I knew I was skating on thin ice, but I refuse to accept the fact that peanut butter is a gel.
On my way home from Yellowstone National Park this weekend, I was headed through security at Idaho Falls airport. Having purchased a number of food items for our condo stay, Jon and I never got around to eating, even opening for that matter, our Adam’s Organic Peanut Butter (crunchy, in case you’re interested).
I was careful to have placed my shampoo, conditioner and other liquidy items in 3 oz. or less containers and present them in my plastic, less-than-quart-sized bag.
I was asked at screening if I had any gels or liquids in my carry-on bag and I answered, “Nope.” None-the-less, I was busted for the sealed jar of peanut butter and the opened (and mostly eaten) container of Nutella.
I argued that these were neither liquids or gels and that the peanut butter at least was obviously sealed.
No go.
They’re “spreadable” and apparently that’s the litmus test for allowing items through security.
I was a little unhappy at the time. I hate waste and the security gal told me she was going to throw it away if I didn’t check my bag with the peanut butter safely secured inside or leave it in my car (in Seattle? really?).
Though I knew in advance that there was a possibility that I’d have to give up my precious items, one must admit that the TSA guidelines are nebulous at best. Here’s what it says about food items:
“Here’s a list of liquid, aerosol and gel items that you should put in your checked bag, ship ahead, or leave at home.”
It goes on to include peanut butter on the list, but my point is, that pb is NOT a liquid, aerosol or gel. AND that it simply says “should” not “these will be confiscated at security”. In my crafty mind, this leaves wiggle room.
Case in point – friends recently told me of a time they were flying back to the U.S. from an international trip. They had purchased alcohol at the Duty Free shop during their layover. BUT, they still had to go through another security checkpoint, even though they had checked through to their final destination. With far better humor than I had in Idaho Falls, they simply handed the alcohol over to the security person and said, “Enjoy, we can’t take it with us.” A bit stunned, the security person passed it around behind his back, gave it back to my friends and winked.
And, as careful as I usually am, I admit to having forgotten to pull my 3 oz. liquid bottles from my bag to pass it through separately at security. I’ve inadvertently done this at least a handful of times and no one has even noticed.
OK – so you’re saying why are your panties all in a bunch, Beth? You were wrong and should be more careful next time. OK, I shouldn’t have let my $3 jar of pb get my goat, but let’s at least take a close look at some of the TSA guidelines you might not have been aware of:
1. Like my friends, don’t make purchases at the airport that are iffy for going through security. Bangkok Airport is terrible for this. All the shops are located before you go through security. You can purchase amazing packaged curry sauces and dips BUT you can’t bring them home. You’ve already checked your bags and they aren’t allowed through security. I’m still baffled whey they would sell these here – after all, who shops at the airport when they arrive?
2. Pies and cakes are OK, but they are “subject to additional screening”. (I BET they are!)
3. “Loose” lithium batteries are no longer allowed through security. Make sure yours are not promiscuous.
4. Did you know scissors with blades shorter than 4 inches can be packed in your carry-on?
5. Common lighters are allowed in your carry-on but NOT in checked bags.
6. “Strike anywhere” matches are not permitted in either carry-on or checked bags while only one non- “strike-anywhere” pack of matches is allowed in carry-on. No matches may be checked.
7. Sno-globes, even “with documentation”, are not allowed in your carry-on. (Can someone tell me what sort of documentation these might have with them?)
8. Camera bags! Did you know that you are allowed to carry one bag of camera equipment IN ADDITION to your one personal item and one carry-on bag? If, like me, you carry several cameras, consider packing them in a separate bag. (Anyone still shooting film? Make sure this is hand screened – otherwise the screening machines will ruin it.)
And, finally, this little gem direct from the TSA website:
“NEVER leave babies in an infant carrier while it goes through the X-ray machine.”
Seriously, that’s what it says.
2 days later and I’m still a little bummed that I don’t have my jar of Adam’s with me here in Seattle. Or the Nutella for that matter…
Beth
Security photo by: glenmcbethlaw
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Sherry Ott says
If it makes you feel any better I once thew a tantrum about sunscreen in Greece.
This reminds me how happy I am that I’m not living in the US right now. None of this stuff matters in Vietnam – except for water and a knife. There is no process of bagging your liquids into 3 oz containers, no taking out my laptop for screening, no taking off my shoes. I’m getting spoiled!
Nola Lee Kelsey says
Silly people.Don’t they know, gel explosives are not organic! All they had to do was read the jar.
P.S. High Five on the Bangkok Airport situation. I thought it was just me.
Can Can (Mom Most Traveled) says
We can’t x-ray our babies now? What next!?
J/K but it is annoying to have to take the baby out of a baby carrier that you are wearing just to hand carry the baby in your arms through the metal detector. I mean a baby carrier wouldn’t be the most convenient place to hid a weapon anyway.
PS, i bring play doh in the carry on quite often! ooooo, snap!
Corinne says
$3 for organic peanut butter? Makes me want to move to the States!
anjeeta says
This reminds me of my husbands last trip to India..he had bought a bottle of Jack Daniels at JFK duty free to gift to a friend in Mumbai and the bottle which was in its sealed JFK duty free bag was confiscated at Charles de Gaule Airport where had a connecting flight. If you are flying to Asia from the US and are not on a non stop flight dont buy duty free alcohol…needless to add my husband was hoping mad but there was nothing he could do
Mark H says
It is extraordinary that in just ten years the authorities have made flying into one of the most unpleasant experiences going around. It seems like a contest to see what bizarre and strange interpretation or ruling that can be imposed next. For many, flying used to be one of the highlights of a holiday.
Debby Lee says
Beth – I must say that I, too, have inadvertently forgotten to take my 3 oz. bottles in the plastic bag out of my bag. But I seem to remember to take off my shoes. Nonetheless, your story reminded me of my own security breach.
http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/blogs/teasugaradream/2009/06/24/security-alert-swiss-army-pocketknives-are-not-allowed/
Globetrotting Bride says
I am pregnant and made a big stink when they tried to take away my sealed yogurt at security. It’s food, not liquid! I argued and I think they let me by but only because I was pregnant. How are scissors ok and yogurt so wrong?!?!?
QP says
Peanut Butter is a *viscous f-ing solid*
For god’s sake, it has chunks!
Gaelyn says
So much BS from the airlines. Good tips. Thanks.
Just found you thru Kristin. I’ll certainly be back.
Camels & Chocolate says
I take a PBJ on nearly every flight, as I’m fervently opposed to purchasing plane food, and I’m always afraid they’re going to confiscate it at security. (Has yet to happen.)
eileen says
I can believe the peanut butter story, given that I nearly held up air traffic at the airport in the Falkland Islands looking for my checked bag in which to secret the contraband homemade rhubarb jam I’d been given.
And you know, I’ll give them that jam is a gel. But peanut butter? It’s opaque for goodness sake. A perfectly distributed mix of peanut solids and peanut oils. And that, my friends, makes it a colloid.
Scribetrotter says
I have no objection to security – in fact I welcome it on planes. But the passenger is now at the bottom of the heap – everything is done to save the airline money, provide less work to the security staff etc.
And some rules are just plain stupid. Why are we only allowed to fill one small plastic baggie with liquids and gels? If we’re allowed one, why not two? What on earth is the difference, from a security standpoint?
It would also be interesting to know how effective all this is. My brother, the CEO of a communications company, had just been working on an ad campaign when he flew internationally within Europe. He forgot he had a paper cutter, metal blade and all, in his jacket pocket – until he landed at his destination. He made it through security, onto the plane, across a border with what is surely a deadly weapon… certainly deadlier than a jar of organic peanut butter, I’d say.
jessiev says
cripes – that is CRAZY. now, if you had gotten smooth PB…just kidding. sometimes these rules don’t make sense at all (i.e., the last one)…
Lulu says
I was pulled aside in Delhi for what the security agent repeatedly called a “fork”, only to find a plastic spoon at the bottom of my laptop bag. However, on that same flight they let me carry on an open and half full water 2 liter water bottle.