The TSA catches all manner of things during their regular security checks at airports across the United States. We ran a list back in 2021 of the best stuff that the TSA caught at airports, and that trend hasn’t ended. Business as usual would be finding weapons or drugs, but at Tampa International Airport, a TSA agent found a Boa Constrictor in a woman’s carry-on bag.
Of course, this is precious few steps away from being another Florida Man story, so there’s still a little more to go. According to TSA spokesperson Lisa Farbstein, This Florida woman claimed that the snake was her “emotional support pet.” To each their own, but I’m not sure a snake known for having a particularly strong and aggressive tendency to squeeze makes for a good emotional support animal. Nor should it be a pet.
It seems like the poor ophidian was stuffed into a corner of the woman’s bag, at least according to the X-ray image posted by Farbstein. In the bottom portion of the image, there is a laptop and a pair of shoes; both must be removed from any luggage during TSA inspection. The left side of the image looks like a personal bag. Then in the top right corner is the serpent, coiled into a small bundle and waiting to surprise the poor bastard who has to open the bag.
The TSA ran the news up to the unnamed airline, apparently forwarding the emotional support pet story, and the airline duly denied the snake entry onto the aircraft. Yes, there’s an incredibly obvious Snakes on a Plane joke here, but I’ll avoid it for everyone’s sake. Either way, Farbstein did it for me in the original tweet.
I would think that common sense would prevail and folks wouldn’t pack a snake into their carry-on, but the world constantly challenges the notion of what makes sense. Either way, don’t try to sneak a snake onto a plane.
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