TSA alerts flyers to big exception to no-liquids rule during heatwave | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

Last week, most of the Eastern United States was faced with an unprecedented, and downright unpleasant, heat wave.

Unfortunately, many parts of the country experienced record-high temperatures thanks to something called a “heat dome,” which happens when high atmospheric pressure in the upper atmosphere causes heat and humidity to become trapped within the lower atmosphere.

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While the heat dome sent temperatures soaring and left millions sweltering, the fact is that even without this weird phenomenon, temperatures can sometimes still rise to levels that, frankly, feel unacceptably warm in many parts of the country throughout the summer months.

That’s why a new Facebook post from the TSA is so important for travelers to read. The TSA offered some must-know advice about one of its most hated rules: the liquid limit. This rule prohibits liquids above 3.4 ounces and requires all of your small liquids to fit inside a single quart-size bag that is both clear and resealable.

Passengers are also limited to a single clear bag per person, and even things you might not necessarily think would count as liquids, such as hummus or runny cheese, might run afoul of the rule.

It’s a pretty big restriction that affects what flyers can do, but the TSA wanted to alert travelers that it doesn’t actually apply in every single situation.

Specifically, the TSA wanted to remind people during this intense summer heat that there is a big exception to the ban on bringing larger liquid items through security.

Getting items through TSA can be a hassle.

Image source&colon; Joe Raedle/Getty Images

This is the big exception to the TSA rule on liquids

So, what was the exception that the TSA drew users’ attention to on Facebook? It primarily applies to families traveling with small children. The TSA stated:

“Ice, ice packs, or gel packs to keep breast milk or formula cool is allowed in your carry-on, even if partially frozen or slushy,” the TSA Facebook post read.

This news should come as a welcome relief for parents. Young children can often only eat formula or breast milk, and these items may need to be kept at an appropriate temperature in order to make it to their destination safely and still be good for kids to consume.

The reality is, breast milk, formula, and the melty ice that is used to keep these items cool are all very clearly liquids. As a result, they could potentially fall within the liquid rule and thus could theoretically be banned by the TSA in amounts above 3.4 ounces.

If that were the case, life would be much more difficult for parents, as putting these items into a carry-on would not be practical. Fortunately, however, as the recent TSA post made clear, that’s not an issue.

So, even with the hot weather this summer, parents can safely bring aboard these liquid items and keep their kids happy, healthy, and well-fed.

Always check TSA rules before a trip, especially when flying with kids

It can be overwhelming to get everything on your to-do list done when you are getting ready for a family vacation, but checking the TSA rules and making sure you understand what you are allowed to bring on board can be really important to avoid disaster.

The TSA recently banned lithium-ion batteries from checked bags, for example, and has also said that weighted stuffed animals may not be allowed in a carry-on depending on what material is inside the animal.

If you don’t keep up with these updates, or if you don’t know about exceptions to the liquid rule, like the one that the TSA just announced on Facebook, you could make packing mistakes that you come to regret.

More on travel:

If you have doubts, you can access AskTSA on social media, including on Twitter and Facebook, or you can text “travel” to AskTSA (275-872) to get help via text.

Asking in advance is a better option than getting to the airport and finding you can’t bring your items, or leaving behind items you know you want and need, like ice for formula, because you’re worried about having to toss out the items when dealing with TSA