Knife discovered during routine screening at ANC, one of TSA’s Top 10 finds of 2023.
ANCHORAGE – The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) earlier today released its annual Top 10 list of interesting finds at airport security checkpoints nationwide in 2023. One of the items featured was discovered by TSA officers who work at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC).
On the morning of September 16, 2023, a male traveler ticketed for travel to Fairbanks International Airport was screened at ANC through the body scanner in the south security checkpoint. During routine screening, the body scanner alarmed in the area of the traveler’s lower leg and foot.
A TSA officer followed established screening procedures to clear the alarm when he came across a knife with a three-inch blade concealed in the traveler’s prosthetic foot.
TSA notified officers with the ANC Airport Police Department who responded to the checkpoint. They talked with the traveler who told them that he’d forgotten about the knife, which had sentimental value to him.
Because knives and other items with a blade are not allowed through the security checkpoint, TSA gave the traveler options to keep the knife including placing it in a checked bag where he would not have access to it during the duration of his flight. The traveler instead chose to surrender the knife to TSA before continuing onto his flight.
Travelers are encouraged to know what is and is not allowed through the security checkpoint and into the cabin of the aircraft by downloading the myTSA app or visiting the “What Can I Bring?” feature on TSA.gov.
For the complete list of Top 10 finds for 2023, check out the video on the agency’s You Tube page at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWFklccP1-A.