Mothers demand TSA follow its own breast milk and formula rules
Brinda Sen Gupta was traveling by plane for work last month without her infant but with gel packs she would need to keep her breast milk cool on the return flight. Knowing how hard it can be to get through airport security with breastmilk and infant-feeding supplies, Sen Gupta arrived extra early and prepared.
Sure enough, a U.S. Transportation Security Administration agent objected to Sen Gupta’s gel packs, she said. She took out her phone and showed a screenshot of TSA’s current policy. It stems from a 2016 law and states that breast milk, formula and toddler drinks are considered “medically necessary liquids” and are allowed in carry-on baggage in quantities greater than 3.4 ounces. The policy expressly allows breast milk and formula cooling accessories like ice and gel packs, and states a child does not have to be present for a parent to carry these supplies.
Despite the law, women continue to report issues with TSA security in airports across the country, saying many workers are not trained on their own policy.
“The TSA agent had to ask their supervisor to come,” Sen Gupta said. The supervisor reviewed the policy and allowed the gel packs through, she said, “but it was annoying to me, because I had to add extra time before I went to make sure that I could have this conversation with them.”
https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/10/31/repub/mothers-demand-tsa-follow-its-own-breast-milk-and-formula-rules/