The latest embarrassment from The Transportation Security Administration (TSA): confiscating a woman’s cupcakes.
The TSA insists agents were right because the two cupcakes were packed in jars filled with icing.
The TSA says that means icing is classified as a gel, which falls under the agency’s guidelines on liquids.
In the TSA's post about a cupcake arrest last month, Bob Burns, a member of the TSA blog team, writes:
“I wanted to make it clear that this wasn't your everyday, run-of-the-mill cupcake. If you're not familiar with it, we have a policy directly related to the U.K. liquid bomb plot of 2006 called 3-1-1 that limits the amount of liquids, gels and aerosols you can bring in your carry-on luggage. Icing falls under the 'gel' category.”
The TSA points out that fliers are permitted to take cakes, pies and cupcakes through security checkpoints, but adds that such items may be subject to additional screening.
By David Wilkening
