Potential Changes in Airline Liquid Rules Suggested by DHS Secretary

During a recent summit in Washington, D.C., Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Kristi Noem indicated that there might be updates regarding the rules on liquid containers for airline passengers in the U.S.

Speaking with NewsNation’s Chief Washington Correspondent, Blake Burman, at the inaugural Hill Nation Summit, Noem expressed her intention to prompt the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to reconsider its regulations on liquids, aerosols, and gels.

“The day I walked in the door, I started questioning everything TSA does,” Noem remarked. “I mean, the liquids [rule] I am questioning. So that may be the next big announcement is what size your liquids need to be. We’re looking at it.”

Current TSA regulations restrict carry-on liquids to containers of 3.4 ounces or less, though some exceptions exist for medications and food for infants. For larger liquid containers, travelers must place them in checked baggage.

Noem also mentioned she is exploring other methods to enhance the flying experience.

“TSA is working on the technology that we have available to us, if we deploy it correctly, so that… if you’ve got a carry-on bag, you should be able just to walk through their screeners, their scanners, and go right to your flight,” she explained. “Fingers crossed. We’re working on it.”

Her aspiration is for the airport security process to take approximately 60 seconds for each passenger.

“We have put in place in TSA [a] multi-layered screening process that allows us to change some of how we do security screening so it’s still a safe … process that is protecting people who are traveling on our airlines,” she noted. “But it has to make sense. It has to actually do something to make you safer. I don’t think that was questioned under the Biden administration. I kept wondering if we were doing things just to slow people down.”

Noem’s comments follow a recent DHS announcement permitting travelers on domestic flights to keep their shoes on during TSA screenings.