Liquids and Gels Crackdown

[Konini]

Your mileage may vary, but this is a heads up based on my experience from last/this week.

In November we flew CNX - DMK - SGN (not fly-through so we cleared immigration after checking in at DMK) and I noted at the time that although our liquids and gels were in a plastic ziplock ready for inspection, I forgot about them and nobody asked for them as our hand luggage went through the scanners. We were travelling without checked baggage, so quite a bit more than our usual bottle of roll on deodorant and tube of toothpaste. On the return journey, we had to our bags looked through in Vietnam, but not in DMK and I later realised that I even had a forgotten, unopened bottle of water in the bag. Because this happened (or didn't happen) 3 times in the space of a couple of days, I assumed that they mustn't be checking for liquids any more; I meant to ask the question here but forgot about it.

Last week we did the same journey, again not fly-through so we cleared immigration after checking in at DMK) and again with no checked luggage and even more liquids and gels as my make up bag came along for the ride (we were still well under the 1000 ml each limit so it was never going to be a problem). In both CNX and DMK I put the ziplock bag through the scanner separately as I could see them pulling other people up, and when it was through the scanner, it was checked. Thoroughly. When I say thoroughly, I mean that our ziplock bag along with everybody else's we observed, was emptied and the size of the containers checked. Every container. Even the ones so small it was obvious that they were only 10 or 20 ml. I think the Vicks Nasal Spray, the saline nasal spray and the anti-allergy spray might only be 5 ml each. I saw one girl have a bottle of something taken off her because it was 110ml (and about half of that had been used). Her attempts to convince them to let it go went unheeded, although it has to be said that she was in the wrong and the rules say it should be confiscated. In DMK I had to point out to the security officer that a tube of ointment was in fact 100ml - she was looking at the figure next to 100 ml which was 115 mg. She apologised and sent me on my way and was very pleasant, but if I hadn't been on the ball I could have lost a 850 baht tube of ointment.

Not complaining, just letting people know what happened 23rd and 27th April.

[KhunBENQ]

There were rumours that this useless harassment would come to an end (in the EU).

But I have not seen any further notice.

It was always enforced and will probably continue to be.

[geisha]

I think that anything that is done to make travelling safer is good. Not pointing you out at all Konini, but many people carry so much hand luggage IT makes you wonder . This also makes it harder to check every item going though the scanner I suppose ?

[laislica]

I think it's totally over the top as a reaction to a small threat years ago.

Why, if a pilot wanted to ............

Let's check that?

[Konini]

I think that anything that is done to make travelling safer is good. Not pointing you out at all Konini, but many people carry so much hand luggage IT makes you wonder . This also makes it harder to check every item going though the scanner I suppose ?

I fully agree with you, people taking so much as hand luggage is a big snappy point for me. Even though we had no checked luggage, we still only had one under-regulation sized bag each weighing 5 and 6 kg respectively (they weighed them). Usually, I have my handbag (which is not one of those jumbo sized things but big enough for the tablet) and Mr K has the laptop bag, and that's it. I really wish airlines would crack down on hand luggage, because it's unfair on everybody else when the overhead lockers are stuffed full because people have 2 or 3 big bags.

[IMA_FARANG]

A lot depends on where you are traveling to and from.

If you are going into the U.S. from Thailand you would be very familiar with the security check in Japan.... and he infamous security search if you are transiting through Los Angeles to other destinations in the U.S.

The airport security people in the U.S. are hired on minimum wage and not noted for their intelligence and/or ability to think and make decisions rapidly when confronted with something out of the ordinary.

[IMA_FARANG]

I think that anything that is done to make travelling safer is good. Not pointing you out at all Konini, but many people carry so much hand luggage IT makes you wonder . This also makes it harder to check every item going though the scanner I suppose ?

-------------------------

I flew from SFO to Boston Mass in 2013 from Bangkok through San Francisco with a transit flight to Boston.

There was some Californication ( a combination word make from the words California and fornication) who had enough carry -on luggage to fill 5 overhead baggage bins.

He refused to check in his excess baggage even though he was repeatedly told he had to much baggage. This Californication insisted it was his "right" to carry as much carry on baggage as he wanted. Our departure from San Francisco was held up for over 30 minutes by this fool.

Since I had already been flying for over 16 hours from Bangkok to San Francisco, I was not happy with him, to say the least.

Later, when he got to Boston over 30 minutes late he had the nerve to say he was going to file a complaint with the airline because of his late arrival.

[Weblo]

I flew from don mueang after Christmas, the day after the air Asia plane went down. I flew to cambodia.

I was thinking there would be a massive crackdown at security as they didnt know what happened to the plane.

Going thru security was nothing more than a joke. Security talking to each other, hardly looking at the X-ray machine.

Never even gave my gels and liquids a second look. I could have carried a 5 gallon pail on the plane.

Forgot scissors in my carryon, not a problem.

Just spoke with my gal, she flew to kon kaen yesterday, security was a joke she said.

I told her about the 100 ml max on the liquids, she laughed, no problem in Thailand, that is for the west.

Again , she travels with , and her friends with whatever they want, never a problem.

Thailands don mueang is a JOKE

[hawker9000]

A lot depends on where you are traveling to and from.

If you are going into the U.S. from Thailand you would be very familiar with the security check in Japan.... and he infamous security search if you are transiting through Los Angeles to other destinations in the U.S.

The airport security people in the U.S. are hired on minimum wage and not noted for their intelligence and/or ability to think and make decisions rapidly when confronted with something out of the ordinary.

Here's what the TSA says they're paid:

http://www.tsa.gov/careers/pay-bandshttp://www.tsa.gov/careers/pay-bands Sure doesn't look like minimum wage to me! Where'd you get your information from? Whatever the case, some are courteous, professional, and seemingly competent. Others are definitely not. They're union (AFGE), so it's probably easier to move mountains than do anything about the bad ones.

Once or twice I've completely forgotten about pulling out the clear plastic bag for separate inspection and had it seemingly go unnoticed. (Had it been discovered and the items confiscated, I'd have had no problem with that, and apologized, as it would've been totally my fault.) I haven't been through DMK since the old days, but I've never really had that stuff really scrutinized anywhere, ever. However, I try to play strictly by the rules and so I don't think it would matter much to me how rigorous they were about it. These goings-on the OP is describing just sound like some typical thai inconsistency; just something you have to expect.

Idiot losers with too many/too big carry-ons are just another fact of life - they all think they have an excuse, usually amounting to a self-serving & dim-witted variation on the rules-don't-apply-to-me theme. One wonders how they survive to adulthood.

[mango66]

There were rumours that this useless harassment would come to an end (in the EU).

But I have not seen any further notice.

It was always enforced and will probably continue to be.

not any singlke person of this EU parliament going to a security check with there belongings ,

so first they dont know how we are treated by the security checks,

and 2nd : For them , the panishment by security to us gives them only a middle finger !!

This are our EU politicans !!

[elgenon]

I have left a couple of ounces in water bottles in my backpack so I have a little to drink but had to completely empty them at DMX and CNX. Why only me?

[ravip]

"Our departure from San Francisco was held up for over 30 minutes by this fool."

>>> So they exist all over the world?

"The airport security people in the U.S. are hired on minimum wage and not noted for their intelligence and/or ability to think and make decisions rapidly when confronted with something out of the ordinary."

>>>Wouldn't that effect the safety of the passengers?

[Konini]

I have left a couple of ounces in water bottles in my backpack so I have a little to drink but had to completely empty them at DMX and CNX. Why only me?

Little trick: Empty completely and put the bottle in your hand luggage. Sometimes they are a little difficult to find, but I don't think I've ever been to an airport (except the new Low Cost Carrier airport in KL) that didn't have water fountains for us to fill bottle/s up.

[maidee]

you cannot bring your own 100ml container, but you can buy 3 bottles of whiskey and board the plane , right ?

[tifino]

trouble is that,

no matter the size big or small

- they still cannot prevent a bottle of Intent d' le Damage, getting on board,

when they least expect it...

oh yeah, about the empty/refilling, as mentioned by Konini - we were actually told last time flying out of Sydney, to do the very thing, by the Check-In dude

we had to drink the remaining contents on the spot, and we could then take the empty with us - I still can't work out the logic, when I compare it to the Rules??

[NickJ]

At least Krisco is a solid....

[tifino]

A jar of virgin Coconut Oil is an abstract thought!!

- it all depends on the ambient temperature; as to whether it's going to be a solid, a paste, or a liquid

[greenbottle555]

There were rumours that this useless harassment would come to an end (in the EU).

It's not useless. This is happening for a reason. It's anti-drug related. Apparently the smugglers have found ways to put drugs into liquids. It's not because some guy can blow up a plane if the bottle is over 100 ml. Like that 100 ml (and some variable maximum of all liquids per person) is the deciding factor if the plane will blow up in the air versus be safe and land. Please. The west has really stepped up their anti-drug enforcement. Was at the airport in America and saw a lot of drug sniffing K-9 units. Previously I have never seen any in real life.

The war on drugs is a war that is being waged because of all the money there is in it. The west (those in power) aren't happy with the money being made by small time smugglers. They want a controlled market where only the CIA (Cocaine import agency) can smuggle their preffered (George Soro's) supply channels.

[greenbottle555]

I flew from don mueang after Christmas, the day after the air Asia plane went down. I flew to cambodia.

I was thinking there would be a massive crackdown at security as they didnt know what happened to the plane.

Going thru security was nothing more than a joke. Security talking to each other, hardly looking at the X-ray machine.

Never even gave my gels and liquids a second look. I could have carried a 5 gallon pail on the plane.

Forgot scissors in my carryon, not a problem.

Just spoke with my gal, she flew to kon kaen yesterday, security was a joke she said.

I told her about the 100 ml max on the liquids, she laughed, no problem in Thailand, that is for the west.

Again , she travels with , and her friends with whatever they want, never a problem.

Thailands don mueang is a JOKE

Exactly. They aren't there to protect you. They are are there to prevent drugs from being smuggled. Because that's the priorities of those who are in power and still running the opium trade.

Let's just say that the opium wars are still going on. Instead of the British Empire it's the American empire:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars

[Argus Tuft]

I have left a couple of ounces in water bottles in my backpack so I have a little to drink but had to completely empty them at DMX and CNX. Why only me?

Little trick: Empty completely and put the bottle in your hand luggage. Sometimes they are a little difficult to find, but I don't think I've ever been to an airport (except the new Low Cost Carrier airport in KL) that didn't have water fountains for us to fill bottle/s up.

I have always followed this myself - a couple of emptied water bottles from 7-11 taken through to the departure area, and then fill up from the free water dispenser.

My biggest gripe was with Phuket airport - until recently, there was no way to fill up your water bottle.

On my latest trip out of Phuket, I was delighted to see that they now finally have water coolers available airside. Long overdue.