Sippy cup scandal. Best tips for traveling with/wo kids

[MrsNick]

While I can appreciate the speediness of flip-flops and slide on shoes, I don't recommend that to anyone. My father was in the Navy (aviation side) for 20+ years and one thing he always impressed upon us kids were certain things when we traveled (and yes we traveled alot seeing as how we were stationed overseas or away from mainland quite a bit).

One of the biggest things was to wear shoes that would not slip off so easily. (I guess something he learned while being in the Navy). Reason being, if you need to get off an airplane quickly you don't want your shoes causing you to fall back, etc. They always recommended laced up shoes so that if for example, there was a fire or crash landing and you had to run out quickly, you wouldn't be fumbling with your shoes etc. They stated that whatever you run in, typically is the best to wear while on an airplane (now I guess I can see if the kids are small enough and you have to pick them up it really doesn't matter what kind of shoes they are wearing).

Try running in slip on shoes or flip-flops vs. running in tennis shoes or any kind of flat laced up kind and there is no comparison.

Some "food for thought".

Exactly. There's a book called "The Worst Case Scenario" that says you should always wear lace up shoes when traveling in an airplane for exactly the reasons that you listed. I'd rather be slightly inconvenienced by having to remove my lace up shoes in the security line than find that I can't save myself or my loved ones in an emergency.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Even if she did purposely throw the water on the floor . . . where do the "authorities" get off making her clean it up?

You must be kidding!

They did EXACTLY the right thing making her clean up the mess she deliberately made.

 

[CPT Tripss]

You must be kidding!

They did EXACTLY the right thing making her clean up the mess she deliberately made.

Nope, I wasn't kidding. I was thinking of "due process." Now it may be a long way from this scene to really evil stuff (the stuff of Martin Niemöller's poem) - but it may also be an early step. I don't want police or other "authorities" being Judge and Jury.

 

[CarolA]

Nope, I wasn't kidding. I was thinking of "due process." Now it may be a long way from this scene to really evil stuff (the stuff of Martin Niemöller's poem) - but it may also be an early step. I don't want police or other "authorities" being Judge and Jury.

Well, did they haul her off to jail? That would actually have been fitting.

It's called common good to clean up your mess. If you make a mess you should clean it up, it's that simple. If I spill something in the airport, I clean up my mess. I don't leave a mess in the bathroom at Disney for the same reason. Leaving her spill there was going to endanger other passengers and/or delay the screening while we waited for someone to clean up from her "fit" That's not fair to the rest of us who don't think we are "above" the rules.

 

[Anjelica]

Correct me if I am wrong here but I have seen videos where a person liters while a police person is watching - that police person will make them pick up the trash. If its done regularly (i.e. if thats the protocol that police use now) then I can see why they had her clean it up.

 

[clkelley]

As far as the shoes thing, I thought in airline emergencies you had to take off your shoes??

 

[NotUrsula]

As far as the shoes thing, I thought in airline emergencies you had to take off your shoes??

Only if they are heels, or if you are in water. Otherwise you should keep them on.

Personally, I'm a diehard barefooter through security. (Yes, I know there are people who are squicky about that, and people with medical conditions, but we don't fall into either category.) We take off our shoes before we get into the security line and put them in our carryons. Same deal with belts, costume jewelry, jackets and all pocket contents (I keep ziplocs permanently in the outer pockets of all our carryons for that purpose.) The only thing besides our indoor clothes that we keep directly on our persons once in the line is ID and a boarding pass.

When we clear security we stop at the first quiet gate (or lounge area) we come to, and restore the shoes, etc. It's the people who insist on putting things back while still standing at the belts that hold up the line. Pick up your stuff and get out of the way before you put yourself back together.

 

[Anjelica]

As far as the shoes thing, I thought in airline emergencies you had to take off your shoes??

Not from my knowledge. I know the last thing I am going to be doing is making sure I get my shoes off as the airplane is on fire, etc. My first thing will be to grab kid (if with kid) and run as fast as I can out the exits.

 

[KelleyGirl]

I had also heard that one should only wear some comfortable form of running shoe to prepare for an emergency, just as woman should not wear pantyhose on an airplane because they would be the first to melt in the event of a fire emergency. Years ago, there was a special on 48 Hours (or some other news show) that reviewed all of these safety tips.

And each time I wear my flip flops, all kidding aside, I do think of that show and the safety topics discussed (although for the last flight, I did choose convenience over safety).

I long for the days when we didn't need to undress before boarding (and I say this because my husband practically was undressed... I think it ended up being a button or something on his shorts. A half dozen or so times through the checkpoint later we narrowed it down. )

 

[CPT Tripss]

Well, did they haul her off to jail? That would actually have been fitting.

Giving her a violation notice would have been fitting. Yes there are consequences . . . the police job is to decide on what initial charge, not what punishment.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Correct me if I am wrong here but I have seen videos where a person liters while a police person is watching - that police person will make them pick up the trash. If its done regularly (i.e. if thats the protocol that police use now) then I can see why they had her clean it up.

I'm having a difficult time loading the video today. Was the spill before or after the police arrived?
Also interesting . . . as I recall, the location of the spill was past the exit from the "air side" of the checkpoint and therefore out of the TSA authority. Yet someone other than the uniformed police hands on detained her.
I wonder if Adam and Jamie will sue for copyright/trademark infringement?

 

[LisaY]

Take EMPTY water bottles and empty sippy cups as someone else mentioned. We did that, then filled up the water bottles and sippy cups at the water fountain before boarding the plane. They were in my daughter's backpack on the outside pocket in plain sight.

 

[bradk]

police came much later... you'll see her with one TSA guy and he points somewhere to her and he turns around and she immediately starts dumping (and shaking) the sippy cup empty. she starts taking off but he stops her and she continues to try to leave. then a woman comes in and i think the guy leaves. and really it's a bunch of bickering, but i don't believe there's any audio. a cop on a bike eventually shows up, as does some guy who at first i thought was with the airport, but he ends up picking up the woman's kid and holding him.

i gotta say i think the whole TSA 'mythbusters' angle is a bit pompous because i personally think they have their work cut out for them if they seriously looked internally, but in this case, i can't fault them. he was clearly not in physical contact with her when the contents were spilled and she violently shook it empty.

love or hate the TSA, but there are countries in this world where if the cops feel like it, they'll come up to you and make a problem that usually a few bucks will make go away, but lord help you if you try to up them. you'd think a secret service agent might know that.

 

[CPT Tripss]

police came much later... you'll see her with one TSA guy and he points somewhere to her and he turns around and she immediately starts dumping (and shaking) the sippy cup empty. she starts taking off but he stops her and she continues to try to leave. then a woman comes in and i think the guy leaves. and really it's a bunch of bickering, but i don't believe there's any audio. a cop on a bike eventually shows up, as does some guy who at first i thought was with the airport, but he ends up picking up the woman's kid and holding him.

Thanks, I didn't think the bicycle police actually witnessed what happened.

i gotta say i think the whole TSA 'mythbusters' angle is a bit pompous because i personally think they have their work cut out for them if they seriously looked internally, but in this case, i can't fault them. he was clearly not in physical contact with her when the contents were spilled and she violently shook it empty.

What about the woman who grabbed the spiller by the arm? That was also before the police made the scene. Interesting that "mythbusters" only mananged to get up and running for this incident.

love or hate the TSA, but there are countries in this world where if the cops feel like it, they'll come up to you and make a problem that usually a few bucks will make go away, but lord help you if you try to up them. you'd think a secret service agent might know that.

It's beginning to look like we are in one of those countries.

 

[Anjelica]

It's beginning to look like we are in one of those countries.

How so? I don't see any indication that TSA/Police instigated the entire incident. Had she followed the rules and not brought a filled sippy cup into the security checkpoint this entire incident would never have happened.

Sorry but I don't think we "live" in one of "those" countries the other person refers to. I have lived and traveled in one of those countries that the other person refers to and there is no comparison.

 

[marksommerville]

It's beginning to look like we are in one of those countries.

It is very sad in our world today that your attitude seems to be more prevalent in the headlines. There are millions of people who follow the rules as instructed, without incident, and continue on their way without a problem, yet it only takes one person to violate the rule, and some come out with the bleeding hearts and the "Oh how could they have done this to her"

As was pointed out previously, if someone litters in front of a police officer, then the officer instructs that individual to pick it up, and normally they do. Where is the difference here? Should she have been jailed or arrested?? probably not, since there is a correct and appropriate consequence for her action - clean up the mess she made !!!

The rules are there to be obeyed. If you dont like the rules that TSA has put forth, dont fly !! If you dont like the rules of the country, go some where else, but allow the people who are charged with securing our skies and our lives to do their job.

Perhaps if you had lost someone in the attacks on 9/11, you would have a different opinion, perhaps not. But the rules are in place - follow them or follow the consequences.

 

[Lewisc]

Many (most?) of us would prefer a resolution other then arrest, trial and punishment.

I left a well lite parking lot and forgot to turn my headlights on. At a red light a police officer asked if I'd mind turning my headlights on. Much nicer then following "due process" and giving me a ticket.

I'd much rather being given the option to pick up my trash as opposed to "due process" and being given a ticket and/or being arrested.

I don't want a police officer being "judge and jury" but I don't think being asked to turn on my lights or clean up my mess as being punishment. "Punishment" would be being told to clean up the entire corridor, other people's mess.

Is there any doubt TSA rules prohibit taking the liquids through security? Is there any doubt littering rules prohibit dumping garbage on the floor? I don't understand how giving someone the opportunity to correct the situation, as an alternative to further legal actions, has anything to do with the police being judge or jury.

Nope, I wasn't kidding. I was thinking of "due process." Now it may be a long way from this scene to really evil stuff (the stuff of Martin Niemöller's poem) - but it may also be an early step. I don't want police or other "authorities" being Judge and Jury.

 

[drogerstn]

Even if she did purposely throw the water on the floor . . . where do the "authorities" get off making her clean it up? Give her a citation and be done with it. Yeah, I know she was a "bad girl" and needed to be disciiplined, but . . .
...

The report did not indicate that the authorities made her clean it up. The report states that she was "asked" to clean it up; she made the choice herself. This was her decision to make, not yours or anyone elses; someone else made the decision to not give her a citation or put her under arrest and to allow her to proceed once more through the security check. .

 

[disneymom3]

Giving her a violation notice would have been fitting. Yes there are consequences . . . the police job is to decide on what initial charge, not what punishment.

But what she did was basically saying the TSA was beneath her. She was humiliated?? Throwing her water down on the floor and expecting someone else to clean it up for her was demeaning to the people who would have had to do so simply because she has a prima donna attitude. She threw it, she has to be a grown up and clean it up. Kudos to them!

 

[CPT Tripss]

OK, I get it. She behaved badly and had it coming. The police only gave her what she deserved for not going along with the program and making a scene.
We'll just ignore the TSA person holding up the wall, the other TSA person signaling people to stop then waving at them like they are kids, or the person who grabs the perp by the arm and won't let her go. that's all a long way from a police officer who squirts his siren and goes, "Yo, your lights."
You know, I was in Shop Rite today and heard "spill in ailse 3 . . . cleanup to aisle 3." Someone dropped a jar of spagetti sauce . . . the store management didn't try to affix blame or post it on the web, they just cleaned it up.
Yeah, she made a scene and by golly, she deserved to have the full weight of the TSA come down on her . . . never mind what they also post on their web site:
Security that is Professional - Service that delivers positive lasting impressions with proper image and effective communications.
Security with Customer Service - Service is efficient while maintaining the dignity of all passengers.
Security that is Attentive - Service that acknowledges the passenger strives to minimize passenger anxiety and put them at ease.
Security that Encourages Teamwork - Service of the highest quality resulting from combined individual efforts.
Security that Protects Civil Rights - Service that is delivered with respect and equity.

Bye Bye