Chewing Gum at MCO

[sseely40851]

This may not be news to some of you, but it caught me off-guard. At MCO (and maybe others), you cannot buy chewing gum after you have gone through security. They said it was because people drop it and it ruins the carpets. Is this new?? Is this the same at all airports. I don't fly a lot, but I have noticed this before. My DD has trouble with her ears and chewing gum helps them to pop. Next time we will come prepared.

 

[NotUrsula]

Not at every airport, but quite a few, especially outside the U.S. I suspect that one of the reasons for it at MCO is that so many of the passengers are kids, who are more likely to chew gum briefly for the flavor and then open a second piece, ditching the first one without thinking too much about it. Gum does add to maintenance costs and it's just nasty finding it stuck to things all over the place; I've put a carryon bag under a seat in the gate area and pulled it out before boarding only to find long strings of gum clinging to it because some twit stuck used gum to the bottom of the chair.

FWIW, a bottle of water is likely to help your kids' ears more than gum will. The action that pops the ears is swallowing, and if you have to sort of suck on the drink bottle it creates more of a vacuum that makes it more effective, so a bottle with a spout is better than an open cup.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I think this is great. Chewing gum is disgusting and it makes a mess. Have you seen carpeting and sidewalks with all those black circles from gum?

 

[backyardponder]

Don't plan on buying gum at WDW. They don't sell it for the same reason.

 

[DVC-Don]

Not new. It's that way at most airports I've been to.