Airport security discarded ALL my frozen expressed milk before our flight

[Nadsthakur]

During security screening, approximately 25 ounces of my frozen expressed breast milk was confiscated and discarded. I was told that because it was frozen, it could not be tested and therefore could not be taken through security.

I explained several times that this milk was for my 8-month-old daughter, who is unable to latch and is exclusively fed expressed breast milk. This was not simply a drink or an inconvenience, it was my daughter's only prepared source of nutrition for our journey. Despite explaining this, I was told there was nothing that could be done, and I had to stand there and watch as the milk was thrown away.

I cannot put into words how upsetting this was. Expressing 25 ounces of breast milk takes an enormous amount of time, dedication and physical effort. It means pumping throughout the day and night, carefully storing every bottle and planning ahead. Every ounce represents hours of work. To have it thrown away in front of me, after explaining exactly how important it was, was absolutely heartbreaking.

What made the situation even worse was the attitude of the officers involved. Throughout the interaction, I felt they showed very little empathy or understanding of how serious this was. I was clearly distressed and repeatedly explained that they were taking away my baby's only food for our journey. Rather than trying to help, showing compassion or explaining whether there were any alternative screening options, my concerns were simply dismissed.

After my daughter's food had been thrown away, I was handed a customer feedback card and sent on my way. It genuinely felt as though nobody cared that an 8-month-old baby had just lost the only food I had prepared for her. The complete lack of compassion shown towards me as a mother was deeply upsetting and made an already distressing situation even worse.

Instead of looking forward to our holiday, I boarded an international flight feeling anxious and devastated, worrying about how I was going to feed my daughter while we were away. No parent should ever be put in that position.

Before travelling, I checked the guidance available to passengers. Ryanair's website clearly states that parents travelling with an infant can bring as much baby milk as needed for the flight, provided it is presented for inspection. I relied on this information when preparing for our journey. At no point was I made aware that frozen expressed breast milk could be refused because it could not be tested, and I was given no alternative option when I reached security.

I do not know the names of the officers involved, but im sure they can be identified through CCTV footage and staff rosters for the security checkpoint.
I want Manchester Airport to provide a full explanation of why my daughter's expressed breast milk was confiscated.
The specific policy or security procedure that required it to be discarded.
An explanation of why no alternative screening method. The time and physical effort it took to express and store it, and the significant distress, anxiety and disruption this caused to both me and my family.im supposed to enjoy my holiday and now im stressed in morroco about how I will feed her. She doesnt latch and only has expressed milk. Besides complaining to the Airport what else can I do so no other family goes through this.

Yeah but many people would just look at the airlines rules or the airports rules, they wouldn't google or think to look on the gov website, and so I just think they could say clearly on the website seeing as they already mention the other rules about breastmilk.

You don’t have any grounds for a complaint. You cannot take frozen liquids of that quantity on a plane- for a reason. You either need to take formula or food/ which is suitable for an 8 month old. This isn’t a newborn.

This.

Be glad you didn’t go to Schiphol airport OP!

It is a worry that adults responsible for dc cba to read rules and policies before traveling and then complain when they are caught out.

A pp calling airport staff jobsworths for enforcing said rules and regulations .

Would they not allow you to go back and buy another bag and check it in as hold luggage?

What did you expect them to do?

It really isn’t @Bigcat25

The security measures are there to keep people safe in the air. You can’t test something frozen….

Whilst this was distressing for the OP, it’s not the security officers fault that she didn’t find out what the rules are, were which are quite well stated.

Imagine the outpouring of outrage if a terror attacked took place and it was found that a security officer had not done their job.

Not a pleasant experience for @Nadsthakur but airport security did its job.

She seems to think they'd just ignore the rules for her. No idea why and no idea why anyone does not look up liquid guidelines before travel.
Obviously goes without saying upset and distress is awful when anything is discarded by staff but all so very preventable.

It doesn’t matter really. Those are the rules and you either comply with them, or don’t. It’s your choice.

There’s no need for an 8 month old to be drinking that much breast milk but still, why on earth did you think the rules didn’t apply to you?

She shouldn’t have to. I wouldn’t want to feed my child formula when I am able to give them my breast milk. It’s great that there is an option but that is not for everyone.

Is an obvious mum carrying a baby with small bottles REALLY like to be a terrorist??!

There are female terrorists, and the baby doesn't have to actually be hers...

@Spottyvases look up the 2006 Operation Overt, foiled terrorist plot.
People need to take flying more seriously. Check your passport and any other documentation needed, then check what you can take. Some of the rules mean disabled people decide not to fly, or can't, but that's how it is. Unless for a family funeral, or emigration, flying with a difficult baby, over two and a half hours, or at all, is a choice. Some passengers are absolute dickheads, it's bad enough being in a queue with them. So I'm not surprised the Staff get empathy fatigue, especially when you have a 3 am start and come 12 pm, say no to defrosting breast milk, when you could lose your £15 an hour job and put 350 people risk

I'm sorry you had a distressing experience.

However, I am glad we have strict rules for flights and that airport security adhere to them.

This - let's be real here, if you are travelling as a family with young kids, including a baby, to a holiday destination, you are not smuggling bloody explosives pretending they are breast milk 🙄

The rules themselves are a load of old shite and were a total kneejerk reaction to 9/11 and you would think in the 25 years since we would have come up with a more sophisticated way to screen items than just assuming all liquids are potentially bombs.

@1WhiffyGrowler women and children are frequently used by terrorist, drug smugglers etc. Are you volunteering to put your children on flights while they let women with babies on, without following the rules? The rules were relaxed and the Manchester bombing happened. The same when a truck exploded at the French Christmas markets. Much shorter flights are available to other holiday destinations, while you have babies under 1, with feeding issues.

For goodness sakes. The rules apply. Check them. Make your decision to fly knowing what you can and cannot take, or not to fly as you can’t take what you want to in the way you want to. They’re not saying you can’t express nor are they saying you can’t breast feed. you are asking for what you deem to be a reasonable adjustment - it doesn’t seem reasonable to me to put the lives of the other people on that plane at risk by making an exception. Breastfeeding mothers with babies, pregnant women, children - they have all been utilised for terrorist purposes and one of the big draws is that people are far more accommodating because of the child.

@NotSmallButFunSize so what is the cut off for potential terrorist and number of children

How were you planning on keeping it frozen? This has got nothing to do with Ryanair, it’s the airport rules.

The logic is that airport staff must not be expected to make a subjective judgement, more properly called a "guess", about how much is actually in your 125ml bottle. If you allow a half-empty 125ml Nalgene, you open the door to passengers trying to take a 500ml water bottle that they claim only has 100ml in it. Insisting on 100ml bottles takes that subjective judgement out of it.

Expressing is hardwork so I get you’re upset but you didn’t follow the rules and airport staff did nothing wrong.
formula isn’t poison and it’s available in the airport so they didn’t leave you unable to access food for your child.

Do you think terrorists walk around with labels on them saying I'm a terrorist?

They obviously use covert methods and distractions. You only need look at the ME, suicide bombers covered up with burkhas so these rules must apply to everyone.

Airport staff enforce the rules, for everyone. It's a good thing.

A quick google search found the answer. I get you’re upset, but this is down to you. Take it on the chin and learn for next time.

Their job is pretty stressful. More stressful than having your suncream swabbed.

They usually don’t even know their work location until they arrive that day, and for safety they switch tasks often. This so that staff can’t let a specific person through security.

@NotSmallButFunSize please do get in touch with the Moroccan government and tell them that they've got their country, being a target for terrorism, wrong. Do you understand Morroco's stance on Palestine? The other political positions they hold?