The 5 Craziest Things Passengers Tried to Sneak by the TSA in February
Every week, the TSA blogs about items (mostly weapons) that agents have confiscated at airports around the country, and the agency posts some of the crazier ones on its Instagram page. Below are the five most ridiculous items that were confiscated this month — at least according to us at Team TPG. As always, we're grateful that the TSA remains diligent in preventing passengers from boarding aircraft with such dangerous weapons.
1. Bone Knife
This macabre carved-bone blade was confiscated at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI). As always, no matter how ornate and special a knife may be, they must all be packed in checked baggage or sent to your destination via mail.
2. 'Explosive' Salt & Pepper Shakers
This set of salt & pepper shakers resembling grenade launcher-caliber ammunition may have enough firepower to ignite your flavorless onboard meal, but they're strictly prohibited from flying. We've seen plenty of inert grenades confiscated at airports around the country, these spice-holding grenades confiscated at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) are certainly a unique take on a familiar sight.
3. 'Satan's Pizza Cutter'
This flashy — and disturbing — satanic 'pizza cutter' (as coined by the TSA) is sure to get you some attention in the airport, but be sure to do your very best to wait until you arrive at your destination before using it. This intimidating piece of hardware was discovered by TSA agents at Honolulu International Airport (HNL) in a passenger's carry-on luggage.
4. Firearms Concealed in Bicycle Tires
Bikes can fly, but not when they're vehicles for attempted smuggling. A passenger at San Juan (SJU) thought they'd outsmart the TSA by disassembling a handgun and putting the pieces inside the tires. But, the TSA had no trouble finding the hidden weapon and both items were swiftly confiscated. You can travel with firearms, as long as they're securely packed in checked luggage.
5. Fireworks
Someone in Las Vegas must have had a great weekend and wanted to leave Sin City with a bang, but flying with firecrackers is probably one of the least-smart decisions you could make. Remember that all forms of explosives are strictly prohibited on aircraft — but if you need a refresher on what you can and can't bring on board an aircraft, you can check out the TSA's site for more information.
What's the strangest item you've seen at a TSA checkpoint?
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.