Wanted to know if anyone has experienced any new regulations recently in regards to Air Travel and their Nutrition Powder.
Getting ready for a race and getting my stuff packed. I am not sure what the current TSA regulations are in regards to powders and air travel and if there are any. From what I found: New Procedures for Traveling with Powders there do not seem to be any in regards to being able to carry my nutrition in my carry-on vs. checking it as baggage or shipping it ahead of time.
I travel extensively all over the world and a lot into and out of the USA. I carry protein powder with me in it’s container or in ziplock and I can say I have never had any questions ever about it in my carry-on or checkin.
One of my mates was travelling out of Kabul and an Afghan airport official asked him to open his 3/4 full tub of protein powder. He opened it and the airport official stuck his fingers in the powder then sniffed them to asses what the powder was. My mate threw the tub away when he got home!
I flew to Florida 70.3 earlier this month and took a tub of EFS pro in my checked bike bag. Thats probably the only race day nutrition item I figured I probably couldnt get in Florida since it is sold direct from the manufacturer and not in stores. Other things like gels I bought when I got there.
One thing i knew I wasn’t supposed to fly with was C02 cartridges, so I picked up a couple after I got there.
I’ve travelled with powder nutrition, well every race actually, and no one ever asked anything. A few times I forgot to remove gels from luggage and they didn’t say anything either. Same goes for a bottle of salt pills. That could be anything right? No one ever questioned.
The only issue I ever had was a portable pump on one trip. TSA guy picked it up and judging by the expression he had no idea what it was, but then he put it back down on the conveyor belt without confronting me about it. Don’t you feel safe?
I have traveled with nutrition powder by air several times, every time I had them in clear zip log bags and clearly labeled. I had them checked in my luggage - never any issues.
When I travel domestically, I travel with a large ziploc with the powder, and a cut label from the original tub tapped on the bag. I reuse this bag as needed. I do this for racing, or vacations. I have done this more times that I can remember. I have never had any direct questions from any officials.
When I raced the Cape Epic this year, I took 3 full tubs of nutrition. I used about 2.5 of it during the week. Because it was international travel and who knew what rules would apply, I took the whole tub, sealed from purchase, and placed them in my checked bag. In this one instance of international travel, I was not asked any questions by any customs officials or anyone else, either in South Africa, or in USA (when I was returning with an open tub).
I use infinit on the bike. For travelling I just keep my last bag once it’s empty. Fill it with enough powder for my race (+ extra if needed for training rides), and pack it in my checked baggage.
No issues with TSA (knock on wood), and once I’m done the race I just toss the bag and it’s one less thing to bring home. I have no plans of finding out what trying to go through security with a zip-lock baggy of unlabelled powder would be like.
My wife flew to AZ to meet me for IMAZ and I had her bring my Infinit scooped into my water bottles that I left home by mistake. TSA gave her a bit of a hard time but ultimately let her thru after she explained what it was. Suffice to say, won’t forget them this year.
I’ve flown with powders countless times and have never had a problem. There’s a first for everything but my guess is you’ll be fine. Just pack it properly. An open tub of powder can wreak havoc on your stuff!
I had several CO2 cartridges set aside in a bag in my carry on I was going to leave at the airport in Kona figuring there was a drop off there. We were ruining late and I forgot. I still forgot the canister in my draft box. Amazing the 5 psi or so change in pressure didn’t cause the 800+psi cylinder to rupture. Who would have imagined? Though I don’t at all disagree with the policy, just that the laws of physics are on your side if you forget.
I recently flew to Hawaii with Infinit. It was in the original packaging but it had been opened as I was about halfway thru the bag. I put it in a big zip lock bag. It was in my checked bag. When I got to the rental house in Hawaii, I opened my suitcase and had Infinit all in my suitcase and clothes. I had a TSA card in my bag that shows they opened and searched my bag. Upon further inspection, they had opened the zip top Infinit bag and did not completely close the zip top nor the zip lock bag that it was in. This was my first and only time so far flying with powder nutrition.
