Amid travel rush, TSA seeks to show travelers what not pack in your carry-on
The Transportation Security Administration says seven of the ten busiest days in its history have been this year. TSA set up a table at Love Field in Dallas Tuesday to show people items confiscated at security.
"These are some of the every-day things we come across," says Supervisor Cassandra Kunkle. "For example, we have a lot of knives, stun guns. Some of the more obscure things are pepper spray and canes that are tactical or have hidden departments or swords."
Kunkle says stun guns may be concealed in key fobs or cell phones. She says people may carry things like that for safety every day, but they cannot be brought through airport security.
"Whenever you start packing, we recommend taking everything out of your bag, getting eyes on it, making sure you know exactly what's contained in your luggage when you check in," she says.
Also on display was a grenade which had been hollowed out.
"Passengers assume, because it's not active anymore, it's able to come through," she says. "However, if it does represent anything that could be an explosive, it will be pulled."
TSA says guns are also frequently found at checkpoints. Texas eliminated rules requiring a license to carry a gun in 2021, but federal law forbids guns in carry-ons.
"We just want to make sure, whenever you travel with one, don't bring it through security," says TSA Supervisor Manuel Rodriguez.
Guns can be brought onto planes, but they must be checked. People checking guns must keep them unloaded in locked, hard-sided cases, and they must be declared to the airline.
"You're going to fill out a form," Rodriguez says. "They're either going to place it inside the case or tape it to the outside of the box with the information. Once you're done with the declaration, you lock it, make sure everything is secure, and then they'll place it underneath the plane with the rest of your items."
TSA says seven of its ten busiest days ever have been in 2024; four of those seven days were in June, and two of the top three were last weekend.
