Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Making up the rules

CATSA enforces carry-on rules that don’t exist.

I must be tired; it’s the only reason I’m so incredibly angry over what happened at the security checkpoint yesterday as I went to board my flight from Calgary to San Francisco.

A little background. I have bad teeth. (Hang in there with me; this is relevant.) I brush and floss like a madman to avoid another root canal, and have four cleanings per year instead of the usual two. I also rinse with a pre-brushing dental rinse (Plax, usually), all of which is designed to keep my teeth reasonably healthy. Now, Plax does not make a bottle that is 3 ounces or under; at least, I haven’t been able to find one. So, in order to be able to rinse before brushing when I travel, I bought a 3-ounce container from The Container Store and pour some Plax into that. That little plastic bottle goes into my Ziploc baggie. I have shown it at least 100 times, including my entries into and out of Canada. This includes my entry into Canada through SFO on Monday, my transfer from Calgary to Regina, and my trip back to Calgary from Regina.

Yet in Calgary, the Canada Air Transport Security Authority officer tossed my bottle of Plax. Why? It was not labeled by the manufacturer. Thumbs down, in this case, to CATSA.

Excuse me? Here is the exact language from the CATSA website:

Passengers will be permitted to bring liquids, gels and aerosols through security screening at Canadian airports provided that the items are packaged in containers with a capacity of 100 ml / 100 grams (3.4 oz) or less, and that the containers fit comfortably in one clear, closed and resealable plastic bag with a capacity of no more than 1 litre (1 quart). The approximate dimensions of a one litre/quart bag are 15.24 cm by 22.86 cm (6 in. by 9 in.) or 20 cm by 17.5 cm (8 in. by 7 in.). One bag per passenger will be permitted.

See anything there about the product needing to be in original manufacturer packaging? No, I didn’t either.

But, hey, I was entering the U.S., so I figured it may be a new regulation from the TSA. But no, here’s the language from the TSA website:

With certain exceptions for prescription and over-the-counter medicines, baby formula and breast milk, and other essential liquids, gels, and aerosols, the following rules apply to all liquids, gels, and aerosols you want to carry through a security checkpoint.

All liquids, gels and aerosols must be in three-ounce or smaller containers. Larger containers that are half-full or toothpaste tubes rolled up are not allowed. Each container must be three ounces or smaller.
All liquids, gels and aerosols must be placed in a single, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag. Gallon size bags or bags that are not zip-top such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed. Each traveler can use only one, quart-size, zip-top, clear plastic bag.
Each traveler must remove their quart-sized plastic, zip-top bag from their carry-on and place it in a bin or on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening. X-raying separately will allow TSA security officers to more easily examine the declared items.

Again, not a word about original packaging or labeling being required.

When I tried to ask about this, the CATSA officer dismissed me, just tossed my bottle in the trash, turned around, and walked away. And no, they weren’t busy at security.

I have no objection to security requirements. I have expressed sympathy to TSA officers after hearing them take verbal abuse from passengers for doing their job. Any search of my luggage any security officer wants to conduct is aces with me—after all, if they’re checking me, they’ll check the bad guys, too.

But between the exercise of an arbitrary rule that does not exist (at least, is not communicated) and the rudeness displayed by the CATSA officer, I am still exercised about this a full day later. Protecting my safety is great. Making up rules and behaving like a martinet is not.

Of course, I’ll retract every word if someone can show me a rule or regulation that I missed.

Posted by Shel in • Airports
(8) Comments • Permalink

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  1. I’ve seen the same exact thing happen to a fellow business traveler at Bradley in Hartford, CT.  The TSA agent’s explanation was that he had no way of knowing whether the container was under the 3.4oz limit unless it was labeled by the manufacturer, so everything without a label got tossed.

     on  05/23  at  09:00 AM

  2. I feel for you Shel. I was flying from LAX to Newark recently when a contractor checking IDs decided (arbitrarily of course) that my daughter’s car seat (which she sits in on the plane) was “too big” and had to be checked.

    I had already traveled three legs with her sitting in that seat on Continental, including the flight out from Newark. I have also checked the TSA regulations and the airline regulations. Nothing against bringing a car seat on the plane.

    I had words with the guy, who wasn’t even a TSA agent, requesting an official from the TSA get in on the conversation. Other passengers ganged up on me for refusing to check the car seat. The id checker got the airport police involved.

    The police understood and brought in the TSA. The TSA supervisor said the car seat was not a problem. After 30 minutes of stress for me, my wife and my daughter we were allowed to proceed through security.

    I happily quote you to sum up the situation at some airports, “Protecting my safety is great. Making up rules and behaving like a martinet is not.”

    Rob Safuto  on  05/23  at  09:52 AM

  3. Thanks, Chris. I don’t buy this for a minute. TSA can’t train its officers to visually identify the size of a container that exceeds 3.4 ounces? Either the notion is patently absurd or they’re hiring the world’s stupidest people to work for them.

    Shel Holtz  on  05/26  at  10:06 AM

  4. There will always be folks who get relatively low-paying jobs that come with a fair bit of power, who know how to memorize the book, but lack any amount of discretion. (Seems like they’re the ones without any sense of humour, as well).
    I recently flew Regina-Winnipeg-Hamilton, and return via Calgary and Regina, and the buzz among fellow passengers was that some CATSA functionaries were tossing passengers’ water bottles. However, my experience was very good, with courtesy and professionalism exhibited at every encounter. Since my carry-on was a backpack with cameras, lenses and filters that must have made for an interesting x-ray, I was relieved that everything went so smoothly.
    Bill

     on  06/01  at  12:33 PM

  5. This is what I do and it hasn’t failed me yet…
    Scan an ad or the label from an official product (doesn’t have to be the same brand or anything, I use listerine) and then use image editing software to shrink it down to fit onto the generic bottle.  Then cut the image out and glue it (I use rubber cement) to the outside of the bottle.  Now the bottle looks like a commercial sample so fill it with whatever you want and fly happy.

     on  06/08  at  12:43 PM

  6. Sorry that happened to you Shel. You are right and there was no reason why you could not bring your Plax in your own bottle as long as it meets the rules and regulations and from what you stated it sounds like you did.

    For liquids and gels that are in original bottles or your own, a simple test is performed that takes seconds and your on your way! Next time challenge the situation and talk to a supervisor.

     on  11/28  at  05:59 PM

  7. I feel bad for you Shel. I was flying from LAX to Newark recently when a contractor checking IDs decided (arbitrarily of course) that my daughter’s car seat (which she sits in on the plane) was “too big” and had to be checked. they tried to get us down from the plane if we don’t have a fitting chair. this was their luck. p.s.:i’m a lawyer.

    opiate detox  on  01/15  at  01:12 PM

  8. Sometimes, I also feel the airport officers are rude. I remember that once my pencil sharpener was confiscated by airport officers. Maybe there is some regulation or rule about that, but I hope they can return it to me after my deplaning.

    sluggages  on  10/27  at  03:25 PM

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