Technically Correct

It's security theater through and through.

Apart from the obvious failings of these checks, think about what kind of damage a single backpack of explosives can do to a packed airport during holiday season. You can literally put a ton of explosives on one of those trolleys, roll it into the waiting area and kill 200 people easily. No security whatsoever involved.

Reality is, most security measures are designed to keep the illusion of control. Nothing more. Penetration testers show again and again that you can easily circumvent practically all barriers or measures.

It's basically the only type of jobs program that both sides of our broken government can agree on: petty nonsense that looks like it might do something useful, but really doesn't, and only inconveniences the poors.

The main reason that rule still exists is to sell overpriced water. Otherwise they could just ask you to drink some of it to prove it's water.

According to the story I heard as to the origin of the "no liquids over X amount" rule, years ago there was a terrorist that tried to smuggle hydrogen peroxide and acetone - which can be used to rather easily synthesize triacetone triperoxide (TATP, a highly sensitive explosive) - onto a plane in plastic toiletry bottles. They got caught and foiled somehow, and then the TSA started restricting liquids on planes. This was in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, if I recall correctly.

And I happen to know, from a reliable source, of someone who accidentally made TATP in a rotary evaporator in an academic lab. So it seems plausible.

Not that the rule is actually effective prevention against similar attacks, nor that the TSA even knows what the reason is behind what they do at this point, haha. I just thought it was an interesting story.

It's because all the shops inside want you to buy their shit.

The main reason why it exists is to provide jobs. The number of people who work at the TSA at every airport in every state...no representative wants to cut those jobs.

They treat people like cattle because they are protecting the airplanes and the airline's liability, not the people onboard or in line to board.

If people think it's unsafe people won't pay up to fly.

I recently realized that I have been boarding planes for years with multiple boxes of razor blades in my carry-on.

...Not a single checkpoint picked them up.

It just hasn't had the right public messaging behind it. I can think of a few historically recent things that are security theater but have been successfully accepted by the public because of slogans, social engineering and authoritative messaging. TSA just needs their own marketing blitz.

To be fair a explosion in a on the side of a line not gonna kill anyone, now a explosion in the airplane windows, maybe?, i get their argument, not that's a good argument

Big caveat

The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.

Notice the footnote on every TSA webpage that their officers can always change the rules on the spot if they feel like it. So it’s always a gamble.

Yup, TSA is on the same level as McDonald's. You're arguing with a dipshit who hates you.

As long as it's being held in magnetic confinement!

I'm full of plasma, but they never stopped me from flying.

Bose–Einstein condensate

If they don't then you can call them xenophobes for not respecting Sangheili tradition to carry an Energy Sword at all times

Technically it's the only kind of correct. Technically.

Getting denied at security because you’re trying to bring steel beams

I guess he got that one employee that everyone hates for literally following every single tiny or forgotten rule no matter how stupid.

For the lazy:

Ice

Carry On Bags: Yes (Special Instructions)

Checked Bags: Yes

Frozen liquid items are allowed through the checkpoint as long as they are frozen solid when presented for screening. If frozen liquid items are partially melted, slushy, or have any liquid at the bottom of the container, they must meet 3-1-1 liquids requirements

Is there a reasoning for this? The whole liquid thing has to do something with explosives?

The main issue you'll have with the TSA in this case is that you're using logic

You're not going to blow up anything with 30 % hydrogen peroxide. It also freezes at -30 C, not gonna freeze easily or stay that way for too long.

But where would someone get the H2O2?

On my last trip I had a full water bottle with me and the lady said I had to throw it away, so I looked her dead in the eye while I chugged the entire bottle and stuffed the bottle in my bag.

Fuckin tell me I can't bring the water through again.

I've done it before, it does. Though you could get an employee who doesn't know this, or won't accept it anyway.

Last two times I flew I brought a metal water bottle (Hydroflask knockoff) filled with ice cubes. Went through fine. Then I added water at a fountain after security and during the flight I got to have that ice-cold water experience I crave.

Huh, I'd have to fly from an airport with outdated scanners LIKE A PEASANT. The ones near me all let you keep your water and leave the laptop in the bag.

Security theater. Supposedly there's a clear liquid explosive that someone tried to get through once. Of course, it's bullshit, like everything else the TSA says.

It throws up a false positive in the old scanners. There are new ones available that don't have a problem but they aren't widely available yet.

Because it's frozen (i.e. ice)

because muslims can't drink alcohol, they drink water. The TSA is trying to stop everyone from being terrorrists by only allowing them to buy and drink alcoholic products available after the security controls at the duty free shop.

They didn't want France getting wind of their cheese and declaring war on Norway for having the audacity to have non-french cheese

Security agent was just planning a meal for their date later in the night.

You can freeze sunscreen, however, it's a bad idea to do this as it makes the chemicals in the sunscreen inert and thus useless in actually protecting you from the sun. Same as letting it overheat, ironically.

Try it and find out

Some people think tap water tastes bad

If it exists and you can find it ...