Ever wonder why your carry on gets searched

[broncobowsher]

For me it was XXXX on the boarding pass. Bought a 1-way ticket in the morning with no checked or carry on bags. Just myself, a set of car keys, and a wallet. You want to confuse the screeners, they want to know where your bags are during your special screening.

 

[TMHeimer]

So two years ago I had to open my checked bag-- on the floor in the airport-- to switch over to my carry-on any batteries, lighters and "electronic items". As opposed to those items in the past should NOT go in the carry-on. I asked what about electric shavers, plug in alarm clock, etc. and he said yes-- to carry-on. So, before my upcoming flight I did my darndest doing a search to find out what goes where this time around. All I could come up with (googling the airport AND airline) is batteries and any electronic stuff that HAS batteries must go into carry-on. So, I guess my shaver & alarm clock CAN go in the checked bag.
In 2001, a week after 9-11, I was flying to B.C. and they took my bag of matches because that's not allowed in the carry-on. When I said I needed them to smoke the pipe, the officer went to a room and got for me a cigarette lighter, because THEY were allowed.
The airport in Toronto says remove your boots for scanner. Not so in Halifax or Winnipeg
I have given up an trying to figure this stuff out ahead of time to do my part in being prepared.
I also have hated basically every aspect if flying anywhere for the last 20 years. Weather permitting, you used to be able to set your watch by when your flight was scheduled to leave. No, I'm not just getting crotchitty in my old age. I hear stories from all sorts of pissed off YOUNG people too.

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

So two years ago I had to open my checked bag-- on the floor in the airport-- to switch over to my carry-on any batteries, lighters and "electronic items". As opposed to those items in the past should NOT go in the carry-on. I asked what about electric shavers, plug in alarm clock, etc. and he said yes-- to carry-on. So, before my upcoming flight I did my darndest doing a search to find out what goes where this time around. All I could come up with (googling the airport AND airline) is batteries and any electronic stuff that HAS batteries must go into carry-on. So, I guess my shaver & alarm clock CAN go in the checked bag.
In 2001, a week after 9-11, I was flying to B.C. and they took my bag of matches because that's not allowed in the carry-on. When I said I needed them to smoke the pipe, the officer went to a room and got for me a cigarette lighter, because THEY were allowed.
The airport in Toronto says remove your boots for scanner. Not so in Halifax or Winnipeg
I have given up an trying to figure this stuff out ahead of time to do my part in being prepared.
I also have hated basically every aspect if flying anywhere for the last 20 years. Weather permitting, you used to be able to set your watch by when your flight was scheduled to leave. No, I'm not just getting crotchitty in my old age. I hear stories from all sorts of pissed off YOUNG people too.

The remove your boots is a TSA thing. This only happens in Canada if you are flying to the US.

 

[Jay Adams]

I forgot my dive knife in my carry on one time... I no longer have the knife. lmao

 

[BRT]

I forgot my dive knife in my carry on one time... I no longer have the knife. lmao

I did that once leaving Mexico, but with a fillet knife. The Mexican TSA people kept watching me like I might attack them.

 

[TMHeimer]

The remove your boots is a TSA thing. This only happens in Canada if you are flying to the US.

It happens every time to me in Toronto for my flight to Winnipeg.

 

[jonhall]

I forgot my dive knife in my carry on one time.

My buddy did that on our return trip from Hawaii. Checked bag had already been checked through. Security check found the knife in his carryon dive gear backpack. He walked from the airport to a post office that had to be at least a mile away (carrying his dive gear backpack) and mailed the knife to his home. He walked back to the airport, went through security, and got to our gate dripping sweat. He should have left the backpack with his wife but didn't think about it at that moment although he left his cell phone with her so we couldn't contact him (my wife and I had already walked away from the security check area and didn't know what was going on.) Personally, I would have donated mine to the airport.

 

[greeniguana]

Scuba equipment is TSA child's play.

I fly to the Caribbean to operate ham radio contests. Sometimes 4 or 5 of us on the same flight with pelican cases full of radios, HF amplifiers, antenna switches, coax, rotor control boxes. Lots of bomb swabbing, plugging in to show them they work.....And they always have a hard time with our cw paddles. Customs can also be a nightmare, some countries are very concerned that we're illegally trying to import high dollar pieces of electronic gear.

 

[Ayisha]

Interesting. I have not encountered that type of system. Where did you see this? Do many countries / airports use this?

At many airport counters flying to or from the US and Canada at least.

SSSS is the TSA secondary search code that is printed on the boarding pass - before you go through security.

In earlier years, I was getting a different random search code from Canadian airlines, and my friend pointed it out, one letter and 2 numbers. It might have been T53 or something similar.

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

It happens every time to me in Toronto for my flight to Winnipeg.

Uhm, not lately, or only if you fly via the US. Not required by CATSA for domestic travel. Footware removal is a US thing.

Airline passengers can keep their shoes on at security