Anyone understand the TSA's "3 ounce" rule?

[y_p_w]

I just recently traveled (domestic US) and didn't carry a whole lot.
However - we still needed to check in (even with the $15 first bag
charge) because we were carrying sunscreens, cosmetics, bug repellent,
and other toiletries that were more than 3 oz per bottle.

I remember back the original liquid explosive scare in 2006. Back
then the TSA relaxed their initial ruling that liquids had to be
checked in and set a 4 oz maximum. That made a lot of sense because a
lot of standard sized packaging (contact lens solutions, sunscreens,
etc) as well as travel containers were 4 oz. I've also flown
internationally (depends on the departure country), and outside the US
the limit is 100 ml (about 3.3. oz), which makes a lot of sense
because that's a common size for many toiletries - even some products
sold in the US. Even if we need to check in some larger bottles, it
would be nice if I could apply sunscreen from that 4 oz bottle before
we land.

Anyone know of any actual 3 oz bottles? I bought a few Nalgene 2 oz
bottles, but they seem a bit small. 100 ml looks good enough, but I'm
not sure if they'll allow it. I did see a box filled with discarded
containers that didn't make it past the TSA security. I also gave
about a half-case of bottled water to some curbside baggage handlers;
they stashed it and seemed to appreciate it.

[A Mate]

100ml - which is a tad more than 3oz - is the International Standard - used
worldwide for fluids etc. The TSA accept it - personal experience!

<y_p_w@***********m> wrote in message
news:cac7ff76-8b0b-456b-acff-e31fcadbf76b@i28g2000prd.************.com...
>I just recently traveled (domestic US) and didn't carry a whole lot.
> However - we still needed to check in (even with the $15 first bag
> charge) because we were carrying sunscreens, cosmetics, bug repellent,
> and other toiletries that were more than 3 oz per bottle.
>
> I remember back the original liquid explosive scare in 2006. Back
> then the TSA relaxed their initial ruling that liquids had to be
> checked in and set a 4 oz maximum. That made a lot of sense because a
> lot of standard sized packaging (contact lens solutions, sunscreens,
> etc) as well as travel containers were 4 oz. I've also flown
> internationally (depends on the departure country), and outside the US
> the limit is 100 ml (about 3.3. oz), which makes a lot of sense
> because that's a common size for many toiletries - even some products
> sold in the US. Even if we need to check in some larger bottles, it
> would be nice if I could apply sunscreen from that 4 oz bottle before
> we land.
>
> Anyone know of any actual 3 oz bottles? I bought a few Nalgene 2 oz
> bottles, but they seem a bit small. 100 ml looks good enough, but I'm
> not sure if they'll allow it. I did see a box filled with discarded
> containers that didn't make it past the TSA security. I also gave
> about a half-case of bottled water to some curbside baggage handlers;
> they stashed it and seemed to appreciate it.

[singlemalt]

>
> Anyone know of any actual 3 oz bottles? I bought a few Nalgene 2 oz
> bottles, but they seem a bit small. 100 ml looks good enough, but I'm
> not sure if they'll allow it. I did see a box filled with discarded
> containers that didn't make it past the TSA security. I also gave
> about a half-case of bottled water to some curbside baggage handlers;
> they stashed it and seemed to appreciate it.

Go to your local pharmacy and ask them to sell you some 3 oz bottles.
Nowadays they are usually plastic and so cheap that they will probably give
them to you. BTW, you cannot fill 3 oz bottles with liquor ( Scotch) and put
them in your allowable one quart zip lock bag. No booze can be carried onto
the plane, unless, perhaps, duty free.

[Shawn Hirn]

In article
<cac7ff76-8b0b-456b-acff-e31fcadbf76b@i28g2000prd.************.com>,
y_p_w@***********m wrote:

> I just recently traveled (domestic US) and didn't carry a whole lot.
> However - we still needed to check in (even with the $15 first bag
> charge) because we were carrying sunscreens, cosmetics, bug repellent,
> and other toiletries that were more than 3 oz per bottle.
>
> I remember back the original liquid explosive scare in 2006. Back
> then the TSA relaxed their initial ruling that liquids had to be
> checked in and set a 4 oz maximum. That made a lot of sense because a
> lot of standard sized packaging (contact lens solutions, sunscreens,
> etc) as well as travel containers were 4 oz. I've also flown
> internationally (depends on the departure country), and outside the US
> the limit is 100 ml (about 3.3. oz), which makes a lot of sense
> because that's a common size for many toiletries - even some products
> sold in the US. Even if we need to check in some larger bottles, it
> would be nice if I could apply sunscreen from that 4 oz bottle before
> we land.
>
> Anyone know of any actual 3 oz bottles? I bought a few Nalgene 2 oz
> bottles, but they seem a bit small. 100 ml looks good enough, but I'm
> not sure if they'll allow it. I did see a box filled with discarded
> containers that didn't make it past the TSA security. I also gave
> about a half-case of bottled water to some curbside baggage handlers;
> they stashed it and seemed to appreciate it.

Your mistake is trying to make sense out of the non-sensical. That three
ounce rule makes no sense at all.

[Shawn Hirn]

In article <Xns9C0195C2EED4CVeebleFetzer@216.250.184.7>,
Bert Hyman <bert@iphouse.com> wrote:

> In
> news:9a67135e-d685-440b-bcbc-99c619a7b7c5@d25g2000prn.************.com
> y_p_w@***********m wrote:
>
> > I still don't quite understand why it was permanently set at 3 oz (or
> > even 100 ml) like there's some sort of scientific accuracy to the
> > number.
>
> They probably set it at 3 oz precisely to give the impression that
> there's some sort of scientific accuracy to the number. An odd (and
> inconvenient) number like that makes it seem that a lot of research and
> thought went into its determination.
>
> If they'd had their wits about them, they'd have used the 100ml figure
> to make it seem even more authoritative, metric measures being quite
> mysterious to many Americans.

If the TSA really cared about passenger safety, they would ban all
liquids from carryon luggage, not just three ounce containers. Any
would-be bomber can still smuggle on explosives by just keeping them in
multiple 3 oz. containers now. This rule is a joke and the only people
who are inconvenienced by it are us law abiding passengers.