Another year gone marks another year of the Transportation Security Administration confiscating crap you shouldn’t be bringing on an airplane in your carry-on bag. Airline travel returned in force this year with more and more people getting vaccinated (also: get vaxed if you haven’t already!) so I’ll chalk some of these transgressions up to people simply forgetting how to fly. A gentle reminder: No weapons of any kind are allowed in your carry-on bag. This includes ammunition, guns, knives, and harpoons. Yeah, you read that right.
If you’re not following the TSA on Instagram already, you’re doing yourself a serious disservice. Whoever runs that account is an A+ punner and memer. Here, look:
Funny meme right? And who said government agencies don’t have a sense of humor. What follows is just a list of my favorite stuff people got busted with this past year while trying to get through airport security. I went light on the guns since that’s obvious (as the post above pointed out, you cannot fly with a gun in your carry-on but you can if it’s unloaded and secured in a gun case as either a checked bag or “as a standalone item or included in your other checked bags”) but heavy on the everything else.
If you’re planning on flying in 2022, use this list as a guide for what not to pack!
Grenades
Not even a month into 2021 and TSA agents uncovered two grenades at Seattle Tacoma International. It’s not clear if these were real or replica grenades, but regardless, both are prohibited in checked or carry-on bags.
Stun Guns
Buffalo Niagara International Airport, reporting for duty! This time with a set of pink stun guns. So festive and perfect for February.
Harpoon
Oh hell yeah. 1851 called, it wants its weapon and copy of Moby Dick back.
Bullets
Someone apparently tried to sneak some bullets aboard a plane after disguising them as Mentos mints. Did they forget X-ray machines exist…?
Jesus Knife
Nothing like this Jesus knife to test your faith!
Throwing Knives
I know this set of throwing knives probably got packed up as a set, but c’mon. Nine of them found at security? This person should have gone with eight, that probably wouldn’t have aroused any suspicion.
Knuckle Knife
This knuckle knife was found at Newark Airport of all places. New Jersey: We pump our fists, not our gas!
Folding Knife
You guys think this person forgot the knife in their bandages? Yeah, let’s go with that.
Comb Knife
Not gonna lie, this one’s pretty clever and fashionable. Just don’t bring it in your carry-on, people!
Batarangs
My inner movie-nerd tells me these are Nolan-era Batarangs—which, as Batarangs go, are the good ones. Whoever this was had taste at the very least.
Bullets and a Gun
And rounding off this, well, roundup is this person who attempted to get bullets in hollowed-out soap and a gun wrapped in bandages through security in their carry-on. I give points here for imagination but the real winner is this post that’s just filled with soap puns.
Got a tip? Hit me up at kristen@thedrive.com.