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The 5 Most Ridiculous Items Passengers Tried to Carry on Board in August

Aug. 31, 2017
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9 min read
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The 5 Most Ridiculous Items Passengers Tried to Carry on Board in August
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Every week, the Transportation Security Administration 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. To help inform travelers, TSA has created an "Ask TSA" Twitter account where curious travelers can ask if they're allowed to carry on certain items. Below are the five most ridiculous questions asked 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 — or in some cases, cans of chili.

1. Shock Ring

Thank goodness the TSA caught this weapon before it made it on a commercial flight or there would have been a lot of surprised passengers. Shocking as it may be, powerful shock rings such as this aren't allowed in carry-on bags — although they are permitted if they're packed safely in a checked bag.


2. The Most Literal Nunchuks Ever

Rejoice! These nunchuks (literally, nun-chuks) look like they're trusty travel companions and they can come on board the plane in a carry-on bag.

3. Aluminum Sculptures

Ready for a long, strange trip? These Grateful Dead fan art pieces are free to fly with you in a carry-on bag.

4. A ...Dinosaur

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While most of us believe that dinosaurs have been extinct for about 65 million years now, we may be wrong. Case in point: This dino has places to be and reached out to the TSA to inquire about how it could fly. Unfortunately, service dinosaurs aren't really a thing (yet), so this one had to travel in the cargo hold. Brr...

5. "Loaded" Coffee Mug

A coffee mug's a coffee mug, Right? Wrong. If your mug resembles a firearm (or any other weapon for that matter), it's not allowed on board. Anything that looks like a weapon — no matter how harmless it may actually be — needs to be packed safely in your checked luggage.

What's the strangest item you've seen at a TSA checkpoint?

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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.