There are some pretty tough regulations when it comes to what you can bring when flying on a plane. For example, you can only have 3 oz. of liquids in a clear plastic bag. You are forced to go through an x-ray body scanner and take your shoes off too. When an prohibited item is found, TSA will most likely make you throw it away. These are some of the strangest items found in an airport security line.
Illegal Substances
Be careful of how is around your bag. Someone traveled through Asia for months without knowing they had illegal substances in their bag. It even made its way through security!
Stopped for a T-Shirt
A guy from Australia was wearing a shirt that read, “No Kangaroos in Austria.” Well, an officer at border control stopped him and asked if he thought he was funny. The guy told the officer to read the shirt again, in which he became embarrassed and let the guy through.
Liquid vs. Knife
It’s amazing what you can get through airport security. One guy was stopped for having a bottle of sunscreen in his bag. They took the sunscreen but left his 6-inch knife.
Samurai Swords
Just before 9/11, a kid was seen with a Samurai sword going through security because he had just come from a martial arts tournament. When asked to check the sword, the mother replied that the sword was too expensive and they didn’t want to risk losing it. So, security just let them breeze through.
Hair Tools
Sometimes the x-ray scanners aren’t completely reliable. Someone went through security and noticed that their curling iron was positioned just right so that it looked like there was a gun at the bottom of the bag. Luckily security checked the bag and found that everything was fine.
Rock Collection
Little kids pack the strangest things when they go on vacation. One little girl was stopped at security when an officer pulled out a rock the size of a large orange. When asked what it was, she responded that it was her pet rock. They waved her through with a good chuckle.
Spoon Love
People are into some pretty strange habits. One guy was stopped because his bag was filled with tons of different spoons. When asked about it, he responded that they were used to smack his wife in bed.
Different Issues
A TSA officer recalls stopping a woman at security and asking to go through her bag. She quickly responded that he had nothing to worry about, it was simply her butt plug that he was seeing. He responded that the issue was the size of her soap, not her butt plug.
International Hunting Trip
Some hunters enjoy traveling to different locations to find a good kill. Well, one hunter decided to bring his trophies home, but hadn’t cleaned them or anything. They were still leaking blood all over the conveyer belt.
Not a Threat
One guy bought a silly gag gift for his girlfriend on his way home from a tip. It was a weiner dog corkscrew. However, when he noticed that security had taken his bag off the belt, he yelled, “My weiner dog!” They let him keep the corkscrew.
One Thousand Pennies
One guy and his friend were traveling with about a thousand pennies inside a glove because they needed them for a game that they enjoyed playing. Every time they had to go through security, the guards would make them empty the glove, in which they then had to refill it.
Antique Shopper
One traveler had hit up an antique market while traveling and decided to bring the items she purchased (an iron skillet and two oil lamps) on the plane with her. She carefully wrapped the items in her clothing, but was made to unwrap them in front of security to prove that she didn’t have a bomb.
Tears at Security
Sometimes crying will get you off the hook when it comes to airport security. After leaving his girlfriend for a long trip, this guy’s bag was pulled over and the officer asked if he had a milkshake mixer in his bag. It was just his Hitachi wand.
Definitely Can’t Have That
Apparently there is a sports drink that is packaged in a bottle that looks just like a grenade. While working at airport security, one officer pulled the bottle out of the bag thinking it was a bomb. Either way, it couldn’t go through security because it held liquid.
Stuffed Chicken
While on vacation, one guy just had to buy a taxidermy chicken. When it wouldn’t fit in his suitcase, he decided to just carry it onto the plane with him. Everyone in the airport couldn’t help but laugh at the silly sight.
Bag of Dollar Bills
When going on a business trip to demonstrate how a money counting machine worked, one guy had a duffle bag full of one-dollar bills. Well, with so many bills, he was pulled over at the airport to make sure he wasn’t a drug dealer or anything.
Christmas Dinner
It’s traditional to eat carp for Christmas dinner in Czech Republic. So, when someone was spending their holiday in France, they decided to bring a dead carp on the plane with them from Czech Republic because they don’t eat it in France. Security was definitely not amused.
Surprise Travel Companion
When someone was asked to have their bag searched, they discovered that they had a surprise travel companion. As an agent unzipped the bag, a large spider crawled right out and onto the table! Everyone screamed at the surprise guest.
Toys
A man noticed that his bag was taking a little longer than usual to go passed the x-ray. When asked what was wrong, the TSA agents asked if he was a mountain climber. They saw a metal hook in his bag. The man laughed, no he wasn’t a mountain climber. He had just bought a toy crane truck for his son.
Grandma Drug Dealer
On the way home from a trip in Peru, one grandmother decided to bring back bags of crushed leaves with medicinal value and such. When security was going through the leaves, she kept telling them long-winded explanations of each bag of leaves. Losing patience, the agents waved her through with her leaves.
Lawn Gnome
“Is that a gnome?” one TSA agent could be heard saying as a bag went through the x-ray machine. It turns out someone had a fight with their old roommate and stole her garden gnome as she left for a trip.
Human Skull
Imagine working airport security and seeing a human skull pass through the x-ray machine. That’s exactly what happened with a medical student was transporting a skull. He had all of the paperwork to carry the skull on board.
Firecrackers
When rushing out the door to catch a flight, you don’t always think clearly. Someone put a bunch of firecrackers in their carryon bag. However, security didn’t stop them and he got on the plane just fine.
Pre-9/11 Era
Airport security was much more lax before 9/11. It was so relaxed that a man would carry his tools, including a utility knife, with him in his carryon and would never be stopped. It wasn’t until he was in a small airport in the Midwest that a little old lady stopped him at security.
Razor Blades
It’s always a toss up whether you can travel with razors in your carryon. One guy only had carryon luggage and had to buy a pack of 10 razors. When pulled to the side, security just stared at the large amount of razors and waved him through.
Happy Hour
Always check to see what’s inside your bag before you go through an airport. One guy discovered that he had a 12-pack of beer in his carryon because a few months ago he had used his bag to go to a house party.
Sandwiches
Sometimes security will use drug dogs to sniff passengers as they go through the airport security line. Well, one guy had a ham sandwich in his bag and the dog went wild. Apparently he didn’t look very threatening because they just took the dog away and let him go through.
Screwdriver
It’s crazy what you can bring on a plane. One guy accidentally brought a large screwdriver in his carryon and nobody said anything about it.
Double Check Your Bags
If you use your carryon bag in your everyday life, make sure to check what you have inside it before packing. One guy was stopped because he had nail clippers, a bottle opener, a lighter, and a knife in his bag as he was going to school for art and working as a bartender.
Water Bottle
Everyone knows you can’t bring water on a plane. Well, when one guy was asked to drink his water before going through security, he took a few sips then said, “See? It isn’t poison!” He realized his mistake when he was asked to throw it out.
Smart Smuggling
Back in the old days when film was used, it was kept in small metal canisters that x-rays couldn’t see through. Well, one guy would consistently smuggle things through airports in these little canisters. That is, until everything became digital.
Chainsaw
Before 9/11, one guy walked on a plane with a brand new chainsaw still in the box. Everyone knew what it was; he wasn’t hiding it at all. It’s crazy how times have changed.
Machetes
It turns out that if you wrap your machetes in newspapers and put them in a bag with your clothes, security will let you board a plane. That’s exactly what happened with one woman when she went through JFK Airport.
Seeds
When traveling to the US, you cannot bring back seeds. So when someone had a bunch of seeds in their bag from a previous trip, they became extremely paranoid about flying with their bag.
Protractors
One guy was pulled over randomly for his bag to be searched. It turns out he forgot that he had a 6-inch knife in his bag. What security didn’t pull out, though, was his protractor, which he found mid-flight.
No Boarding Pass
One woman was able to get through Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris without her boarding pass. She made it through security and right onto the plane without being questioned.
Scalpels
Someone was able to get through security with a full set of blades and scalpels when going through Barcelona airport. They were shocked at how security could have missed it.
Lotion
Airport security takes liquids very seriously. So, when one woman went through security, the agents took her lotion, but not her self-defense keychain.
Credit Card Weapon
Looks like you can damage more than just your credit score with a credit card. One guy had a knife that looked like a credit card in his wallet and wasn’t stopped at security in the airport. However, he was stopped a few weeks later by security at a courthouse when he was serving on a jury.
Gardening Supplies
When attending a gardening convention, it’s probably smart to put your souvenirs in your checked luggage. One woman had her box cutters, penknives, and fertilizer packets confiscated at airport security.
Give Me the Bacon
Remember when mad cow disease was going around? Well, unfortunately one German guy who was coming back from Canada had all of his Black Forest bacon confiscated when flying home because of the scare.
Sunscreen > Knife
A construction worker was flying from Guatemala to the US. He had a knife and three extra blades in his bag. However, it was the can of sunscreen in his bag that was thrown away promptly.
Baby Bunny
Back in the 1990’s one college student would fly with their baby bunny on the plane. They would put it in their coat pocket and just sneak it on the plane because he was never patted down.
Swords and Knives Everywhere
Airport security was insane before 9/11. One guy was able to get through security with two knives and a large Samurai sword without a problem. He just had to put a plastic bag over the blades.
Goldfish
If you ever thought a goldfish would survive a plane ride, we’re here to tell you that they won’t. One girl hid her goldfish in a plastic bag of water in her bra when going through security and got away with it.
Rocket Fuel
While traveling to a model rocket competition, one competitor forgot that they had the rocket motor in their pocket while getting on the plane. Luckily, they weren’t stopped.
Pens or Knives
It’s strange some of the things security will stop you for. One guy was stopped because he had a fountain pen with him. However, they left his box cutter and Exacto knife alone.
Metal Water Bottle
One guy tried to get through security without emptying his metal water bottle. He was able to get it through without a problem! Next time he should try some kind of liquor.
Survival Knife
Apparently toothpaste and nail clippers are much more dangerous than a 6-inch survival knife. That is exactly what was taken out of one person’s bag as they passed through airport security.
Lightsaber Bubbles
When two brothers were flying home from visiting their grandmother, they carried with them the lightsaber bubble blowers they were gifted. However, security took one brother’s lightsaber and not the others.
Lego Swords
One aunt was able to get through airport security with a pair of handcuffs in her carryon. However, her nephew’s foam sword couldn’t make it through. How does that make sense?
Chimichurri
The best thing about going to foreign countries is trying the cuisine. Well when one tourist tried to bring back chimi, a liquid, from Argentina, it was confiscated at the airport.
Exacto Knife
Airport security isn’t as detail-oriented as you may expect. This artist was able to get their Exacto pen/knife through security because it was mixed in with their other art supplies.
Nose Pliers
One guy decided to rest TSA by bringing nose pliers in their carryon. While most of the time security doesn’t stop them, there was just once in Germany when they were measured and handed back.
Pepper Spray
Women will often carry pepper spray with them for self defense. However, sometimes you can forget that you have it in your bag. One woman flew twice with her pepper spray by accident until she discovered it in her bag.
Kinder Eggs
You also have to be careful when crossing the border of different countries. One person was stopped when they were caught bringing a 12-pack of Kinder Eggs into the US from Mexico. Apparently you can be fined $2,000 for doing this.
Hammers on Cruises
Many people will sneak alcohol onto cruises because they don’t want to pay for the overpriced drinks. So, while one couple was worried that they would be caught with the liquor they hid in soda bottles, they forgot about a large hammer they had in their bag. Both items made it through though.
Fireworks
When coming home from Colorado to Ireland, one traveler realized that they were carrying high-end fireworks and about three pounds of black powder. They couldn’t believe they had made it through so many checkpoints without anyone noticing.
The Gangster Grandma
When a 92-year-old grandmother was stopped at security, they asked her if she had any weapons in her bag. She thought for a moment, then unzipped a side pocket and pulled out a knife. She explained that she would bring it with her to the market whenever she needed to carve up food.