New Regulations and Packing Food

[PamOKW]

I know many DVC members talk about packing food in their luggage. When they were running down things to consider with the new equipment that will be checking all the checked baggage as the airports, they mentioned that food and beverages packed in luggage may come up as suspected explosives. (Maybe the shape of the products?) Not sure what if anything could be done except not packing it. Just thought I'd throw the info out there for consideration.

Another important note is that film will be destroyed if it goes through the new screening machines. Keep your film in the carryon luggage.

 

[jimmytammy]

PamOKW

I saw something about this on the news the other night. My understanding is security is saying to not bring ANY type of food items at all as explosive devices can be packed within foods and go undetected. I caught that newstory middle ways through so I may be totally wrong. We usually carry crackers or Poptarts in carryons just to tide us over. No more I guess. I sure hope the airlines will start serving something more substantial than a little mint and a small pack of pretzels.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

They are issuing the policy for checked luggage NOT carry on.
You can still bring your crackers or pop tarts on the plane. And...it is not the airlines it is the security people.
I still plan to bring some items in my checked luggage and will have to deal with the possible search on the way back as I refuse to waste food. DVC won't do anything but toss it and I do dislike waste.

 

[bicker]

Are they really issuing a new policy, or is it an advisory? I don't see any indication on their web site that they are now prohibiting food in luggage.

 

[chris1gill]

I guess the issue is if you bring food, your suitcase will probably have to be opened & looked through because the food looks like explosives... I'm just going to bring a separate suitcase with whatever food I want in it, so when they have to open it, food is all they'll find, not our personal items.... Speaking of which, I have to go buy another suitcase!

 

[POLLY ANN]

I believe you can carry snack food on the plane. I can't imagine them saying you can't when all they give you is peanuts or pretzels! I have kids that are definitely going to need something to eat, even though it's only a 2 1/2 hour flight.

I don't normally carry food that I will use at Disney in my suitcase, but this trip I'm going to pack up a box of essentials and ship it down to OKW. I probably wouldn't do it normally but we won't be renting a car and I'm not "grocery shopping" at the General Store at OKW!

And, our local newspaper just reported all checked luggage will be manually checked. I'm not thrilled about someone going through my underwear, but I guess I can deal with it since it IS for our safety. I'll just make sure that everything is in clear plastic bags! lol

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Bicker,
It is an advisory, not a rule. No problem with bringing food on the plane, just checking it.

 

[PamOKW]

Thanks for providing the clarification, Gail. I realize now my "subject" line makes it look like packing food is a "rule". It was just a recommendation they had on the news to go along with the new regulations for checking the baggage. It only applies to checked luggage. It's not that you can't pack food, it's just a "hint" that it may make your baggage subject to a more intense search.

Some airports have not yet installed the automated equipment to screen the bags. In that case, every single bag will be hand searched. Once the equipment is in, they'll only check suspicious bags.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Pam,
Your thread line was just fine, I was just pointing out that people could still bring food on board. I cannot believe they are going to hand search every single bag, we will never take off at this rate. I am all for safety and I don't have a problem with this, I just hope they do it quickly.

 

[d-r]

hi y'all - I flew this past week, and at this particular airport at least, after you checked in at the desk, if you have luggage to check, you had to go through another line to have it screened. They took a little swab on a stick sort of thing and rubbed it, I guess looking for explosives. Sometimes they would open it up and go through it, other times they wouldn't. Then you would get a tag and take your luggage back to the counter to be checked. I don't know if it will work like that at all airports, or if it was a temporary thing. Just another reason not to check bags for me-

DR

 

[bicker]

We're lucky here in Boston (though the reason why we're lucky is a bit morbid), in that they've not only got all the whiz-bang machinery that most of the rest of the airports are still trying to get their hands on, but it is already integrated into Logan's automated baggage handling systems, so we should notice very little difference with the new procedures.

 

[Gillian]

Thanks for the info! I think I'm going to take driving vacations for a while until they get this worked out

 

[Doctor P]

Part of the problem, as I understand it, is that certain types of food (chocolate and cheese were mentioned in particular) will give a false positive for explosives both with the screening technologies and with alerting bomb sniffing dogs. Hence the strong advice not to pack any food.

 

[DVC Eeyore]

Just a note on film, take it out of the container and place ALL rolls in a clear plastic bag and ask to be hand checked when going through security. The TSA website states you can do this and ask them to hand check as multiple trips through X-ray will destroy ALL speeds of film not just the higher speeds. I did this while flying for my trip and had no problems. I did have some higher speed film in the bag too but some of the slower rolls had been through a few times and the risk of losing pictures is not worth it. The TSA workers were very polite about the request and I didn't feel any resentment like there was before the TSA took over airport security. If you still have film in your camera have them hand check your camera too as any film in the camera can be destroyed by the X-ray as well. I normally try to use all the film to avoid this though. . .

DVC Eeyore

 

[shelbyjosh]

What about coffee? I like to bring the filter packs or just a bulk amount in a ziploc?? I also like to bring Bisquick (for pancakes) rather than buy a box down there. How can we find out what is allowed/not allowed??

 

[patsal]

From what I understand certain foods give flase readings for explosives "hot dogs" have some kind of sodium combination that really trigger the machienes. I''m planning on packing an entire suitcase with food and then labeling it as such and not securing it closed. The other choice I have is to ship food down to myself or waste vacation time shopping.

 

[Firefighter Mickey]

...sodium nitrate is what's in the hot dogs (and lots of other processed meats). It's an oxidiser (promotes combustion) and is commonly used in the manufacture of explosives. Ammonium nitrate (commonly used in fertilizaers), a chemical cousin, was what was mixed with fuel oil to destroy the federal builing in Oklahoma City.

Here's the TSA Travel Tips web site:

http://www.tsatraveltips.us/

 

[msdis]

A little off topic here but all the comments made me think. When we flew in Sept. we were stopped and hand searched, no big deal, right? Well, I observed how the agents wore protective gloves. Still no big deal, right? When was the last time your doctor or dentist put on gloves and used the same ones on the next patient? Yes, I know my point is a little overblown but with all the diseases, viruses, and potential for biological agents floating around who's to say there's no element for cross contamination of sorts. I know there is no solution right now but just thought I would throw out some FOOD for thought. No pun intended.
As far as a solution to this thread, DVC needs to be encouraged to expand the selection in the store and lower their prices.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

As far as a solution to this thread, DVC needs to be encouraged to expand the selection in the store and lower their prices.

Nope I have to learn to buy less. LOL

 

[bicker]

Originally posted by msdis Well, I observed how the agents wore protective gloves. Still no big deal, right? When was the last time your doctor or dentist put on gloves and used the same ones on the next patient?

Well, of course, the gloves are for their protection, not the passengers'.

As far as a solution to this thread, DVC needs to be encouraged to expand the selection in the store and lower their prices.

The most effective (and perhaps the only effective) means for encouraging a business to expand selection and lower prices is to demonstrate how that would be more profitable for them. I can't imagine a business case that would prove that. Any significant changes in that regard would only result in greater profitability if it resulted in substantially greater volumes -- that facility is not designed, and I doubt it could even ben upgraded, to handle substantially greater volumes.