DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa.-- Knives, nunchucks, even a slingshot.
The TSA has confiscated hundreds of prohibited items from passengers at the Harrisburg International Airport checkpoint, amounting to over 900 pounds of stuff last year. On Thursday, officials filled two tables with items they have collected in just the past 2 months.
The TSA said a credit card-like object that can fold up into a knife is becoming one of the more common items uncovered at the checkpoint. Agents also displayed hidden blades that folded out from what looked like a typical house key.
"Any kind of knife you can imagine has been brought to a checkpoint," said Lisa Farbstein, TSA spokesperson. Farbstein also reminds passengers no tools over 7 inches long are allowed on planes.
The TSA reminds everyone that passengers can check what items can be packed in a carry-on bag, checked bag, either or neither through four options:
- Tweet or Message AskTSA: Unsure if an item is allowed through security? Issues receiving TSA Pre✓® on your boarding pass? Get live assistance by tweeting your questions and comments to @AskTSA or via Facebook Messenger on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on weekends/holidays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- TSA’s homepage has a feature in the upper right-hand corner entitled “What Can I Bring?” in which travelers can type in the name of an item to find out if it is allowed in a checked or carry-on bag.
- Download TSA’s free app: The MyTSA app has a handy feature entitled “What Can I bring?” in which travelers can quickly search which items you can bring with you through the checkpoint onto the airplane.
- The TSA Contact Center is available to answer questions by email and phone at 1-866-289-9673. Staff is available from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekends/holidays; an automated service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Farbstein said if passengers are found with items that fall under the TSA's prohibited items they are given the choice to put it in a checked bag, hand it over to a non-traveling companion, put it in their car, or surrender it. She points out, Harrisburg International also has a mailing center where people can mail their items to their destination or their home.
TSA agents remind everyone they also go through extensive training to catch these prohibited items.
"We are trained to look at somebody's body language and question them a little bit to see if they're doing something with intent or if it truly was an accident," said TSA agent Jordyn Colombo.
