# Flying for the first time in 5 yrs. Things I'm not supposed to bring? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 19, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383 "2011-05-19T00:34:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![carlotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@carlotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlotta)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/1 "2011-05-19T00:34:02Z")
I haven’t flown for at least five years, now I’m goin’ on a trip! What is the TSA gonna give me a hard time about? I want to bring my hosts a lot of cookies, brownies and scones, is that going to be a problem? ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/2 "2011-05-19T00:46:56Z")
Probably not. Food is okay unless it’s liquid or gel-like. You might be required to do some additional screening, depending. I had to do that with some scones, once. Just remember the 3-1-1 rule when it comes to liquids: 3.4 ounce (100ml) bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin. If you wear shoes that easily slip off, wear no metal, and remember to take your laptop out and place it in a separate bin during screening, you should be fine. ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/3 "2011-05-19T00:48:38Z")
Don’t bring any bombs. They’ll confiscate them and then you’ll have to buy new bombs at your destination. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/4 "2011-05-19T01:10:21Z")
For accurate and up to date info, go to their [website](http://www.tsa.gov/311/). ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/5 "2011-05-19T01:16:35Z")
Don’t forget, the liquid restrictions and stuff are for carry-on luggage. You can put almost anything in your checked baggage, from gallons of milk to a collection of knives. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/6 "2011-05-19T01:21:36Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > Don’t bring any bombs. They’ll confiscate them and then you’ll have to buy new bombs at your destination. I think they carry them at the duty free shop. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/7 "2011-05-19T13:27:19Z")
Just show up empty handed and naked. You can buy new stuff at your destination. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/8 "2011-05-19T13:36:31Z")
Don’t carry anything valuable: [link](http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=266573). ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/9 "2011-05-19T15:08:58Z")
Guns, razor blades and garroting wire are also a non-starter. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/10 "2011-05-19T15:48:07Z")
No explosive shoes or underwear “packages.” You may be body-scanned, so be kind and lose a couple lbs for the sake of the TSA agents. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/11 "2011-05-19T15:51:50Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > No explosive shoes or underwear “packages.” Yeah, underwear is something else you can purchase later at the doody-free shop. ---
**Author:** ![Time\_Stranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Time\_Stranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Time_Stranger)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/12 "2011-05-19T15:58:20Z")
Do they actually check gel inserts for shoes? The last time I flew they didn’t really look at my shoes as far as I know and I wished I had them. I have to fly again soon, and I really like having them for walk-heavy trips, but I don’t want to check my bag. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flying-for-the-first-time-in-5-yrs-things-im-not-supposed-to-bring/582383/13 "2011-05-19T17:28:42Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Don’t carry anything valuable: [link](http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=266573). Actually based on that - Carry your valuables, don’t check them.