Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Travel Topics > Air Travel
Reload this Page >

How "Comfortable" Does Your 1 Quart Baggie Have to Be?

Search

How "Comfortable" Does Your 1 Quart Baggie Have to Be?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 27th, 2007, 01:14 AM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
How "Comfortable" Does Your 1 Quart Baggie Have to Be?

Hi! I'm going to be moving to Australia in 8 days, and the one thing I've already packed is my 1 quart baggie with liquid/gel/aerosol products (I'm such a girl, I know...). I've read on the TSA site that everything has to be 3 oz or less (obviously) and fit "comfortably" into a 1 quart zip-top baggie. The thing is, I'm wondering what the definition of "comfortably" is...

Everything fits into my bag, and it zips up easily (no, "Hold on - it'll close, I PROMISE!&quot, but it's a far cry from the 4 items in a baggie that they show on the TSA site all lying flat so that you can spread everything out and it's essentially 1 item flat, nothing on top of each other.

What I'm wondering is what those of you who have travelled recently's (especially us girls, haha) experience has been. If everything fits comfortably, and there's no problem zipping and unzipping the bag, is everything okay? Has anyone been told, "Your bag is too full," when it's been full but by no means stretching the bag and pulling on the zip-top?

Thanks for your responses (And please no responses saying, "Take less stuff!" Between medication which is less than 3 oz (and therefore must go into the baggie and can not be declared) and minimal make-up/lotion/etc. so that I don't look like a monster when I see my fiance for the first time in almost 6 months, it fills up that tiny 1 quart bag pretty quickly.)!
MarcsRed is offline  
Old May 27th, 2007, 02:52 AM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 23,141
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Reassess what is in the bag. You mention medication - that does not have to go into the bag, even if it is a liquid. We have carried eye drops, contact lens solution outside of the bag without problem - actually we put it in its own bag with non-liquid medication and never take it out of carry-on.

Dry makeup does not need to go into the bag - just liquid foundation, lotion. Assuming you are checking luggage since you are moving there and bringing things like shampoo, conditioner, big lotion in 3 varieties - that should all go in checked luggage.

So perhaps you have a small tube toothpaste, lotion, foundation, mascara (still not certain if that has to go in bag), even add small hair spray/mousse. If you eliminate items above, what am I missing?

gail is offline  
Old May 27th, 2007, 06:17 AM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,038
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I've had my 1 qt. bag pretty full. I can close it, but things are piled on top of other stuff in there. Never a comment or second look.

Except I had to toss my contact lens solution because it was in a container larger than 3 oz. Sometimes depends on the agent's mood at the time.
SamH is offline  
Old May 27th, 2007, 06:22 AM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 23,073
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Contact lens solution can be up to 4oz, and doesn't need to go into the ziplock bag.
rkkwan is offline  
Old May 27th, 2007, 06:59 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,122
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
"comfortably" = will close and stay closed. If they want to get in it, they will.
Wednesday is offline  
Old May 27th, 2007, 07:28 AM
  #6  
katybird
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
These are the items I am pondering if they need to go in my 1 qt. bag.
1. Stick hair wax
2. Hair molding product - It's a creamy gunk in a 2 oz. jar.
3. stick deodorant
4. mascara wand

Non of these are actually liguid or gel except the mascara might be considered liquid. Seems 1,2 and 3 would be OK not in the baggie. Anyone have experience with these items?


 
Old May 27th, 2007, 07:31 AM
  #7  
katybird
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Oops..see another poster says deod. is OK..
 
Old May 27th, 2007, 07:33 AM
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Gail, thanks for the detailed response. I've checked to be on the safe side, and the TSA site says the only time liquid medication (Rx or OTC) DOESN'T have to be in the bag is if it is OVER 3 oz and declared to the screeners. If it's eyedrops or nasal spray under 3 oz, it's gotta fit in the bag. I just don't want to bank on getting luck of the draw, you know? You got lucky, in my experience I've had my bag pulled out like they found a ticking bomb and the screener, 5 minutes later, emerged victorious with a less than half ounce bottle of Rhinocort. I've considered buying a giant bottle of eyedrops or nasal spray just to get it through, but can't find anything that big.


"So perhaps you have a small tube toothpaste, lotion, foundation, mascara (still not certain if that has to go in bag), even add small hair spray/mousse. If you eliminate items above, what am I missing?"


Not much, actually. I'm not bringing anything like shampoo, big lotion, etc. in my carry on, but I've got eyedrops, nasal spray, mascara (does have to go in the bag, per TSA), lip balm (even something as solid as Carmex is considered liquid, again, per TSA), a small can of mousse, a small spritzer of hairspray (my hair is too long and thick to not need help looking good after a flight like that!), a spritzer of mouthwash, and a small bottle of lotion. But that really fills the tiny bag up. And I still don't know if my foundation has to go in there - it's in a compact, and by the laws of PHYICS, is a solid, haha, but since it's a creamy consistency, I don't know if I'm going to be told that has to go in the bag as well...
MarcsRed is offline  
Old May 27th, 2007, 07:39 AM
  #9  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm also wondering about the deoderant. I specifically skipped the gel and bought a travel sized on that says "CLEAR SOLID" on it, but I don't have any idea what these people consider solid or liquid...I can tell you for sure though, that TSA states the mascara has got to to in, and while the hair stick seems okay (but they also say Carmex is a liquid), it seems like the hair "goop" would definitely have to go in the bag.

I remember checking my bags in London, and it was ridiculous how much stuff people tried to get past. The tables were a graveyard of expensive bottles of lotion and hair products. I've got a few things that need clarification, but you know what? You're not getting your litre bottle of Paul Mitchell shampoo through, haha.

I'm just frustrated because, scientifically, it's a no brainer that a solid stick of deoderant isn't a liquid, but with them, who the heck knows, you know? Obviously gel deoderants are a no go, though, unless they're small enough to go...IN THE BAG.
MarcsRed is offline  
Old May 27th, 2007, 09:53 AM
  #10  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,038
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
rkkwan..I know that, but tell it to the guy in KIN with the gun. Hardly worth arguing about.
SamH is offline  
Old May 28th, 2007, 03:57 AM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,122
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I didn't put mascara in the quart bag, if I can turn it upside down and it runs out, that is the stuff I put in the bag. The security personnel I came in contact with did not dig it out of the makeup bag.
Wednesday is offline  
Old May 28th, 2007, 07:24 AM
  #12  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Wednesday - I LOVE IT! That really should be the damn test of what a LIQUID is...
MarcsRed is offline  
Old May 28th, 2007, 08:40 AM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,598
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
<<These are the items I am pondering if they need to go in my 1 qt. bag.
1. Stick hair wax
2. Hair molding product - It's a creamy gunk in a 2 oz. jar.
3. stick deodorant
4. mascara wand

1. No If it's solid
2. Yes (creamy)Less than 3 oz.
3 No It's solid
4. Yes - It's liquid
Luisah is offline  
Old May 30th, 2007, 07:46 PM
  #14  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,215
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The Islamic terrorists now have us afraid of "death by toiletries". They are laughing there a$$es off in the caves of Pakistan.
regards - tom
cary999 is offline  
Old May 31st, 2007, 06:44 PM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
A thought to ponder...rather than the spritzer of mouthwash, how about taking the Listerine Strips (or similar) Not liquid and smaller, in any event.
going_2_africa is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
MareW
Travel Tips & Trip Ideas
16
Aug 20th, 2015 06:41 AM
fishee
Europe
21
Aug 27th, 2011 12:37 PM
keah05
Africa & the Middle East
7
May 2nd, 2007 04:05 PM
EuroJen
United States
6
Jan 25th, 2007 12:21 PM
wliwl
United States
4
Feb 6th, 2005 06:53 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On



Contact Us - Manage Preferences Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Your Privacy Choices -