TSA Find Odd Items In Passengers’ Carry-Ons During A 48-Hour Period At Sky Harbor

Within a recent 48-hour time period, the TSA at Sky Harbor Airport found an array of questionable items.

Some of those items include: a throwing star, a tomahawk, mini baseball bats, Mango-Habanero Tennessee whiskey, a BB-gun, pocket knives, a belt buckle shaped like brass knuckles, a kitchen knife, a power drill, a slingshot, snow globes, wrenches, a hammer, cat-shaped key chains, arrows, and a slingshot.

Most of these items are allowed in checked luggage but are not allowed in carry-on bags.


“Because we encounter these items every day, it doesn’t come as a surprise,” said Lorie Dankers, a spokesperson for TSA.”I think what our officers would tell you is that it’s surprising that after all these years, after 9-11, people forget that these items are not allowed. Keep in mind, this isn’t something that’s new, this isn’t something that we just rolled out last week. We have not allowed knives since the inception of TSA. And the fact that people have become careless in what they bring, it slows down our operation, it impacts the efficiency of the operation, and of course, if you’re a passenger standing behind someone whose brought one of these items, you’re going to have to stand and wait while a bag check is performed.”

During the “low season”, 260 prohibited items are found by the TSA in carry-ons each day; 320 during the “high season.” About 42,000 to 63,000 passengers pass through TSA checkpoints at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport each day. Having prohibited items in your bag can result in a fee.

Unloaded firearms must be checked in a locked, hard-sided case and declared with the airline. Between Aug. 26, 2019 and Sept. 15, 2019, 253 firearms were found at airports across the U.S. Seven of those firearms, all loaded, four with a round in the chamber, were found in carry-on bags at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

Wondering what you CAN bring in your carry-on? Click here for a full list by the TSA.