Passenger Found with Prohibited Items at LAX Security Checkpoint
Incident Overview
The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) at Los Angeles International Airport was able to confiscate several prohibited items from a passenger’s carry-on bag earlier this month. This was established when the TSA officers, who had been working for several years, were surprised by the discovery that happened around 10 p.m., at the Terminal 4. The bag was owned by a woman who was travelling to Philadelphia and it had everything banned on a flight from fireworks, knives, replica guns, and pepper spray.
A Shocking Discovery at the Airport Security Line
When the passenger’s bag went through the normal X-ray check, TSA officers identified several prohibited items. When the officer searched the bag further he found 82 pieces of consumer fireworks, 3 knives, 2 replica guns, and 1 pepper spray can. TSA was particularly worried by the fact that so many prohibited items could be found in one bag.
TSA and Law Enforcement Response
The TSA immediately informed the Los Angeles World Airport Police Department (LAWA) and LAWA officers questioned the passenger shortly. The bomb squad also arrived at the scene to remove the fireworks because they are prohibited items that cannot be taken on any flight – either in carry-on or checked baggage. TSA did not give any information on whether the passenger was arrested or why she was in possession of such items.
TSA’s Safety Reminder
The Federal Security Director at LAX TSA Jason Pantages urged people to pack their bags and adhere to TSA regulations, particularly during the holidays. He also encouraged people to empty their bags before packing so that they do not make the mistake of taking some items to the security checkpoint. “Let this incident serve as a reminder to all travelers to double-check the contents of your bag prior to coming to the airport,” Pantages said.
TSA Guidelines: Prohibited Items
The TSA’s announcement also wanted to draw focus to the key safety issues at stake with the objects found. Fireworks, being explosives, are also prohibited on aircraft, including in cabin or hold-brought items. Other prohibited items include but are not limited to, knives, replicas of firearms, mace, and pepper spray, which may be carried in hold baggage only subject to the following conditions. Pepper spray is allowed in carry-on baggage only if they are locked and there is no way that they can discharge accidentally. Also, those self-defense sprays that contain 2% or more tear gas by mass are banned while some airlines may not allow the carriage of pepper spray at all.
Helpful Resources for Travelers
TSA asks travelers to use available resources to leave prohibited items behind while traveling. For example, the MyTSA application that has a ‘What Can I Bring?’ portion will help a passenger determine whether a certain item is allowed before the trip. In addition to that, travelers can also request real-time help by sharing an item’s picture through Twitter, Facebook, or Facebook Messenger – by sending the word ‘Travel’ to 275-AskTSA.
The event that happened at LAX is a good lesson for travelers, especially in how they pack in their suitcases prior to flying. To achieve a safe travel period for passengers and other travelers during this Christmas holiday, passengers should adhere to TSA’s guidelines and double-check their baggage.
