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Airport Guard Tries To “Confiscate” Woman’s Empty Bottle For Himself, She Outsmarts Him And Leaves Him Fuming

by Annie Nguyen
November 20, 2025
in Social Issues

Traveling can be an adventure filled with unexpected twists and turns, especially when it comes to airport security. We’ve all faced the scrutiny of vigilant agents, but what happens when their interpretation of the rules seems a bit too arbitrary?

One traveler recently found herself in a bizarre standoff over her favorite glass water bottle. What seemed like a routine security check turned into an infuriating battle when an agent insisted that her empty bottle was not allowed on board.

This story unfolds at a busy airport in Cuba, where the original poster (OP) thought she had everything under control. However, the encounter with the security personnel quickly escalated into a heated debate about rules, sizes, and intentions.

As tensions rose, so did the stakes. Was it really about adhering to regulations, or was there something more personal at play? Keep reading to uncover the full drama and how she fought back against a seemingly unjust confiscation!

One woman’s airport encounter took a wild turn when her glass water bottle became the center of a controversial standoff

Airport Guard Tries To “Confiscate” Woman’s Empty Bottle For Himself, She Outsmarts Him And Leaves Him Fuming
Not the actual photo

You want my EMPTY water bottle because it is over 100mL?

So about 2 months ago, I went to Cuba with my mother.

It was an all inclusive trip so everything was pretty much provided for by sunwing.

Whenever I travel, I like to bring with me this cute 500mL glass water bottle

with this rubber pink casing I got while I was in China.

NORMALLY this bottle wouldn't be an issue, there would be a few odd times

when security at the airport would check it to make sure it was empty because it was clearly over the 100mL maximum.

But they would all let us go without a hitch.

When we were traveling to Cuba, the bottle was checked and given back

to us on our way there, but on the way back is a completely different story.

There were tons of people flying out of Varedero (where we were) the same day as us,

so there were like two hundred people waiting to check in at only 3 check in counters.

When we finally checked in, it had been about 2 hours since we got there.

We were pretty tired from standing so we wanted to get through

to the gates as fast as we could, so we took the shortest line in security.

There were 2 people working at each bag check area,

at ours there was a lady looking through the screen displaying the x ray

and a guy in charge of checking suspicious bags.

When we put our bags on the conveyor belt,

the lady began gesturing to her partner and pointing at her screen.

The guy then proceeded to grab my stuff off the belt on the other side

and asked us if it was our stuff to which we replied "yes".

He carefully shuffled through the bag, but really just went

after the water bottle because that's what I assume the lady pointed at on the screen..

The following dialogue is to my best recollection:.

Him: "Is this your water bottle?". Me: "yes.".

Him: "okay I am going to confiscate this because it is against the rules to bring this on board.".

Me:"But it's empty.". Him: "Yes, but but it is over 100mL and that is against the rules.".

Me: confused, but did not want to make a scene and get kicked out.

"No, that's for liquids.". Him: "no it's for the size of the bottle, and it's glass."

Me: "but we have this bottle that's also glass."

this bottle indicates an 80mL bottle of hot sauce we brought..

Him: "that is under 100mL, so its allowed."

At this point I wasn't sure if he didn't know the rules or something because every time he answered, he sounded very unsure..

Me: "can I see where it states that I cannot bring an empty bottle over 100mL with me?".

Him: grabs a nearby plaque that labels prohibited items and points to a wine bottle..

Me: "but that's not allowed because it's alcohol.".

Him: "no it's because it's over 100mL glass bottle."

His tone at this point indicated that his real intentions were that he wanted my water bottle

because he's really just grabbing arguments out of thin air.

Me: just trying to test his nerves at this point

so if I had an 100mL GLASS bottle of alcohol, I could bring it with me?".

Him: "no because it's alcohol.". Me: "so is that!

(Refering to the plaque)" Him: "do you want to take the cover off the bottle before it is sent to be destroyed?"

Handing the bottle back to me for me to remove the casing.

Keep in mind there was some more bantering back and forth,

basically saying the same thing over and over again.

I was really pissed at this point, I really like that water bottle and it was clear

that the only reason he was confiscating the bottle was because he or the lady wanted it.

So I took the water bottle from his hands (he gave it willingly for me to take the casing off),

but since the only problem he seems to suggest it has is the size of the glass,

I can take everything else.

So I stared into his eyes as I removed the lid of the bottle

and handed the rest back to him.

His face instantly became red with anger

and he aggressively threw the rest into the disposal bin.

I have no use for the cap or the casing,

but he now has no use for the bottle and that's all that matters.

In moments of perceived injustice, emotions can surge, compelling individuals to take action. The story of the traveler and the confiscated water bottle is a testament to the human experience of frustration and the innate desire for fairness.

On one hand, we have the protagonist (OP), attempting to navigate the confusing and often arbitrary rules of airport security. On the other, there stands the agent, perhaps overwhelmed or acting on personal biases, wielding authority that can feel capricious and unjust.

Both parties are caught in a web of emotions, OP feeling betrayed by a system that seems to disregard logic, and the agent perhaps feeling the weight of a job where rules must be enforced, even when they seem unreasonable.

From a psychological standpoint, OP’s need to assert control in a frustrating situation is palpable. Research in psychology suggests that feelings of powerlessness can trigger a fight-or-flight response, leading individuals to reclaim their agency through unexpected means, often manifested as revenge or defiance.

OP’s decision to remove the cap wasn’t really about the bottle itself, it was a small way to regain a sense of control during a vulnerable moment. As psychologist Albert Bandura explains, “expectations of personal efficacy determine whether coping behavior will be initiated, how much effort will be expended, and how long it will be sustained.”

OP’s emotional triggers were rooted in the humiliation of being treated dismissively by someone wielding power. The frustration of being subjected to arbitrary rules, particularly when they appeared inconsistent, likely fueled OP’s desire to retaliate.

This reaction speaks volumes about the need for justice, especially when individuals feel marginalized or wronged. The desire to enact a small act of revenge can provide a fleeting sense of satisfaction, a way to balance the scales, even if momentarily.

Interestingly, the story also highlights a broader societal issue, how authority is often misused or misunderstood. In environments where rules are enforced rigidly, corruption can flourish, leading to distrust between the public and those in power.

This mistrust can manifest in the way individuals interact with authority figures, as seen in the comments from the Reddit community, where many shared similar experiences of feeling victimized by security personnel.

Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:

These Redditors report airport staff openly confiscating or stealing passengers’ items

vHoriizon − Yeah I've seen people do this before,

my uncle bought a bottle of alcohol from duty free

when he was coming back from Sri Lanka via New Delhi

and the security at Delhi didn't let him bring it

to his home and the guy made it obvious

that he was going to take the bottle for himself later

so my uncle just took it to the bathroom

and poured it all out so he couldn't have it lol

cotchrocket − This happens a lot. I’ve had numerous small items “confiscated”

by security or customs in various South American countries.

I usually break it before I hand it over if possible.

Sez_Whut − Knew someone who would ship shoes to South America one

at a time otherwise customs would steal the pair.

[Reddit User] − My sister brought italian jerky to Canada

in the early 90s, the customs consficated it.

She asked for it back to take pictures for court, they already ate half of it.

So they waived the $500 fine. C__ruption.

IronhideD − Huh. I flew out of Veradero in the beginning of November via Sunwing as well.

My girlfriend and I lined up in one of two lines and a third agent opened up.

We hopped over and naturally it was the slowest line out of all three lines.

When we got up to the agent, he looked at our luggage

which clocked well under the weight limits, then weighed our carry on.

Apparently mine was over the limit.

The agent makes a sad noise. My girlfriend and I exchange glances.

We've never heard of carry on being too heavy.

Turns out he saw my Under Armor sandels which were strapped to the sides of my bag.

He tried hustling us for my sandels. We said no.

And like magic the weight issue disappeared.

Turns out he was trying to hustle every passenger he was processing.

DiamineBilBerry − TL;DR: Class trip takes a "If we can't have you no one can" view of alcohol in an airport.

This reminds me of my last trip to Mexico,

as part of a language study program in college quite some thyme ago.

I went with a group of other students from my school. There were about 17 of us.

Most of us had been in language classes together,

so we knew each other and generally got along well enough.

At one point in the trip we found a tequila store

that sold countless different varieties of tequila.

Most of my classmates were under 21, so they bought lots of tequila

as they would not have been able to do so back in the states.

Those of us at, or over, 21 did not really buy much as being able

to buy alcohol was not really a novelty to us.

The majority of it was legitimately to be brought back as gifts,

but a good portion of it (and them) got drunk while we were still down there.

When it was thyme to return home we got to the airport early,

and when were were getting ready to check our bags we noticed

that "security" was going through all the bags to be checked,

and "confiscating" "dangerous" items. All of these "dangerous" items

were being collected on some tables in a corner.

We also noticed that employees were picking through

what they wanted on these tables and taking it for themselves.

There was not even the vaguest effort

to disguise what they were doing; going through luggage,

For the record: This is not the security checkpoint;

this is just our checking our bags and getting our boarding passes,

and the "security" agents were the exact same people working the counter

who had nothing identifying them as security

like the actual security people we saw elsewhere in the airport.

When the first person in our group got to the front of the line

and security found a few bottles of high-end tequila,

you could practically see the security personnel salivating in anticipation.

They announced that all alcohol had to be surrendered.

Between all of us we probably had at least two dozen bottles.

None of us were willing to surrender it, but none of those

who had bought liquor had any other means of getting it back to the USofA.

We were being clearly told that if we wanted to check our bags,

and fly home, we had to surrender the alcohol.

One of my classmates had a terrible idea that was driven purely by spite,

and that terrible idea broke the hearts of those airport employees.

The whole lot of us went into the nearby bathrooms (in the appropriate ones).

In there, my classmates chugged as much of the tequila as they could stand,

and dumped the rest down the sinks.

Not a drop was left to bring home.

Maybe we should have handed over the empty bottles to the employees,

but those got tossed into the trash, so the employees got nothing.

All other valuables that could be were not already

in people's carry-on bags was transferred over

so they would not be in the checked baggage

and under the scrutiny of those working the baggage check counter.

It should be noted that the flight was rather hellish for all parties involved.

Over a dozen very, very, very drunk students got very rowdy in a small plane,

and there was a 12 hour delay that held up our layover.

It was unpleasant for all parties involved.

Even so, to this day, I still think fondly of that spite-filled plan.

These Redditors report inconsistent enforcement and checkpoint agents abusing or misapplying rules

wayNoWhey − Coming back from Israel, we went through security and got to our gate.

We had a while to wait so we bought snacks and bottles of water.

As we boarded the plane they had us toss our water bottles because they were over 3 oz.

That we bought at the airport. After we'd gone through security.

At the shop twenty feet from the gate.

penandpaper30 − Dude, US domestic TSA tried

to take my UNDER 100mL contact solution and I about flipped my s__t at them.

The guy set it aside but no one was coming over, so I grabbed it and took off.

Never had a problem at any other airport-- avoid LGA TSA like the plague.

10S_NE1 − Some of those security staff are on a giant power trip,

made more confident by the fact that we will usually cave,

because we don’t want to miss our flight trying to settle a dispute.

A few years ago, at security in the Fort Lauderdale airport,

my husband went before me with his liquid toiletries in a plastic bag.

No problem. I was right behind him with my toiletries in the same size size bag

and the agent said “That bag’s too big.Pick your favourites, the rest is going in the garbage.”

I found a smaller bag and managed to put my toiletries in them,

including a brand new 100ml toothpaste.

The guy grabbed the toothpaste and said “Too big” and threw it in the garbage.

I said “It’s 100 ml”. His only response was “Oh well, it looked bigger”.

I sometimes think this whole liquid thing has gotten way out of hand.

I think if you have TSA pre-check or trusted traveller status, they should allow some larger liquids in your carry-on,

or at least allow you to keep them in your toiletries bag

without putting everything in a separate, small plastic bag.

It frustrates the heck out of me. I’m flying out early tomorrow morning

so I’m feeling extra annoyed about it all.

pandaluver1234 − I bought a snow globe from the Haunted Mansion at Disney World

and I got stopped at security because of it.

Apparently it was over 100 mL but she let me go

because it was a snow globe and I paid way too much money on it.

She told me “you should have put it in your checked bag”.

Like. B__ch no. I know how y’all treat bags because I’ve had stuff broken before.

archbish99 − I've known foreign security

to have strange interpretations of what the TSA allows.

This, however, was a pretty clear case where the officer just wanted

to steal something under the guise of authority.

In the US or Europe, I'd call for a supervisor.

In a routinely corrupt environment like Cuba, though,

this is probably the best you can do if you're determined not to give in.

These Redditors describe workarounds, leniency, or defiant actions to keep items or care for infants

Jedi_Belle01 − Airport security in Panama tried

to confiscate my bottle of Chanel perfume.

My “air travel approved” size of Chanel perfume. I asked for manager.

While waiting for the manager, I called TSA in the US and got them to resend the email

which SPECIFICALLY stated this brand/bottle size was approved to fly.

Manager comes over and tries to confiscate perfume, I show him the email.

He pretends he can’t read English, I have my Hispanic boyfriend

(who speaks perfect English with zero accent) translate it for him.

TSA in Miami asked me to hand the phone to the manager.

He turned red, I heard yelling, he handed me the phone back,

TSA said I shouldn’t have any more problems

and they were filing an official complaint against that manager and airport

for abusive confiscation practices and they were going to warn the airlines about it.

I smiled.I put my perfume away. I thanked them. I got on my plane.

subtleglow87 − I had to sit for 45 minutes while TSA in the US tried to figure out if I was allowed

to carry on my b__ast milk for my 3 month old who was traveling with me.

I had purposely packaged it in individual bags around 60mL each,

but because the overall volume they were "concerned."

It wasn't until little dude got hungry and I whipped out my boob to feed him,

making snarky comments like "did you want to confiscate the milk from my breasts as well?"

did they tell me I was okay to continue to my flight. the manager never even got there.

figgypie − I had the opposite experience flying out of Marseille.

I had my then 6 month old daughter strapped to me,

and I had forgotten to empty out my metal water bottle.

It was the size of a standard water bottle mostly full of water.

So they pull the bottle out of my carry on and I'm like "oh damn I'm sorry"

and the worker said "that's ok, it's for the baby" and put it...

They were assuming it was for her to drink or for formula or something.

Neither was true, but I just went with it so they'd let us through.

Ohhh yeeeeaaahhh it's totally for the baby, thank you!

I mean I needed to keep hydrated because I was still nursing

so it's sort of true, but yeah I wasn't gonna argue!

Slaiks − I had a similar situation when I was going through China.

I had a travel cup that I absolutely loved and took it everywhere I traveled.

Chinese security checks flagged it even though this is the 5th time

I've gone through that airport.

They said it was against the rules to take it on board.

I asked why and they said it was too big and sealed.

It's dangerous. After about 5 minutes of arguing

I asked if I could grab my lanyard that attaches to it.

They handed it back to which I put it on the floor and stomped on it as hard as

I could completely crushing the sides and handed it back once...

The man was absolutaly livid. Bought another one a week later.

The woman’s battle over her beloved water bottle raises intriguing questions about authority and common sense. Do you think she was justified in her confrontation with the airport staff, or did she overreact to a minor issue? How would you navigate the tricky waters of airport security? Share your hot takes below!

Annie Nguyen

Annie Nguyen

Hi, I'm Annie Nguyen. I'm a freelance writer and editor for Daily Highlight with experience across lifestyle, wellness, and personal growth publications. Living in San Francisco gives me endless inspiration, from cozy coffee shop corners to weekend hikes along the coast. Thanks for reading!

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