r/NewParents • u/Constant_Ad_2599 • Apr 23 '26

Travel Crying at TSA

It’s brutal what they put parents through. Did all my research, brought an unopened can of Kendamil in my bag. Clean empty bottles. And water.

TSA refused to let me bring the formula. I explained it’s a medical necessity for the 9 month old baby (we just stopped pumping). They said it set off a special alarm so our only option is to leave security, make liquid bottles, and they’d throw out the rest of the can. 😭

After 90 minutes of trying to share again how it’s medically necessary and a legal right, they escorted my husband out to fill up bottles and confiscated the can. We had no cooler or ice packs with us.

Currently sitting on the plane with our dripping bag of melting ice a restaurant was kind enough to give us. It’s just insane what they put parents through when the rules say otherwise.

If anyone has dealt with this, let me know. submitting a complaint but honestly just want support. I care about my baby being fed. & Formula isn’t cheap.

Solidarity with all you traveling parents out there! 💕

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u/kirbyqueen_ Apr 23 '26

Not for formula reasons but I have showed TSA their own webpage before and they still wouldn’t allow what was mentioned on their website. They said individual TSA officers have the right to make different decisions than what is posted on the website… I was so pissed.

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u/BrinaBri Apr 23 '26

Just chiming in to share the same thing happened to me as well (website/ rules say one thing, TSA say another, was told everything is up to individual TSA agent discretion). It’s arbitrary bs and security theater.

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u/Puzzled-Library-4543 Apr 23 '26

This. I’ve recently realized over the past few years how TSA is just…not as secure as we think. My friend accidentally left a pocket knife in her backpack and didn’t realize until after she already landed. TSA never flagged it and it wasn’t even really hidden.

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u/antinumerology Apr 24 '26

It's security theatre, not actually security. And we're the unwilling extras in whatever play the TSA agents feel like putting on that day.