Another day, another frustrating TSA rule.
Don’t get us wrong, we’re very happy that the Transportation Security Administration exists. TSA officers are tasked with keeping passengers safe which is a crucial element of flying. But we can’t pretend that we love their rules.
The administration’s most famous rule is that only liquids weighing less than 3.4 ounces can be packed in a carry-on. Anything over needs to be checked in.
While it is easy to determine what qualifies as liquid most of the time, there is one item that has us stumped. Peanut butter.
According to the TSA, peanut butter is not a solid, but a liquid, meaning that you cannot take a jar of the stuff through airport security. This was revealed by podcaster, Patrick Neve, who attempted to do just that.
“I tried to take peanut butter through airport security,” he wrote in a tweet. “T.S.A.: ‘Sorry, no liquids, gels, or aerosols.’ Me: ‘I want you to tell me which of those things you think peanut butter is.”
The TSA responded with an Instagram post. “You may not be nuts about it, but TSA considers your PB a liquid. In carry-on, it needs to be 3.4 oz. or less,” stated the caption. The image that went along read, “A liquid has no definite shape and takes a shape dictated by its container.”
Put that in your cup and drink it.