EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) — With Halloween just around the corner, many travelers are heading to their favorite spooky spots and bringing their costumes with them of course.
However, The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) wants to alert all the ghouls and goblins that will be travelling through security checkpoints this Halloween.
Despite TSA’s no-pranking security practices, costumed passengers don’t need to worry about stifling their holiday spirit. TSA Officers will screen all passengers dressed in costumes, but they must keep in mind TSA will be screening for any prohibited items.
Here are some Halloween travel tips from TSA to remember to have a safe and spooky scary season:
- When traveling with homebrewed potions and lotions, remember TSA`s magic 3-1-1 rule.
- This means if traveling with a liquid, gel, cream, paste, or lotion (including fake blood) each item can only be 3.4 ounces or less and must fit into a plastic quart-sized bag if being carried through a security checkpoint. If you can spill it, spray it, spread it, pump it, or pour it, the rule applies. Larger quantities of liquids should be packed in a checked bag.
- A costume prop is irresistible sometimes but, whether fake or real props such as knives, hatchets, pitchforks, light sabers, brooms, swords, and scythes must be placed in checked baggage.
- Never pack any explosive replicas, including grenades, bombs, or rocket launchers as these items are all prohibited in both carry-on and checked bags.
- If passengers have a sweet tooth, candy of all sizes is allowed through the checkpoint but liquid quantities must follow the 3-1-1 rule. It’s a good practice to remove any large bags of candy from a carry-on bag and place it in a bin so TSA Officers can easily identify it as something not more sinister than sugary treats.
- If your Halloween garb includes a mask, it`s best not to wear it through security. Passengers wearing masks at the checkpoint will be asked to remove them so TSA Officers can properly identify them. Masks are fine when placed in a carry-on bag and can be put back on after going through the checkpoint.
- A painted face in homage to IT is perfect for nighttime terror, but TSA prefers travelers not to fully paint their faces when traveling through checkpoints as officers still need to match travelers to their ID pictures.
- A superhero without a cape often spells disaster, but when passing through a security checkpoint, please place capes in a carry-on bag or bin until the screening process is complete. A cape could trigger an alarm at the body scanner, resulting in a longer security process.
- Juggling a jack-o-lantern through security is not advised but it is allowed. Whether the pumpkin is decorated or carved, feel free to bring it in a carry-on bag. However, pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin butter that is liquid, creamy, or spreadable have to be in containers of 3.4 ounces or less and placed in your resealable liquids bag. Otherwise, those items must be in a checked bag.
Below are some examples of Halloween props that have been confiscated by TSA:
“Batman Batarang”
This batarang, which has two razor-sharp blades, was removed from a traveler`s carry-on bag at Buffalo-Niagara International Airport earlier this year.
A martial arts weapon known as “Sai Swords”
These sai swords, which are popular with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, were removed from a traveler’s carry-on bag at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Maryland earlier this year.
“Old Fashioned Axe”
This lightweight prop was removed from a traveler`s carry-on bag at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, earlier this year.
“Replica handgun”
This replica gun was removed from a carry-on bag at Huntington Tri-State Airport in West Virginia, earlier this year.
“Replica Hand Grenade”
This replica hand grenade was removed from a carry-on bag at Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport.
“Bullet Belt”
This fake bullet-lined belt was not permitted through the security checkpoint at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, earlier this year.
If any traveler is unsure if an item should be packed in a carry-on bag or checked bag, TSA urges passengers to ask them on Twitter or Facebook Messenger at @AskTSA.
Travelers may also send a question by texting “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872).
