TSA re-educates public about liquid on planes

Officials concerned confusion of rules will result in long delays over holidays

	Jessica Pardi quickly downs a liquid beverage before entering the security check area at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta on Thursday.
Ric Feld / AP

Most popular

• Most viewed

• Top rated

• Most e-mailed

Woman drives into aquarium at Tampa airport

NATO: Huge cache of bomb material seized

9 surprising places where germs lurk

Men more likely to leave spouse who has cancer

Senate Democrats move to curb Fed’s powers

Most viewed on msnbc.com

updated 8:32 p.m. ET Nov. 3, 2006

ATLANTA - Vince Marzula started his trip to Las Vegas by losing money at the security checkpoint at the Atlanta airport.

“I threw about $100 of stuff in the garbage — hair care products of my wife,” the 35-year-old from suburban Atlanta said Thursday.

A month after the federal Transportation Security Administration announced rules permitting only limited amounts of liquids on board airplanes, confusion over the regulations has led to longer waits at security checkpoints around the country.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

TSA officials are concerned those delays will significantly increase during the holiday season.

“We’re very worried about Thanksgiving. We know it’s the busiest time of the year,” TSA spokesman Christopher White said. “We know there will be a lot of infrequent travelers, so we’re doing everything we can to get the word out.”

At the Atlanta airport — the world’s busiest in terms of passengers — average wait times at checkpoints have increased from 18½ minutes in September to 23½ minutes in October, while delays have jumped from 14 to more than 21 minutes at O’Hare Airport in Chicago, according to the TSA.

The TSA is trying to educate travelers before the Thanksgiving weekend with a campaign called “3-1-1 on Air Travel.” It includes posters about the new rules at airline ticket counters and security checkpoints at more than 425 U.S. airports, and extra TSA staffers to tell passengers what is allowed.

ALSO ON THIS STORY

Under the 3-1-1 rule, any liquids carried aboard a plane must be in 3-ounce containers or smaller, and all of the containers must be in a one-quart see-through plastic bag, with one bag per passenger.

The rules eased the total ban on liquids that was imposed in August after British police broke up a terrorist plot to assemble and detonate bombs aboard as many as 10 flights from Britain to the United States.

Ruth Kitchen of Denver brought a plastic bag to the Atlanta airport, but it was too large. She also had to buy a zip-top bag for 50 cents from a store nearest to the checkpoint.

“I thought I was prepared,” the 48-year-old homemaker said. “My gel had to go into the trash. I may have to check some things.”

Discuss Story On Newsvine
Rate Story:
View popularLowHigh
Email
Instant Message
Print

Getty Images	The Big Apple Long referred to as the center of American business, New York is a melting pot of cultures and landscapes. Take a visual tour of some of the Big Apple’s most famous attractions.
Lonely Planet Images	Hawaiian paradise The Hawaiian Islands are the perfect vacation destination for travelers of all types.
Lonely Planet Images	National spectacles Nearly 400 national parks can be found all across America, and feature breathtaking vistas, rock formations millions of years old, and more.