Food And Blue Ice Thru Security

[Phyllis28]

I spoke with a supervisor at TSA (Transportation Security Authority) at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, CA. He said as long as I have a letter from my doctor I can take blue ice and unallowed food through security. He did request that I keep the unallowed items to a minimum. He did ask that I not bring yogurt if possible. Premade Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches are ok. I do not plan on bringing a drinks because water, milk, juice and soda are available in the terminal. I plan to give the security people my letter and food before the items are put through the x-ray machine. I am traveling on Jan 28. I pull up this post and let everyone know how it went.

[zakismom]

I'll be waiting to hear how it went. I used to travel a lot but have been getting the itch... I'd like to go farther than I can drive next vacation!

[RiceAddict]

Phyllis,

That is interesting to hear. I have diabetes and wear an insulin pump which transmits radio signals to/from my glucose monitor. A Dr letter of medical necessity are no longer accepted by "most" airport security. It has never become a really big issue but it does come up. I have a very unofficial looking card that explains why I have to have the device and has my Dr contact info, so if they wanted to challenge they could call him. So I hope your letter does in fact allow you to bring your food on board. Did you check with the airport on the other end to see if it is alright to bring food on the return flight? My understanding of the rules is that each airport is different. Having traveled a lot in the past few years I can attest to that fact.

[Phyllis28]

I still need to check with Lambert Airport in St. Louis. John Wayne is a small airport with only 14 gates. I made this trip 9 times (most before liquid restrictions) last year and expect 10 to 15 times this year.

FYI, DFW (Dallas Fortworth) has a Wendy's at gate C14 and a Chili's too at gate C16. Lambert, St. Louis also has a Chili's too. I am still waiting for confirmation on the menus.

[Guest cassidy]

Most food is ok even without a letter. You just can't have liquids or gels. I'm pregnant and had a letter and I was still made to throw liquids/gels out but I was able to take solid food. I was traveling back into the country right when all that was happening so I decided to try to see what I could sneak by even though I had heard about the rules.

I have traveled several times since and it seems to me as long as you don't have a bottle of water or anything that is obviously a big amount of liquid, no one has ever looked in my cooler. I have also checked a cooler with yogurt and water to have at the other end and there wasn't a problem with that.

I haven't done very well with using my note, but solid food on the plane shouldn't be an issue. Another thing I discovered is that you can put liquids in your pocket as long as they don't have metal because you go through the metal detector. I did that with my lip gloss that I forgot to check when they were being very strict about things in the beginning.

[hockeymom]

My celiac son and I just returned to Kansas City from a trip to green bay this weekend. I was worried about taking his food through security at MCI, but we didn't have any problems. I had put the cooler with his frozen foods in the checked luggage. He had gluten-free pizza that I had cooked and frozen and wrapped in foil in his carry on along with other gluten-free snacks. ( Cheese, beef sticks, candy) I guess since none of it was liquid they didn't even question it. The pizza worked out perfect as it was thawed by the time he had it for lunch on the plane.

We also didn't have any problems with food in his carry on going through security from Green Bay. I never thought to get a note from his DR. but, my earrings seemed to cause a bigger security issue than any of the food in his bag.

[Sophiekins]

I travel internationally all the time for work, and since I'm on a REALLY strict diet, I take pretty much everything I'm going to eat with me. To date, I've not had trouble (although there was the overzealous security guy at Thiefrow in London who "confiscated" my cheese claiming it was liquid. . .I think he was just hungry. . .) anywhere in Europe or North America, although admittedly I haven't flown through the states since the liquid restrictions (Canada and Europe though, have been cool. . .though I don't try and travel with yogurt or pudding). I do have a letter from my doctor, but I've never had to show it, and most of my food is homemade and not pre-packaged.

[chrissy]

why are liquid and gels not allowed?

[celiacgirls]

I just traveled through the Austin and Kansas City airports with a small, soft cooler as a carry on. I had 2 packages of the blue ice gel in there and didn't have any trouble. I had my results letter from Enterolab with me in case they asked but they didn't question me. On the way there, I also forgot to separate my lip gloss into the plastic bag and that made it through unnoticed, too.

[sspitzer5]

I spoke with a supervisor at TSA (Transportation Security Authority) at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, CA. He said as long as I have a letter from my doctor I can take blue ice and unallowed food through security. He did request that I keep the unallowed items to a minimum. He did ask that I not bring yogurt if possible. Premade Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches are ok. I do not plan on bringing a drinks because water, milk, juice and soda are available in the terminal. I plan to give the security people my letter and food before the items are put through the x-ray machine. I am traveling on Jan 28. I pull up this post and let everyone know how it went.

I've traveled with blue ice many times and never had an issue (with no doctor's note). No one has ever questioned me about it. As others have said, solid food is fine.

S

[Phyllis28]

why are liquid and gels not allowed?

This is from the TSA press release on Aug. 10. It explains why gels and liquids are forbidden through Airport Security.

British authorities have arrested 21 individuals who are now in custody who are alleged to have engaged in a plot to detonate liquid explosives on board multiple commercial aircraft departing from the United Kingdom and bound for the United States. This plot appears to have been well planned and well advanced, with a significant number of operatives. The terrorists planned to carry the components of the bombs, including liquid explosive ingredients and detonating devices disguised as beverages, electronic devices, or other common objects.

Below is the TSA webpage for Permitted and Prohibited Items

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[NicoleAJ]

This isn't a perfect solution, but I bring a plastic baggie and a soft-sided insulated lunch bag with my solid foods. As soon as I get through security, I go to the nearest food place and ask for ice for my bag to keep my food cold. Once, I had to throw out my ice in security and my food went rancid before the 9 hours of flying were finished.

[Phyllis28]

I went through security without being asked any questions. I did not have to use my doctor's note. I packed a small frozen blue ice mat, that I cut from a larger piece with my food. I carry my food in a soft sided lunch box. This lunch box is either in my briefcase or my backpack. I never send it thru by itself. I will however continue to carry empty ziploc bags to add ice to just in case the blue ice is confiscated as NicoleAJ suggested.

Also, The Wendy's at gate C14 at DFW (Dallas Fortworth Airport) has chili and baked potatoes. DFW is a huge airport and tight connecting flights or being in Teminals A, B, D, or E may not allow someone to get there between flights.