Empty Nalgenes and Flight Carry-On Rules

[Xharlie]

Here's a simple question: are you allowed to carry empty, dry Nalgene bottles through airport security, in your carry-on bag?

I hate having to wait to get water in patheticly mingy quantities, on board, but, without some sort of liquid container, the only other option is buying over-priced, bottled water from the shops near the gates. My idea is to carry an empty Nalgene and find a friendly coffee shop who will fill it for me, from a tap, with an order for a cappucino.

[proze]

I've carried an empty Nalgene bottle in my carry-on luggage before.

[justin]

No problem.
It's only the liquid that could be flammable or explosive!

[BAbycoat]

Xharlie - great idea, we do that regularly. Many airports have water dispensers - no need to negotiate over the cappuccino.

In (almost all) my experience, as long as the bottle's empty there's no problem. Keep it near the top of your bag - security is likely to ask you to prove that it's empty.

Sometimes there's a second security check at the gate (especially international flights, particulary to the US) - you might have to empty and re-fill multiple times.

I'd recommend taking empty coke dumpies instead, just in case security decide to take a hard line. (happened once to me in Mexico).

Safe travels!

[Xharlie]

Thanks for the replies, all.

The idea was actually sparked by water fountains that I have seen in international airports outside of SA - finding a friendly coffee shop was a contingency plan because I don't recall seeing them in Cape Town Intl.

[DeanVDM]

Recently there seem to have been a relaxing of the rules / checks at ORT / CPT domestic security and I have now routinely been allowed to take a 300 ml sized bottle of water as carry on at security. It might not be a formal relaxing of the rules but one could always try to take a small quantity in and ordinary bottle and throwing it out if they insist. Taking an empty Nalgene is no problem though locally and abroad in my experience.