Air Travelers Should Not Rely On The Rules Published by TSA
17 October 2006 If you have read some of my earlier comments, you know I really appreciate Tampa International Airport and it has little to do with that airport being my home base. Tampa Airport is very pleasant to navigate in comparison to most every other airport where I have experience.
Recently I was going through airport security at Tampa to board a Southwest flight. Now I think TSA assigns anyone in Tampa with an attitude or a “wanna be” a CIA international operative to the Southwest terminal and I am betting they have my picture secretly posted so that when I arrive they go into a special code alert and make sure they find some reason not to just let me through.
The incident this time was over my infamous 4oz. container of contact lens solution which is allowed according to my review of the TSA’s rules from their website (that I have printed out and carry with me) as long as you declare it and display it in plastic bag separage from your other one quart plastic bag carrying all you other permitted liquid and gels in contaners less than three ounces. I assure you a lady in front of me last week succeeded in packaging at least 20 containers in a one quart bag. She gets the David Copperfield award for the week.
Back to my contact lens solution security breach. The elite team of TSA security was at Tampa Sunday afternoon for my contact lens solution examination. Of couse I get the evil eye and then the infamous words “that is more than three ounces.” I then go into my explanation about the printed rules and even proceed to retrieve a copy from my briefcase for a “discussion”. He stops me and says ” do you know what our response is here to those rules?” He then told me …it is….. now read this carefully……..SOOOOOOO! In no uncertain terms he let me know the only rules that count are his.
I’ll bet you think I lost my contact lens solution. Right about the time I thought there we go ..”into the trash again” (see post about Harrisburg Pa. ) TSA red guard said, do you wear contacts? I said ..yes sir. He said do you need this solution for your eyes. I said “that solution is absolutely essential for my eyes”. He said: ” that is all you needed to say and have a nice trip”
I know they are already plotting how to delay me the next time. By the way I have traveled throught BWI (Baltimore) and Chicago Midway without TSA blinking at that same container.
Steve Pohlit, Business Development Consultant
P.S. Best posture is to have a sense of humor, don’t be afraid of friendly dialogue but never forget it TSA’s rules and if you want to travel by plane you have to go by their playbook.
Feedback
You must be logged in to post a comment.