Newlyweds: TSA Ruined Our Honeymoon Over Bottle Of Contact Lens Solution

http://consumerist.com/2011/06/tsa-ruin-couples-honeymoon-over-bottle-of-contact-lens-solution.html

As I posted in the comments section there, I hope the less-than-human-so-seriously-don't-give-them-the-same-respect-or-dignity-due-a-human TSOs responsible for this travesty slip and fall on some black ice in front of an oncoming 18-wheeler. They deserve worse but I'll settle for that.

 

A different version of the story from the local NBC affiliate:

NBC: Local Couple Held By TSA; Miss Flight & Honeymoon Cruise

Notice, however, that the checkpoint surveillance tapes never seem to disappear when they favor TSA.

 

Not to be TOO skeptical, but all we have is TSA's version of the tape. A real journalist would review the tape to observe for accuracy and any obvious alterations.

 

I posted there as well saying it was just another example of lack of common sense and erratic policy like the Detroit plastic hammer. Besides, as MaximumSisu said, TSA has not exactly proven to be a bastion of veracity. Remember when they denied that they tested the wide scan MMW at train stations until photos of the setup surfaced?

 

I thought I read that this particular couple checked in at 6:00am for a 6:30am flight or something along those lines.

While I dispise the TSA being, well, the TSA, this couple didn't really allow themselves enough time to clear security, and I sure as (expletive deleted) would have made sure I made that flight, and not ruined my honeymoon.

 

I am confused...I thought contact lens solution was consider medical and therefore not subject to screening. Even so, this couple paid the price for poor planning which makes this their fault to begin with.

 

Can I just add my :fist shaking emoticon: Down with the TSA! comment here?

 

If you've got a real one that matches the others in size, I'll add it.

So far I've added

We encourage the full range of expression here as long as it's not profane, slanderous or a personal attack.

 

I'm torn on this story.

I agree with others that the couple probably didn't allow themselves enough time at the airport. I imagine they are probably young-ish, and probably are very infrequent travelers. Their parents had enough miles to get to LAS last minute, and are likely of the mindset of "that stuff happens to other people, my kids are fine."

However, the screeners at CMH are a special kind of evil.

I was once detained at CMH for 20 minutes while every. single. item. in my rollaboard was dumped out while they tried to locate a ziploc bag of epsom salt in a side pocket they assumed to be cocaine. For those of you not familiar with either/or substance, any person who is familiar with either will know, on site, that epsom salt does not in any way resemble cocaine.

The supervisor took special delight in telling me that drug trafficking was illegal, she was going to have to call the police, I would be detained for hours. That was until I called her bluff and said, "I'm an airline employee on official company business. If you believe I'm using drugs, call our station manager over here and you can hold the cup I pee in." That was met with, "Sir, you don't have to be vulgar. You may leave."

From personal experience, I also know that contact lens solution can be especially confusing to screeners regardless of the airport.

I imagine they had cut it close, but at CMH you can do that, balked when questioned on the solution, and were delayed as punishment for questioning someone's authoritah! It really is that simple when small town screeners get involved.

 

What the dim bulbs in TSA never seem to realize is that when they see or suspect evidence of illegal contraband, they must immediately cease their own search & notify law enforcement. To continue search at that point with a warrant taints the evidence & get it thrown out. See Fofana, also Bierfeldt, also a recent child porn chase in Hawaii that was thrown out because the screeners exceeded the scope of what they could legally do.

 

Depends a lot on who is doing the screening. Some contact lens solutions drive the clerks crazy thinking they have found a new Ted Kazinksy just because the solution contains some hydrogen peroxide.

When I first read about this situation figured it had much to do with arriving late and not knowing what to expect at the airport Checkpoint Charlie. Feel sorry for them having their honeymoon ruined and wish that the TSA clerks had some commonsense when dealing with people. Doesn't look like that will ever happen.