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

[Forum Jumper]

Maybe somebody didn't have time to get to the grocery store that day and they felt these items would come in handy at THEIR house.

 

[Imzadi]

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?

I'm wondering this too. Coffee is often used to mask the scent of transporting illegal drugs. I read it often throws off the scent for bomb sniffing dogs. Maybe the TSA removed all scented products as a dog smelled something, so the TSA over-zealously removed all those items? They also didn't repack the coffee grinder securely.

 

[Colleen27]

I've stopped packing coffee because I have had it opened a couple of times in both checked and carry on bags. Even in a brand-new factory-sealed can it seems to attract attention, probably because it is such a well known "trick" for masking scents. But I've never had an issue with laundry or dish shop pods, even when they were in the same bag with the coffee.

 

[YoYoAurora]

I can believe it. Both my husband and I had our checked bags opened and searched this summer. I have no problem with them searching my bag, but they removed an eye-shadow and didn't put ANYTHING back in the ziploc bags or packing cube. They just shoved everything back in and sent it on. My suitcase was a mess -- sunscreen everywhere, another eye-shadow opened and disintegrated over my clothes, which had been removed from their packing cubes. I had several items of clothing ruined due to the mess. I did report it to the TSA. They apologized and said that they'd contact the airport we flew out of as they had similar complaints from other travelers who flew out of that airport, but that's all.

NOTE: No coffee or tide pods in the bag. The eye-shadow removed is a brand available nationwide at grocery and drug stores and had been used. TSA left no note. Nothing other than the one used eye-shadow was taken. There was costume jewelry in the bag (by accident). We use TSA approved locks on the luggage.

 

[shoney]

We had baby wipes in our carryon at MCO last February. We were pulled to the side. The package was sliced with razors and swabbed

 

[NotUrsula]

If you read the fine print on both your airline's Contract of Carriage and TSA's complaint procedure, you'll find that they are within their rights to deny your complaint if you don't file it BEFORE leaving the arrival airport. So... here is a trick to alert you from the outside that your bags have been opened.

If you have luggage with zippers, always make it a point to place the sliders in a specific position before checking the bag. That way when you retrieve it you will know if it has been opened. If you have hardside cases without zippers, put a small bit of colored tape or a band-aid on the seam next to one of the lock hasps; if the case is opened it won't go back into place properly, and no airline or TSA employee will bother to try. These signals will alert you to open and check the bag for the search notice, and put in a claim for missing items if you need to, before leaving the baggage claim area.

PS: It's always good to carry a a baggie full of baggies in your luggage pocket, so that you can re-package items that are left open and cannot be re-sealed.

 

[YoYoAurora]

If you read the fine print on both your airline's Contract of Carriage and TSA's complaint procedure, you'll find that they are within their rights to deny your complaint if you don't file it BEFORE leaving the arrival airport. So... here is a trick to alert you from the outside that your bags have been opened.

...

PS: It's always good to carry a a baggie full of baggies in your luggage pocket, so that you can re-package items that are left open and cannot be re-sealed.

Thanks! I always line up the zippers and they're never in the same place due to mishandling by baggage handlers (or is that mishandlers?). And I always have extra baggies inside the bags and in the outside pocket. We arrived at our home airport after midnight and still had a two hour drive home. I usually check, but didn't this time. We'd been traveling over 24 hours at that point. I was surprised that the TSA person I spoke with admitted that they've had issues with the airport we flew out of on the return trip.

 

[LovesTimone]

OP here,

We are heading to Vegas soon, and I am still planning on taking my tide pods, and dishwasher tabs with us. I am rethinking the coffee, as it does make sense about the masking smells.

The thing I really don't get is the cottonelle wipes... I really can't think of any reason that they should be taken out of the check luggage, or not allowed. I have taken baby wipes in my carry on and never had a problem.

I will say, as several PP's pointed out that there is not a lot of consistency, I so agree with that. We flew to Paris and I had forgotten about some lotion that I had in my Vera Bradley bag it was like 7 ounce's, they never looked twice at it going through customs, and security checks. But on the return flight, in Boston we were re-entering the country.... I guess the screen-er noticed it. So they pulled us to the side and went through my bag, found it, it was a hassle... but it was my fault. So I double and triple check when I take that Vera Bradley bag, it has a bunch of pockets, so I don't miss anything.

 

[mrsstats]

Just traveled 2 weeks ago with Tide Pods and no problem.

 

[aprilgail]

We use TSA approved locks on the luggage.

I used TSA approved locks on my luggage and will never use them again- they still cut them off and not only cut the lock off but also cut the zipper tabs off messing up my whole suitcase!

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

This is absolutely true. Once we flew out of SNA (John Wayne). My kids were little and I had two capri suns in my backpack. We had come straight from the park and I forgot to take them out. They totally let the kids take them through security. I was really surprised.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I can believe it. Both my husband and I had our checked bags opened and searched this summer. I have no problem with them searching my bag, but they removed an eye-shadow and didn't put ANYTHING back in the ziploc bags or packing cube. They just shoved everything back in and sent it on. My suitcase was a mess -- sunscreen everywhere, another eye-shadow opened and disintegrated over my clothes, which had been removed from their packing cubes. I had several items of clothing ruined due to the mess. I did report it to the TSA. They apologized and said that they'd contact the airport we flew out of as they had similar complaints from other travelers who flew out of that airport, but that's all.

NOTE: No coffee or tide pods in the bag. The eye-shadow removed is a brand available nationwide at grocery and drug stores and had been used. TSA left no note. Nothing other than the one used eye-shadow was taken. There was costume jewelry in the bag (by accident). We use TSA approved locks on the luggage.

They probably did not not "take" the eye shadow, it likely fell and was not replaed while they were rummaging through everything.

It really does stink when they take things out and make a huge mess---have had that twice over the years. Once there was a bottle of red wine, well packaged, in the sutcase, it had been left totally unwrapped and at the top (outer edge of bag) and was, of course, broken when we arrived---ruined several items of clothing and caused us to tell DFiL that we will NOT bring him his favourite wine ever again---wwhite you can wash out, but not red.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I'm wondering this too. Coffee is often used to mask the scent of transporting illegal drugs. I read it often throws off the scent for bomb sniffing dogs. Maybe the TSA removed all scented products as a dog smelled something, so the TSA over-zealously removed all those items? They also didn't repack the coffee grinder securely.

This was my thought as well. All of the mentioned items can have strong scents meant to throw off drug or explosive sniffing, so all in one place might havetriggered concern, whereas anyone one might not have.

 

[jerseygal]

We pack laundry detergent pods in a separate zip lock bag in our checked luggage and then dryer sheets in another zip lock. Never had a problem.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Flew with Tide Pods back in June w/no issues.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I thought the title of this said "Since when can't you fly with tad poles"

 

[mnrose]

I thought the title of this said "Since when can't you fly with tad poles"

If it's an emotional support tad pole you clearly can.