July 2024
TSA Answers FAQs
When passenger traffic begins to tick upwards, one telltale sign is when the TSA sends out its Public Affairs team to remind passengers the basic rules of going through a TSA Security Checkpoint. And it all comes down to preparation.
Summer travel season in Arizona is marked by families leaving the heat of Phoenix, and the first big tip is to arrive early.
Mancha stood before a display table of illicit items surrendered at TSA Security Checkpoints: Toy guns, faux grenades, real and fake ammunition, belt buckles with hidden knives, even novelty miniature baseball bats are prohibited from being carried on.
When in doubt, check with TSA’s What Can I Bring? page.
“Pack your own bag. Start at zero so you know exactly what you're bringing, because the number one excuse we hear when we find a prohibited item is, ‘I didn't know it was in my bag’,” she said.
Food and liquids often cause confusion. The magic number for those items is 3.4.
“Families need snacks when they travel. You can definitely bring any kind of food as long as it's a solid,” Mancha said. “If it’s a liquid, it’s limited to 3.4 ounces.”
“If you can pump it, spread it, pour it or spray it, it needs to be less than 3.4 ounces,” she said,
For specific questions, check out @askTSA on all of the agency’s social platforms.