Scanners have gotten better recently, meaning they can tell the difference between water and explosives, but these restrictions weren’t pulled out of thin air like many others.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Security_repercussions_due_to_the_2006_transatlantic_aircraft_plot

There was a thwarted terrorist plot to use drink bottles to hold explosives.

[–] GiveMemes@jlai.lu 7 points 5 months ago

That doesn't mean it's not still a show. In the 2010s (forget when exactly) the TSA was tested with fake bombs and let them through 49/50 times. They have never successfully stopped a terrorist attack either afaik.