If you’re wondering whether you can pack ice skates in your carry-on, or whether your pumpkin pie counts as a solid or a gel and don’t want to take a chance, you can now text TSA for an answer.
To get your answer, you text TRAVEL to 275872 (AskTSA). You then select a topic to start: TSA PreCheck, What’s Allowed, Identification, Medical Questions, Damages/Claims or Other.
After you choose What’s Allowed, you select Carryon or Checked, and then a list of topics: E Cigarettes, Electronics, Firearms, Flammable Aerosols, Food, Grooming Items, Knives, Lighters and More. Some of the topics have easy answers, but for those others, you can select More.
Questions are answered within a few minutes; in some cases you might be asked to try again between 8 am and 6 pm when humans are on hand to answer the questions the automated system hasn’t an answer for.
Not only does it relieve the anxiety of wondering if you’ll have to discard the pie, it also gives you a record of TSA’s answer to show at the gate if an agent is unsure.
Very timely & it works. Initial questions were answered immediately, ultimate item question took about 9 minutes. The answer: “Nail files are good to go in carry-on bags” with a link to the TSA site for more detail, “nail file (metal).” Thanks P.