How has the 3-1-1 rule affected your travel habits?

by Christopher Elliott on April 1, 2011

Today’s survey explores the influences that TSA has had on our packing habits.

Specifically, it focuses on the liquids limitations that TSA has imposed. Has your use of travel-sized products increased in the world of TSA 3-1-1 rules? If the rules were revoked or changed, do you think you might stick with travel-sized products or go back to carrying full-sized products?

Are they more convenient? Or a royal pain?

Help us find out by taking part in a brief survey that we are conducting in conjunction with travels-sized retailer, Minimus.biz.

Answer nine quick questions. Here’s the survey.

You could win a $100 gift certificate from travel size e-retailer Minimus.biz as a prize).

We’ll report on the results.

(Photo: Joost Ba kker /Flickr Creative Commons)

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  • John

    It hasn’t affected me at all, I didn’t travel with any cosmetics or liquids. My wife does, however, and she hates this rule. We tend to travel light even on longer overseas trips and hate to check luggage, but we have switched almost exclusively to Southwest Airlines domestically to avoid bag fees, and avoid connections where possible.

  • summerbl4ck

    @John That’s interesting. I hadn’t thought about it along gender lines, but it does make sense that women would be more affected than men. As a woman, I deal with the cosmetics issue. But beyond that I also only travel with my travel sizes one-way. I pack them when I start a trip but ditch them for the trip home.

  • Michelle

    I’ve carried on for years and always used travel size products and/or containers. The only problems I’ve run into since the 311 rule came about are 1) I know longer pack a special bottle of wine and 2) people complaining about the increase in carry-on bags, which I don’t agree with. Carry-on space was always at a premium, now people have a reason to blame the lack of space on. Maybe the complainers are people who used to check, but now don’t to save a fee?

  • AKFlyer

    I’m a woman and this rule is especially annoying when I fly on red-eyes, which is virtually every time I leave my home to fly anywhere. I need many items to keep hands sanitized and skin moisturized during the trip, and then wash my face, brush my teeth, insert contacts and restore makeup and hair mid-way through my 12-18 hour trips from AK to the east coast, and thus must carry everything in my carryon. You travelers who merely take one or two 2-3 hour flights to get to where you’re going have no idea.

  • dcta

    No effect – I’d been using travel-sized products for years and have had a set of refillable containers for years and years… This really is no big deal.

  • Marilyn Long

    The 3-1-1 rule hasn’t affected me as I have always traveled with small containers regardless of whether the flight was across the country or to the other side of the world. I like to pack as light as possible. The only time it has been an issue was when I thoughtlessly packed the suntan lotion I had bought during a beach vacation in my carry-on for the trip home. It was confiscated, of course, but it was my own fault because it could easily have been packed in the checked bag had I engaged my brain while packing.

  • Sandy

    I’m ok with it, I pack what I need and buy more later. But, what really got me upset was when one idiot wanted to know why I had three tubes of mascara!? I was so pissed I said “What do you think I’m going to do, break into the cockpit and do the pilots eyes?” Thank god he had a sense of humor.

  • Dave B

    We always use travel size where possible and not too expensive. On the expensive products my wife uses full size and checks them.
    To us life is too short to change our life style too much to save a bag fee. I’m dead set against the fees but once they are there, it’s too late.
    If people wanted to stop them they should have revolted at the onset.
    My biggest issue is the cramped 3 across seating and the obscene charges to fly business class. I would be happy with a spacious seat, decent leg room and standard service at a 50% premium.
    We just limit our flying and drive much more. Even when driving we use travel sizes whenever possible just for the convenience.

  • http://www.WorldWineSafaris.com DeeB

    As a frequent (female) traveler, I hate them. But then, I’ve gotten to hate most everything about flying. I still mourn for the days when there was actual Service on the airlines. Believe it or not, I’ve seen an increase in my business this year with the re-advent of trans-Atlantic sailings. Now if we’d just do something about our rail service……. Come and add your comments or articles @ http://www.facebook.com/WorldWineSafaris.

  • Em Hoop

    For years I used kit that had plenty of small containers and was convenient and space saving. I still use it when i travel. But since I’m sick of being treated like a criminal in airports in my own ‘Bill of Rights protected country,’ LOL, if I can’t drive, I stay home. A comfortable car solves plenty of travel issues.

  • Jason

    Seriously…are there airports in the US that are still enforcing this rule?

    Since the middle of 2010 I haven’t taken liquids out separately nor have I worried about the container size.

    And in that time I’ve flown over 50,000 miles so it wasn’t just one random trip.

  • Puzzled

    As a contact lens wearing female, I have to say I HATE the rules. Most of my flights are quite long – over nine hours, so it’s important to have access to hand sanitizer, lens solution, etc. I carry small sizes only but hate having to organize my carry-on bag by liquids vs. non-liquid rather than by the function of items.

    On top of that, TSA can’t decide whether the smallest available bottles of lens solution are allowed – or not, so I’ve had to switch to refilling a smaller bottle that I picked up in Europe. Granted, some of these issues could be addressed by suppliers getting a clue, but given how long the rules have been in place, it doesn’t look as though that’s going to happen.

    Basically, the whole 311 system is a headache that seems to do little but add to the level of stress experienced by travelers. And yes, Jason, there are plenty of airports in the US (to say nothing of overseas) stringently enforcing these rules.

    It’s also a shame not to be able to carry a nice bottle of wine back in one’s carry on; I’ve done o.k. with wine in my luggage but it always feels like a huge gamble.

  • Paula

    As a woman, I’ve always got more gels and liquids. I have always used small refillable containers and gone carryon as much as possible. 3 oz is too small for longer trips or to take enough sunscreen. It’s a pain to make sure gel lipgloss and mascara are in the TSA bag instead of the makeup bag. And now that I wear contacts …..a quart baggie is just not big enough!

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