut butter can be considered to all into the the "liquids/gels/creams" category at security.  It's often a crapshoot as to whether things like that will be confiscated or not.  As for wine, the only way to get wine bottles through on a connection if it you're at an airport that allows duty free liquids purchases to go through if they are still in the sealed package from the duty-free store and that hasn't been tampered with.  As I understand it, some airports may allow that but some do not.  If it's not in duty-free packaging, there is no allowance for bringing wine or other full size liquids through airport security.

[Georgia_Peaches]

8 hours ago, mayleeman said:

If you have a domestic US stop on the way to your final US destination you can continue carrying on your liquor purchased at the original departing airport's duty free store, but only if you do not have to go through security again.

 

We were told we would have to claim our checked luggage at the interim stop and put purchased liquor in there. I have no idea how that would be arranged. With that hassle, we didn't buy any.

Precisely this.  We bought lemoncello (sp) in Italy on our return flight to Newark.  Had to go through security again in Newark to board the last leg of our trip home.  We were told that we would have to stow our purchases in the luggage bc it wouldn't make it through security.  This was an annoyance bc we really hadn't allowed ourselves the additional time needed to get our luggage, put things inside, then recheck luggage, only to THEN go through security.  The Newark airport was a madhouse and when I say I almost didn't make the flight, I mean it was to the point where DH was pleading with the gate attendant not to close the door as I ran towards the ramp.  The irony is that lemoncello remains in our bar fridge untouched.  Should have just let them have it and moved on!

[hcat]

At least it did not leak in your luggage.

We lost some of our Tequila small sampler bottles that way...but  not ALL!

Nothing was ruined fortunately...

[ExArkie]

According to the TSA rules, if you purchase liquids at an airport duty-free shop outside the US, you can carry them onto connecting flights in the US even if you do have to go through security again. I have done this on more than one occasion, but that does not necessarily mean that all stations will follow the rule. I have had different interpretations of various TSA requirements at different airports.

 

From the TSA Web site (under "Liquids Rule"):

Inbound International Flights

You may carry duty free liquids in secure, tamper–evident bags, more than 3.4 oz or 100 ml in your carry-on bag if:

• The duty free liquids were purchased internationally and you are traveling to the United States with a connecting flight.
• The liquids are packed in a transparent, secure, tamper-evident bag by the retailer and do not show signs of tampering when presented to TSA for screening.
• The original receipt for the liquids is present and the purchase was made within 48 hours.

The items inside the secure, tamper-evident bags must be screened and cleared. Any item that alarms or is unable to be screened will not be permitted in your carry-on bag. We recommend packing all liquids, gels, and aerosols that are over 3.4 oz or 100 ml in your checked baggage, even if they are in a secure, tamper-evident bag.

 

[Mike981]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

At least it did not leak in your luggage.

We lost some of our Tequila small sampler bottles that way...but  not ALL!

Nothing was ruined fortunately...

 

I purchased a wonderful bottle of tequila in Cozumel and was promised if it broke in transit, they would free of charge send me another bottle. I asked them what about the damage to the contents of my luggage, let a the luggage and they said they could not cover that. I still got the bottle and it made it home safely, they put three layers of bubble wrap around a very heavy bottle. That was two years ago and I still have a wee bit left, maybe tomorrow for Fathers Day. 🙂

[TSC]

A friend had peanut butter confiscated flying from Florida to New York - said it was considered a "liquid" or "gel".

[Cruise Raider]

A little off subject as not a gel or liquid but my sister bought my DH a whipped cream maker at a specialty kitchen shop.  It was sealed in heavy cryovac packaging along with 2 chargers (CO2 catridges) when we went through security ... not thinking anything of it.  Well, an hour later, after they ripped everything apart, kept the chargers and noted my DH's name, license, etc on the TSA list, etc ... we were allowed to board the plane.  Come to find out, those chargers were allowed per TSA guidelines at the time and in carry on luggage to boot.  Some TSA guy just trying to be a cowboy!  We always follow the rules ... this was just unnecessary!   We were waiting to see what became of my DH's personal info being taken down and submitted to the authorities.  They probably laughed like crazy down at Homeland Security ... like really how many planes have been taken down by whipped cream, or peanut butter for that matter?  I don't mean to make light of those with evil in their hearts but just getting through that packaging was a feat in itself.  They had all three different TSA agents that were working at the airport trying to use a knife and a scissors strong enough to get into that package to remove the 'approved' chargers.  Anyway, DH never saw anything come of it and has even been given TSA-pre on subsequent flights.  Hasn't travel become so very interesting??  

[waterbug123]

21 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

We bought lemoncello (sp) in Italy on our return flight to Newark.  Had to go through security again in Newark to board the last leg of our trip home.  We were told that we would have to stow our purchases in the luggage bc it wouldn't make it through security.  This was an annoyance bc we really hadn't allowed ourselves the additional time needed to get our luggage, put things inside, then recheck luggage, only to THEN go through security. 

 

Any time you return to the states from abroad (unless arriving from Ireland or a few select other places where you re-clear US immigration and customs before departure) you will have to claim your bags, go through customs, recheck your bags and then go through security before continuing on to your domestic connection flight.  So you would have had to do all that regardless of whether you had limoncello to stash in your checked bag or not.

[Georgia_Peaches]

32 minutes ago, waterbug123 said:

 

Any time you return to the states from abroad (unless arriving from Ireland or a few select other places where you re-clear US immigration and customs before departure) you will have to claim your bags, go through customs, recheck your bags and then go through security before continuing on to your domestic connection flight.  So you would have had to do all that regardless of whether you had limoncello to stash in your checked bag or not.

No doubt true.  The lesson learned here had nothing to do with the alcohol in my bag.  I learned to always book a direct flight.  The extra money spent is well worth avoiding the hassle you just described.  

[musik07]

Not with this but if you sit just outside of security it gets interesting (BWI has benches right across from secondary screening). I don't have pre-check but my parents do. They were waiting for me there and texting me a play by play of if ninja blenders and hammers painted to look like a tiger are allowed through.