What Happens If You Try to Bring a Forbidden Item Through Airport Security? We Asked the TSA

It’s a situation many face: After meticulously packing your carry-on, you arrive at the airport, approach security, and your bag gets flagged during the X-ray screening. A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer inspects your bag and discovers a forbidden item you didn’t realize was inside. Now, you must decide whether to leave the item behind or find a way to store it or send it to your final destination.

If you’ve ever been curious about what occurs after you exit the security line, here’s what you need to know. I interviewed Shivam Chopra, the transportation security manager at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), and Lorie Dankers, a TSA spokesperson, to uncover the details about prohibited items and what happens to belongings you leave behind.

Essential Information About Forbidden Items

To keep your pricey face wash, cherished pocket knife, or unique jam from being discarded, the best approach is to know the rules. If you're unsure whether an item is allowed, the TSA offers easy solutions. You can download the MyTSA app and use the “What Can I Bring?” feature, take a photo of the item and send it to @AskTSA on X or Facebook Messenger, or text “Travel” to AskTSA (275-872) with your question.

If you have any doubts, it’s wise to place the item in your checked luggage or leave it at home to avoid complications. On average, Seattle-Tacoma airport collects about 1,200 pounds of metal and 2,200 pounds of liquid each month. Considering this is just one airport, it’s clear how much unnecessary waste arises from forbidden items. To simplify things for yourself, fellow travelers, airport staff, and the environment, double-check your belongings against the list of prohibited items before you head to the airport.

The Fate of Forbidden Items

After a passenger relinquishes the item, it is disposed of properly. Metal objects, such as multi-tools, knives, and other non-liquid items, are placed in a secure bin before being sent to a state surplus store. That agency takes over handling these items and may auction them off in some instances.

Liquids, gels, and aerosols are discarded. They can't be reused or donated due to safety risks. There’s no reliable way to verify if an item matches its label without testing every product. Therefore, these items are classified as hazardous waste and disposed of properly. All prohibited items are collected and weighed before disposal.

TSA agents are ready to assist if you inadvertently bring a forbidden item through security. If your car is parked at the airport, you can leave security to store the item in your vehicle (if time permits). If you need the item at your destination, you can check your bag and return through security. “We always provide three options: check it with the airline, store it (in your car, with a friend, or at the airport), or leave it behind,” Chopra explains.

If you lack time to check or store the item but it holds sentimental value, select airports offer mailing services for small items back to your home address for a fee. Larger airports may have dedicated kiosks, while smaller ones might provide this service through gift shops. However, the best approach is to prevent confiscation in the first place.

As Dankers stated, “We don’t create the rules; we merely enforce them.” This means that officers cannot bend the rules, regardless of how much you plead your case. The main focus is on ensuring the safety of all passengers.

Frequently Confiscated Items

It’s no surprise that liquids top the list of commonly confiscated items. “Some of the most frequently found include water bottles, shaving creams, and personal-use liquids,” Chopra notes. This occurs daily at airports nationwide, as some travelers forget they packed liquids from their hotel, while others may be unaware of the 3.4-ounce limitation.

Other frequently confiscated items include pocket knives, multi-tools, and pepper spray. You might carry these items daily without realizing they’re in your possession, whether on a keychain or hidden in a backpack. However, if pepper spray were to accidentally discharge on a plane, it could endanger all passengers. If you prefer traveling with safety tools, consider purchasing them at your destination or packing them in checked luggage if permitted.

Other prohibited items can vary by location. For example, Seattle-Tacoma airport often sees sporting goods and hiking gear like trekking poles, baseball bats, and golf clubs. These items are not allowed on board, as they could potentially be used as weapons during a flight.

An exception applies for items deemed medically necessary. For example, if someone uses a walking stick for mobility support, it’s permitted on board. Likewise, medically essential liquids like baby formula or prescribed medications can be carried through security. Keep in mind that these items will need to be tested, so allow yourself extra time to get through the screening process.

Key Takeaway

Although you might be confident that your hand cream and toothpaste don’t pose a security risk, there’s no practical way for the TSA to verify that these items are as labeled. To ensure the safety of all passengers, the 3-1-1 liquids rule is enforced rigorously, and other prohibited items must be surrendered before leaving security. Before heading to the airport, thoroughly check your bags to ensure no forbidden items are packed by mistake.