Whoops... what did you forget you had?

[Ausbt]

Small 1.5 inch pocket knife that was a gift from a colleague, embossed with 'Canada'. Carried it in my carry-on bag for about a year, mostly Q and Rex and never questioned or picked up by scanners.

Another one that makes me wonder is my penchant for bagging-up small amounts of laundry powder, say 200 grams, mostly in checked baggage. I often wonder if these get noticed at all.

 

[njba]

A cool julienne peeler I bought from Muji. Luckily the security in NRT is very kind (and will neatly pack back up your bags when they're finished).

 

[Hvr]

Fruit scented pens. The beagles had a field day, but the staff couldn't find any fruit in my bags.
Finally it clicked in my mind and I pulled the pens out of a pencil case, took the lid off one (orange I think) and the border control staff laughed.

I once returned from Bangkok with durian chips. The sniffer dog was very happy when he found it. The handler realised that retraining was required.

When heading to the gate at BKK the guard asked why I had a plastic spatula in my carry on. When I used it to scratch my back he laughed and I was allowed to continue on. It is the only time I've ever been questioned about it at any airport around the world.

 

[PDog]

A fork in laptop bag at BNE security going on a golf weekend up the coast.

There was no way I was going to give up the fork. It is part of a set that we have had since the 70's. Went back to Qantas check-in and I checked in the fork in one of those large plastic bags.

that's familiar! I had a fork in my handbag (must have been from taking my lunch to work the day before) travelled from Melbourne fine that morning, but picked up at security in BNE on the way home. Should have checked it in, it's annoying only having 7 in the set now...!

 

[Altair]

Rental car keys....very expensive souvenir as they were quick to charge the replacement cost and would not accept me sending the keys back for a refund as they said they had already ordered a replacement set.

 

[Bundy Bear]

I had been traveling to Amsterdam for a work trade show.

While in Amsterdam I collected some chocolates then from there went to the UK then to Italy where I was given something that was made of wood, after Italy it was back to the UK then to Hong Kong then home to Australia.

As these 2 items had been packed in the checked luggage well I didn't even remember when I reached Australia a week later that I had these items.

Just got a written warning not to do it again and to declare everything.

 

[Archphoto]

Had a 250ml bottle of Hamiltons Dry-Touch sunscreen in the camera bag, that travelled around the world 2x, in and out of Asia umpteen times and was only when I was departing MIA on yet another shoot, that the TSA picked it up.

I must have looked like an idiot when they pointed it out - I'd forgotten about it. It seems it had been in there from a shoot in AU earlier that year and had worked itself to the bottom of the bag (out of sight, out of mind.)

Guess the LAG restrictions aren't as secure as they like to think they are . . . . . .

 

[Shano]

Leatherman.

My wife had put it in my backpack over the weekend without me knowing. Too late to check said backpack in at the airport or organise to send the Leatherman home, so in the bin it went.....

 

[drewbles]

Rental car keys....very expensive souvenir as they were quick to charge the replacement cost and would not accept me sending the keys back for a refund as they said they had already ordered a replacement set.

The recorded announcement on the bus at LAS from the Rental Car Center to the terminal reminds you that if you've accidentally taken the keys from the car with you to leave them with the driver to take back. I'm guessing it happens frequently (and would in LAS). That said, I use National exclusively and they always ask me for the keys when I return a car there.

 

[love_the_life]

Mother once gave me a letter opener for MrLtL as he has quite a collection. I forgot all about it and only had a large handbag. Luckily it was a cheap one so it was binned.

On a related note (though not flying) my brother was visiting APH (the house on the hill) with us a few years ago. He set off the beeper and realised it was his Leatherman. Did it again and pulled out a bullet he always carries (not live), did it again, his belt buckle, did it again and it was his steel capped boots. Somewhat unfortunately he was not wearing any socks.:shock:
I don't think he ever thought they would let him in. He was allowed to put his belt and boots back on and collect the other items as he left. Bless him as a country boy, he thought he would have to walk around in bare feet.

 

[njba]

Hats off to those that would have the presence of mind to check a fork (with business priority tags, of course) My people.

 

[shearsense]

Corkscrew. Forgot I had it in my laptop bag (where it had not been detected in numerous other flights), but wasn't too upset about ditching it at security. Until the rented apartment at my destination turned out not to have one. Which I discovered right after I had purchased a couple of bottles of red and the shop has closed. On a Saturday night, with next opening on Monday morning.

 

[burmans]

Corkscrew. Forgot I had it in my laptop bag (where it had not been detected in numerous other flights), but wasn't too upset about ditching it at security. Until the rented apartment at my destination turned out not to have one. Which I discovered right after I had purchased a couple of bottles of red and the shop has closed. On a Saturday night, with next opening on Monday morning.

That one wins for me, disaster!

 

[Boca68]

A couple of years ago, 2013 I think. Flew MEL-LAX, no particular dramas to speak of. Apart from having the perfect approach to LAX . Over the Hollywood sign then bank around back to LAX.

All good, got through customs and immigration. Had a few hours to kill before onward flight to MIA. Thinking, I'll go over to In and Out burger for a feed. Open hand luggage to find not only a bottle of water (unopened) but also partners fragrances (left over from week before) , but also her grooming kit which includes scissors, various sharp instruments and blades of which I have no comprehension!

I'm thinking I've just crossed 2 borders with a Hijackers ideal kit and not anyone has noticed??

Suffice to say, I mailed the said items back rather than risk the wrath of TSA . (+1 said to me, don't you dare dump them!!!)

 

[Happy Dude]

My auntie, a 70-something 5' tall, frail, SAO and dead-ringer for every ad about funeral insurance you ever saw, STILL complains how they took her prized and antique nail clippers ten years ago. And she STILL rolls her eyes when I tell her how I travelled with a metal tent peg in a laptop bag for at least a year.

Slightly off-topic, but coming through Gladstone the other day, the random residue search lady picked my three year old daughter. She wasn't offered the form to read about consent nor did she or I expressly give it. I did reply that "yes she is travelling with me" though. Then my five year old felt left out and demanded that she be tested too, which she was, instantly discrediting their claims that tests are 'random'. All this was too much for the two burley blokes, looking for all the world like they had been setting charges in a mine somewhere that day, who p1ssed themselves laughing as they were putting back on their steel capped boots.

Airport security: inconsistent one day, unpredictable the next.

 

[UP4014]

Carry my rail wheel gauge for checking railway wheel profiles, sometimes picked up sometimes not. Always needs a lot of explaining though when it does but I'm not sure why considering it's flat sheet.

 

[Moindardt]

My son had his school graphics kit with compass and divider in the outside of his laptop bag. We flew BNE-HKG-LHR-OSL-LHR-JFK-SFO without it being questioned. I asked at SFO before our next flight and the security guy swore black and blue that there is no way he could have gotten through all those scans, especially a U.S. one. I would think you could do some serious damage with them. ðŸ

 

[tuapekastar]

Not me in either case, but:

About a month ago I bumped into a former work colleague I hadn't seen in about 10 years, on the bus from MEL Long Term Car Park to terminal. He was travelling with a number of family members to Sydney for a wedding. Said I would see him airside, got through quickly and waited. He and his wife eventually came through, daughter (maybe early 20s
) was held up. Turned out to be a knife, of the kitchen variety, in her back pack. No idea why it was there.

Couple of years ago was travelling to AKL with 2 friends. We deplaned there, and went through all the immi/quarantine bizzo, then me and Friend A went through the doors to landside, and waited for Friend B. And waited...and waited. Eventually we spotted him (through 'the doors' on one occasion they opened when someone came through) against a wall with a friendly puppy parked next to him. He (don't ask ) had 4 tomatoes in his carry-on that he had forgotten were there, and the doggie found him out. Got a bollocking from the inspector, and a NZD400 fine ($100 per tomato I guess ).

 

[OATEK]

Twice I have been caught out following an OS trip, by just grabbing my toiletries bag without thinking. It goes as checked while away with all sorts of stuff in there, but most of my domestic flights are HLO. Once lost a leatherman, and once a bottle opener/corkscrew (like others upthread), at Sydney T2/T3 checks. Another time I was found to have a knife, acquired on a visit to the Sunshine Coast but not picked up until leaving HBA the following year.

 

[NZflygirl]

Rental car keys....very expensive souvenir as they were quick to charge the replacement cost and would not accept me sending the keys back for a refund as they said they had already ordered a replacement set.

+1 but went straight to destination counter to hand in. We were sitting on the tarmac when i put my hand in my pocket. I've done it twice now!! Just overtired and rushing.