TSA Stops Traveler Carrying 82 Fireworks, 3 Knives, and More in Hand Luggage

The traveler was caught red-handed when her bag went through the X-ray machine, was flagged, and consequently searched.

Photo: TSA

“What happened Sunday, December 15, 2024, at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) surprised even the longest tenured and most experienced TSA officer,” a press release explains.

US airports are equipped with CT scanners, a type of x-ray machine that is used by TSA officers to detect weapons or other dangerous items inside travelers’ luggage. CT scanners should not be confused with full-body millimeter wave scanners, which are used to reveal metal and non-metal objects on people’s bodies.

“The sheer number of prohibited items discovered in a single carry-on bag is extremely concerning,” said LAX TSA Federal Security Director Jason Pantages about the December 15 incident.

A quick look at TSA’s What Can I Bring webpage, shows that it is entirely forbidden to fly with fireworks, whether in your carry-on or checked luggage. Fireworks are considered explosives and can pose a very serious threat to the safety of everyone in airports and especially airplanes.

Knives, and any other sharp objects, such as box cutters or even knitting needles, are prohibited in carry-on bags, but are allowed in checked bags as long as they are securely packaged so that luggage handlers don’t injure themselves.

Firearm replicas, while seemingly harmless, can be mistaken for real weapons and are therefore not allowed in carry-on bags, but are allowed in checked luggage.

While pepper spray is never allowed in carry-on bags, the rules about carrying it in your checked luggage vary. Check TSA’s website, reach out to TSA on social media (@AskTSA on X or Facebook Messenger), or text directly 275-872 (“AskTSA”) to make sure you can pack your pepper spray.

While some TSA rules are obvious to seasoned air travelers, some are a little less evident. The regulations surrounding food items, vape pens, battery-powered objects, or even wrapped gifts, for examples, can trick even the most frequent flyers.

Attempting to go through airport security in possession of prohibited items can land you in hot water, including a fine and arrest. In the case of the December 15 incident, the traveler was interviewed by the police and the bomb squad was called to dispose of the fireworks.

If you’re traveling internationally, check the rules before you pack anything you have doubts about. Pepper spray, for example, is illegal in Canada, and many other countries. So is ammunition. Earlier this year, a man from Oklahoma who went on a vacation to Turks and Caicos was arrested, detained, and faced 12 years in prison after being caught by the airport security with ammunition in his luggage.