TSA Sticks to the Rules

• By Ralph C. Jensen
• Oct 07, 2011

Seriously folks, weapons of all kinds are not wanted at the airport. Any airport.

A man traveling from New York’s JFK to Paris showed up at the airport with four sets of brass knuckles, two stun gun flashlights and a sword. He was arrested. Was he thinking about starting a small conflict in Paris?

Police from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey confiscated the items and arrested the man on state charges.

Here’s a little tutorial. While weapons of all kinds are prohibited from being brought onto aircraft carry-on baggage, some things can be placed in checked baggage. Before you transport any weapon, first check with local authorities both in the city of departure and arrival to find out what local laws dictate. Second, check the TSA website for the proper way to pack a firearm.

Some dangerous items that you pack in, let’s say Texas, will not be allowed in some other states. And passengers will be subject to that state’s law. As a passenger, it is your responsibility to be aware that origination and destination cities may have local laws prohibiting the possession of these items.

Just this week, TSA officers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport arrested a Minneapolis-bound passenger who had a loaded gun in his carry-on bag. In another incident, probably not related, an Atlanta-bound passenger was arrested in Salt Lake City with a loaded gun. Apparently, neither had their thinking cap on while packing their bags.