7/16/08: Two Girls, One Cup

[Jedit]

I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry
I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry.

OK, having got that out of my system: there are a lot of ridiculous rules concerning liquids on flights. Apparently, in spite of all evidence to the contrary, it is possible to make a plane-destroying bomb out of 26ml of toothpaste. You are thus allowed to carry only 25ml of liquid onto a plane ... in any given bottle. There's nothing stopping you carrying on four 25ml containers purporting to be different fluids. It seems that while 50ml of a substance in one container is unsafe, if it's spread across two containers it's completely harmless - at least, so long as you don't look Muslim suspicious.

I'm right behind the idea of taking precautions against terrorism, but when you elevate them to this degree all you're doing is proving that they've terrified you. The War on Terror was lost the instant it was declared, because it was declared. It validated al'Qaeda.

OK, rant over.

[bud]

it is possible to make a plane-destroying bomb out of 26ml of toothpaste

Didn't you know that MacGyver was consulted when making these rules? That is the minimum he needs to make a bomb out of toothpaste.

[tnitnetny]

I love this title.

I was on a flight a month ago and the person across the aisle actually started yelling at the stewardess because she wanted to take his cup on the approach. It actually has nothing to do with terrorism. That rule is in place because if there is turbulence or problems on the approach, you could spill your drink on yourself and blame the airline. Notice they don't take drinks you brought on yourself and only the airplane supplied ones?

[Deacon]

Of course, generally the drinks you buy yourself are in secured containers, not open cups.

And everything seems to be blamed on an "FAA regulation" these days, true or otherwise.

[ampersand]

I'm just surprised she didn't blame the high gas prices. Everyone else in the transportation sector is.

[DanShive]

The baseball leagues can get a free pass on using brittle bats that explode and break spectator jaws by putting a generic "we're not responsible for whatever happens with balls and bats" warning on the tickets, but airlines can't get away with letting people keep their drinky cups over possible spilling lawsuits?

THE WORLD WE LIVE IN IS MADNESS!

[Jedit]

Notice they don't take drinks you brought on yourself and only the airplane supplied ones?

Well, no, as in the UK you are not permitted to take drinks you brought on yourself aboard. Even bottled baby milk isn't allowed - you have to take a swig yourself to prove it's really milk.

[tnitnetny]

Not even drinks you purchased at the airport after you go through security? You can't take any drinks through security here, but I always buy a drink while waiting for the plane and bring it on board with me.

[Deacon]

Yes, what Toni said.

[Jedit]

Not even drinks you purchased at the airport after you go through security?

Correct. You may not board with a container that currently holds liquid and can hold more than 25ml either on your person or in your hand luggage. It doesn't matter what it is or where you got it, or even if you're swigging from it as you approach security - SFATAC, it could be a bomb component. Ridiculous, is it not?

Mind you, that's still not as ridiculous as the story I just heard about security at Auckland Airport. A woman was forced to dispose of her nail scissors when boarding, as they're obviously a potential weapon. ("Take this plane to Beirut, or I manicure this woman!") When she and her husband got aboard he could swear he smelt petrol, so he told a stewardess. There was indeed a smell of petrol coming from the overhead lockers. Guess what some guy had in his carry-on bag? A friggin' chainsaw, is what. He hadn't been made to hand it in at security because "it wasn't on the list of proscribed items".

[ampersand]

So in other words, the woman not wanting to breast feed her infant on a plane can't bring in a regular sized nursing bottle of milk, but the Texas Chainsaw Massacre guy can bring his chainsaw with him on the plane. Is this what we've come to in the Airline Industry worldwide, where the only sane way to fly now is to be wealthy enough to afford your own private plane/jet?

[BtEO]

Not even drinks you purchased at the airport after you go through security?

Correct. You may not board with a container that currently holds liquid and can hold more than 25ml either on your person or in your hand luggage. It doesn't matter what it is or where you got it, or even if you're swigging from it as you approach security - SFATAC, it could be a bomb component. Ridiculous, is it not?

Nope, tnitnetny is right; unless the rules have changed significantly since I last melted my brain a few months ago reading through all the rules applied by four separate airports (including Gatwick and Heathrow in England.) There was no restriction at any of them on what liquids could be brought onto the aeroplane (except if those liquids manage to break hand-luggage size/count restrictions somehow) provided they had been bought in the secure area beyond the security checkpoints. I even did exactly that with bringing a small bottle of Coke with me on the flight at Gatwick.

[Deacon]

Yeah, I did that in Glasgow, in Heathrow, and most recently in Gatwick, and I had absolutely no problem. Not sure where you got your info, Jed.

[teddy]

Yeah, I did that in Glasgow, in Heathrow, and most recently in Gatwick, and I had absolutely no problem. Not sure where you got your info, Jed.

IAH, Gatwick, Faro Portugal, Stansted(sp?), Jersey and Edinburgh for me, no liquid restrictions once past security.

[Jedit]

Yeah, I did that in Glasgow, in Heathrow, and most recently in Gatwick, and I had absolutely no problem. Not sure where you got your info, Jed.

First hand, from the security at Birmingham Airport six months ago and Aberdeen Airport three months ago.

(And what exactly do the procedures at Jersey and Faro Portugal have to do with UK airport regulations?)