Since when can't you fly with tide pods, dishwasher tabs, in your checked luggage?

[LovesTimone]

I was talking to a neighbor, and she and her family just got back from a trip to the mountains, and when they got to the cabin that they rented. She had pack quite a few items in their checked luggage for the cabin, There was a note from TSA that they removed a whole package of Tide pods, and a bag of dishwasher tabs from her luggage as the form stated they are not allowed. As well a unopened package of Cottonelle wipes for her mom. They also opened her coffee and broke the coffee grinder, it was in piece's. I have flown with tide pods, dishwasher tabs, coffee, salt and pepper, baby wipes, all unopened and never had an issue... She said that she fly's all the time with this type of stuff in the checked luggage.

We are heading to Vegas, and I was planning on taking a few of these items with me as we are staying in a time share this trip.

I looked but I did not find anything that said you can or can't put these items in your checked bags. Am I missing it somewhere, or is this right?

 

[havaneselover]

Huh. I flew from Virginia to Vancouver, BC with Tide Pods in my checked luggage August with no issues.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Nothing at tsa.gov indicates those items will be confiscated. Checked thoroughly or moved because it can block scanner access. As for the coffee maker:

"Please carefully pack your electronics items and make sure all cords are wrapped. While you can pack expensive, fragile electronics items in checked or carry-on bags, we recommend packing them in your carry-on. "

 

[mnrose]

Huh? I've done this all.the.time. Never an issue. I wonder if there was something else that triggered the concern to open the bag and they removed them out of some sort of abundance of caution? As for the coffee grinder breaking, things happen. They aren't exactly careful with the bags being carried on a plane. That's a risk you take with anything packed in checked luggage. I've had shampoo bottles broken open, which is now why I double bag all that stuff. Lesson learned.

 

[mnrose]

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/detergent-liquid

Also found this on the TSA website. If they allow liquid detergent in checked bags, surely the pods are allowed! Note the disclaimer, however, that it's always subject to the TSA agent's judgment. Someone was maybe having a bad day. LOL.

And, this:

https://twitter.com/asktsa/status/999998889423003649?lang=en

You can even take them in your carry on.

 

[Kewz1]

To me inconsistency is one of the biggest issues. What’s ok at one airport isn’t at another.

Leaving MCO last month a woman behind me had large size bottles of toiletries. She claimed the airport in Charlotte let her fly with them in carry on bags after they checked it out. True story? Maybe/maybe not but I know I’ve inadvertantly flown with lotion/gel something in my purse or carry on and it either wasn’t noticed (which is scary) or they let it go.

 

[nkereina]

I agree it was likely due to an overzealous TSA agent. We had multiple Tide pods in our luggage when we flew to Hawaii and back, as well as the 3 inter-island flights in Hawaii, and never had an issue.

 

[nkereina]

To me inconsistency is one of the biggest issues. What’s ok at one airport isn’t at another.

Leaving MCO last month a woman behind me had large size bottles of toiletries. She claimed the airport in Charlotte let her fly with them in carry on bags after they checked it out. True story? Maybe/maybe not but I know I’ve inadvertantly flown with lotion/gel something in my purse or carry on and it either wasn’t noticed (which is scary) or they let it go.

I agree the inconsistencies are frustrating. I'm sure its hard to account for every situation in their training, but something like full size bottles should be pretty clear. I flew with a friend a few years back who had 3 oz or less liquids, but they were in a gallon ziplock bag. She only had a few items but had no quart size bags at home so she took her chances. She had no issue on the way down, but on the way back, they handed her a quart size bag and made her transfer everything.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

Sounds like the TSA agent just needed to do laundry that night

 

[princesspiglet]

I would write a letter to the airport directly stating what happened with TSA that day. Sounds like they need to do more training.

 

[focusondisney]

And Cottonelle wipes?? What could be the problem with those?? Nothing flammable, explosive or that could be mistaken for an explosive there. Give me a break. I have absolutely no problems with screenings, but this is TSA run amok.

 

[aprilchem]

I am going to guess that the story is exaggerated and that some of those items were removed from a carryon bag, not a checked bag. I would think you wouldn't be able to put Tide pods in a carryon bag unless they are packaged like you have to package your liquids.

 

[BLAZEY]

I've never had an issue with travelling with Tide pods. I always have a few win a ziplock bag along with dryer sheets in their own ziplock in my checked luggage. I know I've accidently put them in my carry on and not had a issue I just add them to my liquids ziplock bag and all is well.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I would write a letter to the airport directly stating what happened with TSA that day. Sounds like they need to do more training.

Relatively certain the airports do not train the TSA. Any of the links here https://www.tsa.gov/contact to report what the friend claims happened would be infinitely more succesful.

 

[Mamabun]

I flew to MCO this summer with Tide Pods in my checked bag, and the bag was opened and checked (I found a little note in the bag telling me so), but they didn't take anything and left my tide pods (which were on top, obvious and in the original packaging). I certainly agree things are inconsistent, but this one story will not make me hesitate to pack Tide Pods again. I have heard flying with coffee can make inspectors look at your bag twice, so I usually put that in my carry-on, if I'm bringing any. I'm sorry for your neighbor, hope they had a good vacation anyway.

 

[rwdavis2]

I've put pods in a carry on and wipes. Something is off about the story.

 

[pooh'smate]

I flew with pods and wipes in my checked bags in September and had no problems at all.

 

[monsterkitty]

I always take the wipes with me in my carry-on and have never been questioned. We also fly with Tide pods and dishwasher tablets in our checked bags and nothing has been checked or removed.

The coffee grinder may have been damaged because the bags were thrown around, not because the TSA agent was checking it and broke it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm also wondering if there was some misunderstanding going on with the neighbor's account of the situation.

If indeed they were all removed I wonder if it could have been how they were packaged and/or packed in the checked luggage. That could have also been why the coffee grinder was in pieces. I could see the TSA looking at it and inspecting it but in pieces sounds like the luggage may have been roughly handled either by machines, people or a combination of both and could have happened multiple places along the way.

Not sure about the wipes.

 

[jodybird511]

Just traveled with both Tide pods and coffee in our checked bag this weekend--no issues.