It used to be that solids foods were safe from the prying eyes of airport security. But TSA has stepped up its screening of carry-on snacks, meaning the security line is about get that much slower.
According to The Daily Meal, TSA officers have been making passengers remove all snacks from their carry-on bags before walking sending them through screening. This means that lines are getting held up for that Clif Bar you forgot you tucked in your backpack side pocket, and that trail mix in your kid’s carry-on. Because many people aren’t aware of the new screening, they’re being sent back through security lines because of food they have forgotten about.
The New York Times reports that this its not an official policy, but security can ask people to remove snacks if they think it’s necessary or if snack items look questionable on X-ray cameras.
Snack scanning is supposed to actually speed up lines and help agents check for explosives for effectively, but some people are not convinced. Stellene Volandes, the editor-in-chief of Town & Country magazine, told The New York Times that she encountered a passenger that took nearly 15 minutes to unpack all of his Starbursts and bite-sized Twix bars.
According to The Washington Post, nationally, 96 percent of passengers have a wait less than 20 minutes.
For the most part, snacks aren’t likely to cause turbulence in your walk through security, but if you’re looking to minimize potential hassle, pre-packaged and sealed food items cause less of an issue for agents and travels.
Also see, Choosing this airplane seat means you’re less likely to get sick.
