Next week, I am flying out west to see my sister get married. Flying has never been scary for me, and often was a fun adventure. At ages five and seven, my younger sister and I thought it was the best adventure EVER. When we were 14 and 15, we crossed the country on our own (with layovers!) just a few months post 9/11. Being the savvy girls we were, we loaded up two bags a piece and carried them on the plane...hairspray bottle and all. During college, I was flying a lot more regularly. By then, there were rules on ounces of liquids and quart sized bags and something about nail files and limits on the size/number of bags you brought along. I decided I had better check some guidelines before making my packing list.
First, Delta was pretty straightforward on their limits, even if the did seem a bit odd. I can carry on one bag that is no bigger than 22" x 14" x 9" as long as height + length + width is no greater than 45 inches. Aren't those the same exact thing? Anyhow, in addition to that, I can bring one purse, laptop case, or briefcase and all the duty free food or drink I want...easy enough. They'll also let me bring a jacket.
Now, the TSA is where things got confusing. I started to scan the really, really long list of items with any notes to see what was allowed. Mostly, I wanted to know if I could bring a razor for my legs and a nail file and get the latest scoop on the liquids. So far, I've learned that I can't bring dynamite, billy clubs, stun guns, hand grenades, or throwing stars with me. Hatchets, cattle prods, ice picks, and meat cleavers are also a no. Razors, however, are so muddled in ambiguous language that I still haven't figured it out, and nail files are in neither the "yes" or the "no" column. I mean, I never thought it would be okay to bring my favorite billy club, but I really don't know about the nail file! Sigh. Maybe I'll go find an emory board and buy a razor when I get there. As for liquids, it's about the only thing the TSA was clear about. While I'm certainly okay with taking off my shoes, walking through the scanners, and leaving behind prohibited items, I just wish I could get a better explanation on the rules to not mess it up. Sigh (again). Has anyone flown recently who actually might know the rules? I'm planning to mostly get everything ready/packed this weekend!
You can bring a razor and a nail file with no problems. If you have batteries for anything you may want to separate them just in case. A lot of times you can get away with a backpack AND a purse with your carry on. However I have been stopped once for that and had to check my bag. My suggestion... bring all three, but be sure you can put your purse in your backpack just in case. Good luck!
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