Winter is coming! Well, eventually. And unless you travel using dragons, you’ll want to follow the rules to ensure a hassle-free trip from takeoff to King’s Landing! Is it just me or is everyone excited for the final season of Game of Thrones?!
Between April 1 - 7, TSA screened 15.9 million passengers and discovered 87 firearms in carry-on bags. Of the 87 firearms discovered, 69 were loaded and 30 had a round chambered.
Bringing a firearm to the security checkpoint may lead to a stark civil penalty up to $13,333 and a disqualification from TSA Pre✓®.
If you need to travel with your firearm, check out our transporting firearms and ammunition page to learn how to properly travel with your firearm. Also, remember to take a look at your airline’s policies and the laws at your destination as they can vary.
Review all the firearm discoveries from April 1 to 7 in this chart.
I don’t mean to hound you, but packing real, replica or inert explosives is not cool. Remember, when TSA officers discover anything that resembles an explosive, they call in explosives specialists to assess the situation. This can lead to missed flights, as airlines may not hold the door for you.
Pictured above from the left:
- On April 2, TSA officers at San Diego International Airport discovered a claymore – that’s an anti-personnel mine folks – that was determined to be inert during checked baggage screening. If a claymore is inert, is it considered clay-less?
- The Albuquerque International Sunport checked baggage room was evacuated for approximately 15 minutes after TSA officers discovered an inert mortar and launcher on April 5.
- Two inert grenades were discovered in a checked bag on April 4 by Denver International Airport TSA officers.
If you want to make something look pretty, Daenerys glitter for that! Here are four rings and mace fit for the one true king (or queen). But, just because it has a glow of a dragon egg doesn’t mean it can fly in a carry-on bag. Both of these items were discovered in carry-on bags last week by TSA officers at Burlington International Airport in Vermont.
If you plan on doing a Jaime Lannister cosplay, pack your brass knuckles in your checked bags. And while dragons can’t be tamed, or checked, some self-defense sprays can. But we recommend checking the laws and airline policies before packing.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a little finger knife or made out of Valyrian steel; knives must be packed in checked bags! Arya getting the point yet?
Pictured above, top row from the left:
- A Dallas Love Field passenger was having a bad hair day after packing a knife-comb combo in a carry-on bag on April 3.
- TSA officers discovered a push dagger in a carry-on bag at Portland International Airport on April Fool’s Day.
- A cane sword was located by an officer at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on April 4.
Pictured above, middle row from the left:
- On April 2, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport TSA officers removed a double-edged knife from a passenger’s carry-on bag.
- Also in Seattle, officers discovered a throwing star in a carry-on bag on April 1.
- Palm Beach International Airport officers stopped a passenger carrying a skull knife on April 4.
Pictured above, bottom row from the left:
- A butterfly knife was discovered at Portland International Airport on April 3.
- On April 3, a push dagger was removed from a passenger’s carry-on bag at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
- Albuquerque International Sunport TSA officers discovered a spring-assisted knife on April 2.
Our mission at TSA is to ensure you get to your destination safely by keeping dangerous items off planes. The most common explanation we hear from travelers is “I forgot it was in my bag.” Don’t be that person. Save yourself some money and embarrassment and thoroughly check your bags for prohibited items before heading to the airport.
If you think this blog features all of the prohibited items we found between April 1 and 7, you’re mistaken. Every day our officers stop way more prohibited items than what is featured in this post. Like way more.
Remember to come prepared. For a list of prohibited items, be sure to use the What Can I Bring? tool. If you have questions about the security process, reach out to AskTSA on Twitter or Facebook Messenger. Our AskTSA team will happily answer even the most outlandish travel-related questions.
Want to know how many firearms we found last year? Check out our 2018 blog post.
Also, don’t forget to check out our top 10 most unusual finds video for 2018.
Want to learn more or see the other wacky finds? Follow us @TSA on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.
Jay Wagner
