Security - what's the most senseless confiscation?

[tuapekastar]

One thing I've noticed going through security points is sometimes the deodorant aerosol cans that don't have lids but a 'slider' instead which is a locking device will be confiscated because they have no lid. It appears some security folk treat these in the same fashion as they would if it was a can that originally had a lid which had come off since.

That's the only confiscation I can recall happening to me. A deodorant can designed without a lid. I did point out to the security chap (DJ, Perth - they're the most overtly officious screeners I have encountered) that the can's design did not incorporate a lid and he said sorry, doesn't matter, you cannot take it through.

 

[markis10]

That's the only confiscation I can recall happening to me. A deodorant can designed without a lid. I did point out to the security chap (DJ, Perth - they're the most overtly officious screeners I have encountered) that the can's design did not incorporate a lid and he said sorry, doesn't matter, you cannot take it through.

Obviously did not want death by Rexona on their hands! TSV security normally check its locked, while I did a stack of NSW and Victorians originated flights where the Rexona was not even checked to see it was locked.

 

[eastwest101]

Security at CBR tried to confiscate a small mylar balloon (perhaps 10cm diamater) from my 2 yr old daughter last year .... I can only imagine the lives we saved by keeping the balloon ground-side that day.

TSA at LAX wanted to confiscate a box of business cards ...

Both pretty senseless confiscations there - but the 2 jars of peanut butter is also a beauty!

 

[juddles]

Some of these stories seem ridiculous - like the business cards, but the problem was resolved. Most items confiscated here are known to cause hiccups. Why try it and go through the fuss???? A pressurised can without lid is reasonably likely to be activated in a crammed overhead, and the smell if nothing else can cause problems. How hard is it to not take these things?

In the last few years (hundreds and hundreds of flights, domestic and international) the only thing I have had confiscated was a fairly large knife that I accidentally left in my carryon when I had ditched my checked luggage for a few sectors within Australia. I was not happy as it was a favorite knife, but the staff were very polite and offered me the ¨post-to¨ option which I decliined as it was a cheap knife and I couldnt be bothered. They were very good about my mistake with what was clearly a no-no item.

It is really not hard to avoid problems.

 

[juddles]

Halfwits at BNE domestic ..... I stood there at the xray and drank it in front of them, handed them the can, belched and walked on through. Dimwits thought they could get a free drink out of me.

Belched? Nice touch. I am sure you had a very positive influence on them, travellers around you, and the industry in general. You must be very proud.

 

[tuapekastar]

Some of these stories seem ridiculous - like the business cards, but the problem was resolved. Most items confiscated here are known to cause hiccups. Why try it and go through the fuss???? A pressurised can without lid is reasonably likely to be activated in a crammed overhead, and the smell if nothing else can cause problems. How hard is it to not take these things?

No it's not. . I certainly won't be taking any more of those with me in carry on (at least till the rules change), but it was not unreasonable to attempt to do so in the first place.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

A 'blunt' dinner fork at BNE. They saved lives that day :shock: Could have taken 100 forks from the QC 2 minutes later....

 

[james4321]

Some of these stories seem ridiculous - like the business cards, but the problem was resolved. Most items confiscated here are known to cause hiccups. Why try it and go through the fuss???? A pressurised can without lid is reasonably likely to be activated in a crammed overhead, and the smell if nothing else can cause problems. How hard is it to not take these things?

In the last few years (hundreds and hundreds of flights, domestic and international) the only thing I have had confiscated was a fairly large knife that I accidentally left in my carryon when I had ditched my checked luggage for a few sectors within Australia. I was not happy as it was a favorite knife, but the staff were very polite and offered me the ¨post-to¨ option which I decliined as it was a cheap knife and I couldnt be bothered. They were very good about my mistake with what was clearly a no-no item.

It is really not hard to avoid problems.

Totally agree...some of the comments on this thread show pretty much the same ignorance/arrogance as the Tiger travellers depicted on the Airways show.

 

[Deleted member]

When security was first seriously heightened after the 911 attack. Ron Chippendale ( who for those of you not in the aviation industry , he was a highly respected and well known air crash investigator) was on a flight in the US ( he was invited over there to speak about air safety and the like) He being an engineer, carried a small set of screwdrivers with him at all times, these were confiscated at security, he then remarked after taking his small screwdrivers away , they then gave him a nice meal on the plane and a nice ( steel) knife to eat it with !!




It is I, Leclerc !

 

[amaroo]

My 9 year old son had an empty bullet cartridge confiscation at SGN - he brought it at the Cu Chi tunnels.

Taught him a lesson - he now suffers OCD for hull luggage

 

[ozbeachbabe]

The can was sealed, sometimes I keep one handy to drink before landing if a long evening is ahead of me. From the look on his face when I opened it - the staff wanted a free (my) drink.

I like the solution they had at NTL a few months ago - a wooden frame that holds drinks for their trip through the XRay.

When I went through the screening point at BNE domestic (QF part) yesterday I asked them about cans of drink are they said not a problem as long as the can wasn't opened. I asked them even Red Bull & they were still adamant that was okay unopened.

The only reason I can think of to confiscate it is if the pax was being a DH or a smarty pants but I'm sure that wouldn't be the case here.

As former Wallaby John Eales said "rule number one, the referee is always right". I apply that to airport security as well as sport.

My 9 year old son had an empty bullet cartridge confiscation at SGN - he brought it at the Cu Chi tunnels.

Taught him a lesson - he now suffers OCD for hull luggage

Lucky he wasn't in Brunei. I'm sure I was told by the BI rep that a Filipino woman in transit at BWN enroute to MNL was jailed for wearing a bullet on a necklace which is apparently a lucky charm back home.

 

[toowongman]

When I went through the screening point at BNE domestic (QF part) yesterday I asked them about cans of drink are they said not a problem as long as the can wasn't opened. I asked them even Red Bull & they were still adamant that was okay unopened.

The only reason I can think of to confiscate it is if the pax was being a DH or a smarty pants but I'm sure that wouldn't be the case here.
As former Wallaby John Eales said "rule number one, the referee is always right". I apply that to airport security as well as sport.

Indeed - at the end of the day I generally scowl and get on with it. I have been known to be a dh however not at the airport. Moving forward - one thing that literally flies through security every time without a blink are my mechanical pencils, for example:



It's completely steel, I can't bend it if I tried and could make a very strong weapon.

 

[StevePER]

That's the only confiscation I can recall happening to me. A deodorant can designed without a lid. I did point out to the security chap (DJ, Perth - they're the most overtly officious screeners I have encountered) that the can's design did not incorporate a lid and he said sorry, doesn't matter, you cannot take it through.

I've taken mine through many times in PER, normally they just have a look to make sure it's locked and let it through. I reckon this works better than the caps that are likely to fall off when jammed into a bag anyway.

 

[drewbles]

(not having an ethical debate here so let's skip that part)

An aircraft knife, that may have slipped into my carry on from SIN to SYD was confiscated by the transit rent-a-cops at the QF transfer facility.

When I so logically pointed out 'it's an aircraft knife. IT CAME FROM A B$$$$Y AIRCRAFT!' I was 'zinged' with "well then sir perhaps you should have left it there".

The fork that also slipped into my carry on, was permitted through.

I can see the headline "Man goes to jail for attempted hijacking with on-board supplied butter knife". Rent-a-cop on a 6am power/ego trip.

 

[drron]

(not having an ethical debate here so let's skip that part)

An aircraft knife, that may have slipped into my carry on from SIN to SYD was confiscated by the transit rent-a-cops at the QF transfer facility.

When I so logically pointed out 'it's an aircraft knife. IT CAME FROM A B$$$$Y AIRCRAFT!' I was 'zinged' with "well then sir perhaps you should have left it there".

The fork that also slipped into my carry on, was permitted through.

I can see the headline "Man goes to jail for attempted hijacking with on-board supplied butter knife". Rent-a-cop on a 6am power/ego trip.

When I was younger i had a terrible problem with items of cutlery falling into my carry on.Funnily it happened mostly on CX/SQ.:shock:

 

[Bolthead]

Talcum Powder in Tahiti....

 

[blu]

I lost some sort of Hi Tech keyboard cleaner I got in Tokyo, when transiting through OOL. It was a cheap novelty souvenir for the office. Was a play-doh like product, but deemed to be flammable.
Conversely, & years ago, a co-worker's mother naively carried on some sort of WWII ammunition that she found when scuba diving (in Guam?). Coincidentally, my colleague had worked on the immigration line at SYD in a previous job (& at that time from memory & is still amazed/horrified when she recalls the incident).

 

[simongr]

Some of these stories seem ridiculous - like the business cards, but the problem was resolved. Most items confiscated here are known to cause hiccups. Why try it and go through the fuss???? A pressurised can without lid is reasonably likely to be activated in a crammed overhead, and the smell if nothing else can cause problems. How hard is it to not take these things?

In the last few years (hundreds and hundreds of flights, domestic and international) the only thing I have had confiscated was a fairly large knife that I accidentally left in my carryon when I had ditched my checked luggage for a few sectors within Australia. I was not happy as it was a favorite knife, but the staff were very polite and offered me the ¨post-to¨ option which I decliined as it was a cheap knife and I couldnt be bothered. They were very good about my mistake with what was clearly a no-no item.

It is really not hard to avoid problems.

Totally agree...some of the comments on this thread show pretty much the same ignorance/arrogance as the Tiger travellers depicted on the Airways show.

Bolded for my emphasis

Umm so someone has a couple of screw drivers in their bag which go through multiple ports ok then get picked up and you think they are ignorant like Tiger pax. Then juddles goes through with a large knife and that is just a mishap.

On the QF website aerosols requiring lids are not mentioned - mind you for that matter neither are large knives. The aerosols requiring lids is relatively new - I saw it creeping into MEL one day and only into SYD a few months later.

It would be great to go through the QF website and see a listing of all of the things mentioned here as being confiscated and see whether there is a warning to not carry them.

 

[mella2007]

A very expensive compact Foundation, which was well used.
As it opens it has the powder puff underneath the foundation in a separate compartment
TSA accused me of potentially hiding something in there and took it!!!!!!!!!!

Well some bushpig agent is now wearing my lovely MAC Foundation, hope it streaks on her and dries up her skin

 

[Paddy55]

I once worked in the Aviation Industry and had to travel alot between Melb and Sydney Jet Bases and carried a 1/4"" socket on occasions Just the socket on its own and had it converscated on one occasion as it was felt that I could disassemble the aircraft mid flight what the ?

Not rocket scientists in security, are they?