Changed Rules re Liquids and More for Domestic Flights?

[luxury-lizard]

I flew from Gladstone -> BNE today and at security I was told I had to remove any liquids and all electronics (including phones) from my carry-on; I also had to remove my Apple Watch - I was advised that regulations had changed on Feb 2, 2025. Very odd as I flew out of SYD 6 days earlier and no such "new" regulations were being enforced.

Any ideas??

Security also did a secondary screening of my backpack as I had a Nespresso machine in it.

 

[muppet]

I don’t know for sure why, but domestic terminal screening is completely different at every terminal. Laptops out vs laptops in. Check aerosols vs who cares about aerosols. Seems airlines/airports can just do as they please to comply.

International screening on the other hand all seems consistent.

That said, the Nespresso Machine is a bit much, fair enough they wanted another look!

 

[DC3]

I flew from Gladstone -> BNE today and at security I was told I had to remove any liquids and all electronics (including phones) from my carry-on; I also had to remove my Apple Watch - I was advised that regulations had changed on Feb 2, 2025. Very odd as I flew out of SYD 6 days earlier and no such "new" regulations were being enforced.

Not worth worrying too much about things that I have no control over. I just do whatever they say at security.

 

[elanshin]

I don’t know for sure why, but domestic terminal screening is completely different at every terminal. Laptops out vs laptops in. Check aerosols vs who cares about aerosols. Seems airlines/airports can just do as they please to comply.

International screening on the other hand all seems consistent.

That said, the Nespresso Machine is a bit much, fair enough they wanted another look!

It's the actual machines. The new machines that you pull the tray out from under are much more advanced. I believe they can even detect the types of liquid. Thats why there feels like there's a lot of inconsistency but it's really just what machine is installed at which security point.

Like for ages T3 SYD (QF) had the newer machines,(so no need to take laptops out) but MEL T1 (QF) didn't, (they do now following the upgrades) but MEL T4 did but SYD T2 didnt. It'll all get streamlined at the major airports at some point. Regional however will probably never see these machines unless they're handme downs from the big city ones - if even.

 

[drron]

Well Google hasn't aught up with any change to domestic liquids regulations.
That said smaller airports often had different rules to elsewhere when i was doing regular rural and regional flying.
Get was the strangest one which said my spare Everyready AAA batteries couldn't be carried aboard. I said the regulation is they can't be in checked baggage but they insisted you could only put them into checked luggage and as the checked bags had been taken to the plane they had to confiscate them.

 

[Steady]

I was advised that regulations had changed on Feb 2, 2025.

A week and a half ago in PER I was also told they had to swab my iPad and Laptop as the regulations had changed

 

[elanshin]

Well Google hasn't aught up with any change to domestic liquids regulations.
That said smaller airports often had different rules to elsewhere when i was doing regular rural and regional flying.
Get was the strangest one which said my spare Everyready AAA batteries couldn't be carried aboard. I said the regulation is they can't be in checked baggage but they insisted you could only put them into checked luggage and as the checked bags had been taken to the plane they had to confiscate them.

Somebody clearly didn't read. And I don't think any of that applied to AAA type batteries which are usually Alkaline based. I've always believed it was just Li-ion batteries that were hand carry only.

 

[drron]

Somebody clearly didn't read. And I don't think any of that applied to AAA type batteries which are usually Alkaline based. I've always believed it was just Li-ion batteries that were hand carry only.

Indeed but my alkaline AAA batteries were in my checked baggage going out of DPO and I was called back to check in to remove them from my luggage.

 

[gaz0303]

It is getting frustrating with all the different approaches causing bags to be rescanned. iPads in/out, belts on/off, same for watches. In Tamworth recently cables from bags had to be removed as well if more than one cable. Some clearer signage might help, rather than a frustrated security agent shouting the same thing all day. Are the changes in response to an increased security threat?

 

[Himeno]

I don’t know for sure why, but domestic terminal screening is completely different at every terminal. Laptops out vs laptops in. Check aerosols vs who cares about aerosols. Seems airlines/airports can just do as they please to comply.

International screening on the other hand all seems consistent.

That said, the Nespresso Machine is a bit much, fair enough they wanted another look!

The old CBR terminal had different screening rules at each checkpoint. The QF section of the terminal had different rules to the VA/other section.
After the now QF side of the new terminal opened and during the transition period when they were building the current VA part of the terminal and both prior security companies were working at the temporary checkpoint, they had different rules at the same checkpoint depending on which staff member happened to be checking your bag at that time.

 

[kevrosmith]

This is why some call it “security theatre”… just for show and all the drama.

 

[Happy Dude]

I don’t know for sure why, but domestic terminal screening is completely different at every terminal. Laptops out vs laptops in. Check aerosols vs who cares about aerosols. Seems airlines/airports can just do as they please to comply.

International screening on the other hand all seems consistent.

That said, the Nespresso Machine is a bit much, fair enough they wanted another look!

Try getting on an international flight LHR - BKK in the weeks after 9/11 with one of these like I did! Intense.

But yes this inconsistency does nothing but incubate stress and anxiety.

 

[DC3]

Try getting on an international flight LHR - BKK in the weeks after 9/11 with one of these like I did! Intense.

Vintage

 

[JohnK]

I bought a small(ish) remote controlled car recently to take to Thailand as a present or for me to play in village. The batteries are difficult to put in/take out and I don't want to play around with the screws too much.

Can I take the car overseas as carry-on with batteries already installed?

 

[SCM]

I flew from Gladstone -> BNE today and at security I was told I had to remove any liquids and all electronics (including phones) from my carry-on; I also had to remove my Apple Watch - I was advised that regulations had changed on Feb 2, 2025. Very odd as I flew out of SYD 6 days earlier and no such "new" regulations were being enforced.

Any ideas??

Security also did a secondary screening of my backpack as I had a Nespresso machine in it.

It depends on what equipment they use, if it's the best equipment you can leave everything in.

What I really hate is sometimes they do say "dont take anything out" but it gets flagged anyway, I don't know if they set the scan settings to too aggressive or it's untrained staff not being able to tell the difference between a bunch of USB-C cables and a bomb, but anyway....

 

[SeaWolf]

I've noticed that once the new scanners go in at an airport, the rules tend to go a bit all over the place. I don't know if this is just inconsistent training or differences in the make and model of the equipment, but it does make things hard.

For example, Melbourne T3/4 and Canberra both have the same new scanning equipment installed. At Canberra the rule is that everything goes into the tray, at Melbourne you take off your belt and hold it in your hand as you go through, if you put it in the tray they'll hand it back to you. My work boots always produce a square on those scanners, at Canberra they'll simply pat down my ankles, at Melbourne they'll send me back and ask me to take off my shoes. Dunno what they'd do if the sensor showed a square on my shoulder, probably ask me to go back and take off my shirt!

 

[openseat]

Security always make up stuff. I find Canberra the worst. The last time I was there I was barked at for not moving forward enough while waiting for my bag to come through the scanner. Apparently I had to move ahead of some imaginary line. Never mind that there was already a crush of people waiting for their trays and bags.

It's really a sort of performative theatre.

Especially when you see trucks waved through the gates entering the airfield.

 

[Ade]

Security staff CBR airport are becoming increasingly less-patient with pax. Was going thru last week around 1700h, so obvious evening rush. One of the staff waved me to come forward to the beginning of the scanner to pick a tray and put my stuff in. I followed their instruction. Before I could finish putting my stuff onto the trays, the staff changed. After I finished putting my stuff, I tried to push the tray onto the belt. The now new staff did not allow me to. She was talking to pax behind me and taking their trays and putting on the belt, but would not let me push my tray. After trying to push my tray for 10 seconds, she literally yelled at me and grabbed my tray forcibly from my hand. It physically hurt my hands. She then made a *tut sound* followed by a *disappointed, head shaking gesture* and said to the pax behind me that some people don't follow rules. I didn't say anything because I was running late to my appointment. But I was like I simply followed what your colleague asked me to, why are you yelling at me now! That did ruin a bit of my mood that evening, but I couldn't be bothered to think about it for more than 5 mins or so. I went back to watching a few episodes of Seinfeld to take my mind off things.

 

[drron]

Sydney T2 this morning. Told first agent that I had a knee replacement so do I need to take off my shoes and belt. Said no you will be wanted anyway. Through the X-ray and agent says go back and take your shoes and belt off and put them through the machine.
Then a double wanding and pat down for good measure.

 

[Franky]

Sydney T2 this morning. Told first agent that I had a knee replacement so do I need to take off my shoes and belt. Said no you will be wanted anyway. Through the X-ray and agent says go back and take your shoes and belt off and put them through the machine.
Then a double sanding and pat down for good measure.

Have had two knee replacements since 2009, and no two airports that I have passed thru do the security frisking/checking the same way. The best was Abu Dhabi, where the security man asked me to pull my trousers up so that he could see the scars, and thn sent me on my way....