Confiscated by TSA. Ever happen to you?

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billym said:
Any screwdriver, wrench or pliers under 7 inches. The website has all this info. Why not go there and figure out what the real rules are. I carry a Lestherman PS Style with no blade. Even got a thumbs up from the agent. All the info is easy to find and understand if you actually read it.
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Don't need to...I know what's permitted and not. This being the case, here's a helpful list for those who have questions...
http://www.seatguru.com/articles/tsa_prohibited_items.php#tools
 
My brother in law has had quite a few choice items stolen from his checked baggage. A BM Rift, multiple electronic items, personal care items, clothing, he has stopped carrying anything Of sentimental importance. Certain things are hot in Russia, jeans for instance. Items absolutely go missing from checked baggage.
 
I think the percentage of items stolen from luggage is quite small compared to how many fly every day/year.
But were I flying for a vacation I'd not take anything that was important to me.
Basic clothing, etc.
I'd keep my good knives at home and maybe toss an inexpensive knife in my luggage...it would probably be easier to just pop into the local sporting goods shop and buy a basic edc then toss it into your luggage for the return trip...if gone not a big deal.

It sucks to think this way but this is reality and I'd rather work with the reality than play fast and loose and lose a favorite knife.
 
I found this forum interesting the same sort of way that we can't help but looks a the 6 car pile-up on the highway. Some people came here to voice legitimate concerns or offer friendly advice, but I couldn't believe how rude some of these comments were. Some make a jump to conclusions by filling in the facts with their own wild events and prejudices. Some came to act high and mighty or offered bad/missleading/wrong advice. Some even insult another's intelligence while using grammar that a 4th grader should be ashamed of.

I just find it amusing that we can all come together around a shared hobby, yet a few of us still try to cut people down at the first difference of opinion. Some folks here sure need to work in their people skills...

Anyway, just came here to say that I flew back in April with a few knives in my checked luggage (a knife and a multitool on the way there, with an additional knife on the way back). Surprise, suprise my luggage was chosen for additional screening both times. The first time it was just gone through, but the second time they really did a number on my bag. It looked like it was run over by a truck. They left a zipper partially open on the front side of my bag. The cap and spray nozzle to my cologne was off, causing it to leak all over the place, and my stuff had clearly been gone through in a very messy manor. Needless to say, I'm not a big fan of the TSA or baggage handlers. I just don't fly unless I absolutely have to.
 
Simple rules to fly by:

Don't put knives in your carry-on luggage, and
Don't put valuables in your checked luggage.

But to answer the question, yes I lost a knife to the Australian version of the TSA. I was transferring from Qantas to Virgin and trying to avoid Virgin's scam fees by rearranging some items and making one of the checked bags a carry-one. In the haste and ass-pain, a Victorinox Recruit ended up in the new carry-on bag... Not cool. $13 down the drain, but my own fault. :(

And that's one of a dozen reasons I don't carry any knife that can't easily and painlessly be replaced. ;)
 
ak585479 said:
He tried to carry a ZT knife onto a passenger jet?? He's lucky it just got confiscated. Count your blessings he didn't get arrested. They don't mess around with that stuff anymore. Sorry to hear it was taken though, ZT's are nice. Merry Christmas.
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I sincerely disagree with the notion that he was LUCKY he didn't get arrested. I understand not bringing weapons on planes, despite the fact that I have a serious problem with the TSA I can still put that aside and because whether or not you like the TSA, them confiscating things and not giving you the option to return it to your own possession via the mail service that is there or should be there is not a difficult thing. Them "confiscating" your item is theft justified by the government.
 
mrnotsam123 said:
I sincerely disagree with the notion that he was LUCKY he didn't get arrested. I understand not bringing weapons on planes, despite the fact that I have a serious problem with the TSA I can still put that aside and because whether or not you like the TSA, them confiscating things and not giving you the option to return it to your own possession via the mail service that is there or should be there is not a difficult thing. Them "confiscating" your item is theft justified by the government.
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Bingo. The number of people so quick to give government a free pass is astounding. I feel like I'm back in college - surely you folks must all be either college students or professors. Perhaps both, lol. I know they skip the part about civil liberties there…
 
Just to clarify, I mean no disrespect to anyone here. We're a community of people who gather to discuss and enjoy a hobby. We all have our differences and that's okay. I just mean this in the sense that yes its good his son was not immediately arrested and was able to still see him. But the TSA Is a joke. I don't necessarily agree with the people harassing them and filming them constantly. Because I'm sure some of the workers are fine people. I worked with a guy who was TSA and he was a super cool guy just getting a job to support his family. But what I can't stand is the government overreaching into this area and making a complete mess of this. To my knowledge there's little to no ACTUAL statistics of who the TSA has caught and no one (who can do anything) seems to think it's necessary to force their accountability for the taxpayer dollars funding this program. Never would I consent to a full body image scan to board a plane for my personal or business related activities. That is a violation of my rights. Along with random full body searches in other rooms. I firmly believe that I am innocent until proven guilty and that with no probable cause to search me that my rights are being violated. Not to mention that this is the government reaching into a private industry and enforcing their laws that violate constitutional rights of unreasonable search and seizure. In a sense they force their government agency upon citizens who have no choice, many people for reasonable convenience are forced to fly cross country. The problem here in my opinion is that that the only REAL way for the people to combat this violation of privacy is to refuse to fly and boycott. And it is unlikely that enough people will refuse to fly to where the airlines will lose enough money to force the government to intervene on grounds of intereference of interstate commerce. EVEN THEN I have little to no faith that the resolution they would present would be one that restores privacy.

In conclusion after stating all that, I find it atrocious that citizens are forced to feel lucky that they only had their property stolen from them and were not abused more by our government.

And end my rant haha (I may have gone overboard a bit :p haha oops)
 
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I fly 2-3 times a year and always bring a couple of knives with me & have never had anything stolen. I've had my bags gone thru by the TSA, but nothing taken. I also bring a separate locked box with my handguns & never had anything taken. If you've never flown with guns, you will be pleasantly surprised how easy it is. I usually bring 3-5 handguns & have never had an issue.
I also don't bring any knife that costs more than about $75.
 
Stand Straight said:
My son and daughter-in-law are visiting for Christmas. He knows I’m a knife enthusiast so he researched knives for one that I might like as a gift for Christmas. He gift wrapped it (ZT) and put it into his carry-on bag. While preparing to leave Honolulu airport the x-ray saw the knife. TSA confiscated it. My son very loudly wished the airport staff a Merry Christmas which nearly made them miss their flight. :(
Lesson: if you only have carry-on; mail the knife.
My guess is that TSA will have a nice company Christmas party with at least one nice prize for raffle, if it makes it that far.
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No knives in carry on bags. Guess they found out. I came close prior to 911 with a switchblade in my carry on. Didn't even know I had it as the brief case was stuffed with stuff. They gave me the option to check the bag which I did.
 
We pay for the security screening process through our airline tickets and taxes. It would be reasonable for the servants/screeners (yes they are civil servants that we paid for) to simply offer the courtesy whenever there is a question over edged tools/weapons that are not allowed passed security to simply be tagged, and placed into a bin that will fly with passengers in checked luggage.

Then the said items can be returned to their owners after they disembark the plane. There is no excuse for the present confiscate/steel and theft system in place today unless the item clearly violates the law of the land. The way the system presently works presents a failure of a system that is supposed to work for the people who pay for it by treating them like children; AKA the nanny state.
 
vanslem6 said:
Bingo. The number of people so quick to give government a free pass is astounding. I feel like I'm back in college - surely you folks must all be either college students or professors. Perhaps both, lol. I know they skip the part about civil liberties there…
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And with that comment this thread is completely off the rails.

Wherever you go and what ever you do, know the rules folks.
 
I think the airlines should provide you options rather than simple confiscation. It shouldn't have to be like this. Hell, they could even keep mailers on hand to ship the knife home or to your destination (USPS flat rate boxes).

I half way assume that they had only carry on bags and were trying to avoid the extra fees. I think those fees are unjust. It didn't used to be like this and the airlines did just fine. Now they are not reducing fares due to fuel costs. That's another piece of work.

I do know the rules mostly. I don't fly much anymore. Frankly, I just don't like to fly, but it is a necessary evil.
 
ak585479 said:
He tried to carry a ZT knife onto a passenger jet?? He's lucky it just got confiscated. Count your blessings he didn't get arrested. They don't mess around with that stuff anymore. Sorry to hear it was taken though, ZT's are nice. Merry Christmas.
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I'm w this guy. I'm not happy w TSA but really, you expect them to let you bring a zt or any other blade on a plane? They don't even allow nail clippers. Either way, sorry you lost the knife tho.
 
vanslem6 said:
A pocket knife is not a weapon, and there's no way to access something from a checked bag while in flight. Remember when people used to check firearms at the airport?

At some places now, they will break into your car, search it and take anything they deem necessary while you are away. They'll even leave you a little note saying they've done so… I honestly think the TSA was designed to piss people off and annoy to the point where people just throw in the towel and accept having zero rights.
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snippy said:
Sounds like the TSA was simply doing their job. Should they allow dynamite on board - so long as it's gift wrapped?

Expensive lesson learned but he got off easy.

Eric
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Dynamite isn't a weapon easier. Its for demolition.
 
I wonder on a given day how many knives are confiscated at a large airport? An enterprising person could make some coin by simply packing the knives and shipping them at a flat rate. Knife huh?.... you need to go see Joe on the other side of the terminal.
 
I have seen mailboxes at the TSA entry that has packaging so you could mail something instead of lossing it but I think that is BEFORE the TSA finds it in your bag. If the TSA had the services we wish (several good ideas mentioned) the process would grind to a halt.
You need to know the regulations and plan for them.
It sucks but it is what is required to fly these days.
 
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