Colgate Total taken off me at airport security

[Emiliana52]

If you’re flying, you might want to think twice about packing Colgate Total. Mine got flagged twice at airport security and was taken off me. The security guy said they’d already had 20 tubes taken off passengers that day! Makes you wonder what we’re actually cleaning our teeth with.

I flew out of Manchester last month, I had to have my feet swiped for drugs (??) and then my hand luggage got flagged for further examination. Before he'd even opened my bag, the security guard asked if I was carrying a Kindle. I said I was, and he said that was most likley the issue. I presented him with the Kindle, he swiped it for 'explosive particles', it passed the test and I was allowed my bag back!

I was stopped for bananas! 🍌
I did get them back though. Very inconvenient to have to wait 20 minutes though

Mitchum roll on deodorants are also notorious for setting off the scanners according to the staff at Heathrow. Mine was swiped and returned to me, but it slows the process down. I now take a different brand when I travel to try to avoid my bag being flagged every time.

It’s different for each airport- you have to check before you fly.

This is one of the horrible things about airports. You get a bunch of minimum wage oiks behaving as if they were your boss.

Us, too. 3 of us travelled to Spain for a week with only a cabin bag and backpack each. We flew BA.

We had a nervous few minutes the last time we went away because DPs bag was flagged for explosive particles.

He works backstage in entertainment and he'd had the same bag with him the night before when he was working on a show that had a very elaborate pyrotechnic finale.

While we waited we discussed whether they'd accept his reason of 'I work for X', with X being a very well known celebrity currently in the middle of a high profile tour as the reason or if they'd cart him off for interrogation. Thankfully his bag passed the tests and we cough on our way.

No, not because of decanting it, despite decanting it.

Yes - we're away for 2 weeks with just a carry on each.

I havent flown for several years. What are they scanning luggage with? How can this come up? I just just understand.

Nope, just some airports. I know Gatwick yes but Luton still has the 100ml rule

You're not meant to really understand the full workings of this - for hopefully obvious reasons.

If the liquids aren’t removed from the bag they’re not scanned for colour (which is how the luggage scanners used to scan liquids, and is why you had to remove them separately in a see through bag)- so your friends unmarked 100ml bottle of sun cream could be anything, which is probably why it got tested.

That is horrible of you to say that! Oiks? They are just foing their job. Some take it more seriously some are more relaxed because they ahve experience and can make decisions. Are you the type of person who thinks if someone is on minimum wage they are beneath you?

Various types of analytical equipment, gas chromatography, laser technologies etc. The new scanners are CT scanners that work in the same way as hospital ones. It's not a secret.

Mitchum spray is fine (I always carry the travel size in my hand luggage). It’s just the roll on that’s the problem.

Just as an aside. Suncream should never be decanted into a different bottle. It can mess with the effectiveness.

Buy after security or in destination if you’re flying from somewhere that still has the 100ml rule.

A lot of the kit that is used at airports is visible so yes, sure, you can see to.some extent what is being used.

OTOH a lot of the fine detail (some protocols, the exact substances that are of interest) will definitely be on a "do not discuss with the public" list.

It is totally dependent on the airport you are flying from.

I got pulled out of the queue at Gare du Nord Eurostar security last month and was subjected a full body search and hand swab. I worked out it must have been the perfectly normal Boots hand sanitiser I had used about 20 mins earlier (we travelled across France by train and train toilets are not always generous with the soap and water!)

Apparently the new equipment is very heavy, so some airports will need to have floors reinforced before they can install it. So my dh tells me anyway - he might have read it in one of his professional engineering publications.

Not so! They are very generous with water. The problem is it has been passed by other (usually male) passengers and on the floor! 😀

I've done that. Small gym backpack. Had a laundry in my apartment and was summer so small clothes. Was my first trip overseas. I did have to put a few things in my adult son's case on the way home as I bought a couple of pressies and a pair of dress shoes.

His info is correct, it's one of the reasosn why there's some airports have been (relatively) quick to get the.new scanners and some haven't.

I suppose paying for a checked bag is out of the question? Solves all the liquid issues. Smug me never brings a cabin bag on board. By the time you get through immigration scanners (that word again!) my bag is ready for collection from the belt. I admit that point to point European flights are my usual, so tiny chance of bags going astray, and it has never happened to me on multiple flights here and there. Connecting flights are the bogey I admit.

Anyway on the rare occasions where I only bring an underseat bag, I decant my toothpaste into one of those tiny screw top jars. Always more than enough for a few days away. Same with moisturiser etc. I'm very low maintenance though and that helps!