Why is airport security strict on my shampoo but lets grandma keep her 12-ounce gravy?

Last week at O'Hare I watched a TSA agent toss my $9 travel-size toothpaste because the tube looked 'suspiciously large.' Twenty minutes later, this tiny old lady in front of me rolls through with a giant Tupperware full of turkey gravy, like a family-size bucket, and they just waved her on. I asked the agent about it and he shrugged, said 'she's 80, how dangerous can she be?' So apparently the rule is threat level by age, not by liquid ounces. I'm 34, so I guess I look like a shampoo bomber, but a senior with a gravy bomb is fine. Has anyone else gotten the 'you look sketchy' treatment while someone way less compliant gets a free pass?

2 comments

2 Comments

craig.viola14d ago

Quit whining, they're just doing their job and you got through fine.

gavin_kim14d ago

Hear me out, I get where you're coming from, but I see it a bit different. In my experience, TSA agents are looking for signs of nervousness and weird behavior, not just the size of the bottle. That little old lady probably looked like she'd been making gravy for 50 years, so no red flags went off. A 34 year old with a tube that looks off, even if it's fine, just fits a different mental picture for them. Your mileage may vary, but I've had my bag pulled for a granola bar once while the guy next to me had a full water bottle, so it's less about an age rule and more about their gut feeling in the moment. Honestly, it's a mess, but I don't think they're trying to profile you on purpose, they just make quick calls that don't always make sense.