TSA Incident (or non-incident). What would you do?

[txcharvel]

Mods, if there is a better section for this I do apologize.

A friend of mine on a recent business trip failed to properly sanitize his usual carry on (he's a frequent traveler). He made it through security and settled in for the next hour to wait for his flight. As he reached into his bag to retrieve a phone charger, he found a mag pouch that contained a loaded magazine. At this point several thoughts went through his mind, namely how did TSA let this through. Imagine what a loaded magazine looks like on an x-ray machine!

My friend contemplated several options:
- Throw the entire thing in a trash can and move on
- Go ahead and board his flight and take care of the issue when he landed (in my opinion, making the situation potentially worse).
- Take the shuttle back to his truck to properly stow the magazine.

My friend opted to go back to his vehicle and stow the magazine as he had plenty of time to get back.

I was actually pretty appalled to know that this happened. Of all the worthless tasks you see performed by TSA, something like this actually gets through.

Moving forward, my friend will keep a bag dedicated for his carry on.

What would you have done in this situation?

[AF-Odin]

Wow. Good that he was able to take care of it without any repurcussions. Similar issue happended to a co-worker, but the magazine was NOT loaded, just an empty mag. TSA caught it on x-ray and the next thing, he is cuffed and being interrogated by both TSA and local PD. End result was finally being allowed on flight after TSA confiscated the magazine. Couple of weeks later he received a letter from TSA basically telling him he is being watched and any further violations may result in fines and jail. After watching that incident, I triple and quadruple check carry on bag.

As for me, I would hope that if I was in his shoes that I would also be able to slip out and leave it in the truck.

[ELB]

..., namely how did TSA let this through. Imagine what a loaded magazine looks like on an x-ray machine!

...?

How? Easy. TSA is incompetent and a charade.

TSA Chief Out After Agents Fail 95 Percent of Airport Breach Tests

95%.

Me, I probably would have shrugged, flown to my destination, and either mailed the magazine back or more likely put it in my checked baggage for the rest of the trip.

[Teamless]

I travel 2-4 round trip flights per month.
THIS has been a fear of mine, so I have made it a policy that I never use the same luggage, backpacks or other, for gun stuff as I do for travelling

[n5wd]

Yep! Taking it back to the truck was the right thing to do. Good thing that he wasn't rushed for time.

IF that had not been a choice, chucking it into a garbage bin would probably have been my second choice. Don't know that it would be found by any of the airport staff when they're picking up the trash, but if it was, it might cause a minor ruckus... and of course, my fingerprints would be on it. Hmmm... maybe I oughtta rethink this choice?

If there was a post office in the secure area, I might try to mail it back to myself. Carrying on board the flight seems like a low-risk of detection, but if caught, would probably bring about the worst repercussions.

Looks like taking it back to the truck was the only real choice!

Now, if we were at a military terminal, one could take advantage of the amnesty barrel (every military port I've seen has some sort of amnesty collection point where folks can put guns/ammo (you'd be surprised how many people carry around loose rounds after training exercises, etc.) drugs, etc. ( I occassionally helped inventory the barrels at the McChord AFB (now Joint Base Lewis-McChord) MAC terminal when I was stationed there in the late 60's - McChord was one of the primary jumping off ports for troops bound for Vietnam at the time).

[JALLEN]

Some years ago, I flew from San Diego to San Antonio. It was a quick trip, so contrary to my usual practice, I didn't bring my pistol. When I went through security at San Antonio for the return flight, TSA discovered 3 loaded magazines in my carry on bag where they had been for weeks, as that is where I carried my spares in real life. They had been there on the outbound trip as well. TSA in San Diego had missed them.

My usual routine, which I had followed any number of times, was to pack the pistol in a hard case unloaded, unload the magazines, store all it properly in my checked luggage, locked etc per regs. Since I elected not to take the pistol, I had not done this.

Police were called, everything was searched, my papers were in order, and after questioning, I turned out to be the solid life long responsible good citizen I appear to be, so I wasn't perp walked in disgrace to the stony lonesome. Instead, the TSA led me to the gift shop where I could buy a small hard sided pistol case to place the unloaded magazines and ammo in, my luggage was retrieved from the airline, the case placed in it and rechecked. I didn't miss my flight. It was all handled with utmost courtesy and good will, once I was turned over the the big bosses.

A few weeks later, I received a hate letter from the FAA inviting me to give a statement explaining, or excusing, or admitting the events. Being a private pilot of some experience and a lawyer, I knew exactly how to handle this. I told them the complete sordid truth, which always astonishes and confuses them.

A couple of months later, I received an invitation to let bygones be bygones for the payment of $200. The Old Rancher taught there is always some disadvantage in screwing up, and I had, so I did.

These things happen.

[doncb]

Couple of weeks later he received a letter from TSA basically telling him he is being watched and any further violations may result in fines and jail.

I would have been tempted to write back telling them that until they improve their "failure" rate you'd be keeping an eye on them.

I went through a checkpoint once with a pocket knife. Didn't set off the metal detector but I couldn't take the screwdriver because it was an inch too long (8" instead of 7"). Later, I took the same type of screwdriver and cut just over an inch off of the handle. Same shaft length as before but was under their stupid limit.

Got pulled out of line because of a small jar of change. Was told I needed to leave my change at home.

They made my daughter go through the full body scanner 3 times and were going to make her go through again until she demanded to see a supervisor. Bunch of perverts.

For a while at work, I carried a radioactive disk about the size of a quarter for calibrations on some equipment (very low dose). If I had let that one go through the X-Ray scanner, they probably would have freaked out. But that's OK I'd be sure to leave my change at home.

[TexasCajun]

Returning the mag to the vehicle was the best course. If time was an issue, then I'd have stowed the mag as deep as possible in the bag & taken the flight. Then I would have UPS'd the mag back home when I reached my destination.

But the incident does perfectly illustrate the illusion of security that the TSA provides despite their insistence to the contrary.

[joelamosobadiah]

Having worked for TSA for many years in the past, the worst thing you could do is return to TSA to reveal your mistake.

Putting it in your vehicle was a good call given you had the time. If not, continue to your destination and either dispose of it there or check it for your return flight.

I would also advise against disposing of it in the secured area of the airport for several reasons. If it's truly a dangerous item (most prohibited items aren't all that dangerous), it's best not to have it in the secured are, but mainly is because IF you were found out (by video evidence or other methods), it's very possible it could be interpreted as some sort of terrorist plot to plant something and open a huge can of worms. Definitely something I wouldn't want to risk.

As for how it got through.... Yeah, let's just say the majority of officers are solid and wouldn't do that and the oft-quoted 95% failure rate isn't the whole story, but there are some VERY bad and VERY inattentive officers out there.

[JustSomeOldGuy]

Got pulled out of line because of a small jar of change. Was told I needed to leave my change at home.

Shoulda told 'em it was "Obama's 'Change you can Believe In'"

What exactly was their problem with it? (my first guess would be because combined with a pair of tube socks, you could make a dandy ad hoc sap, but that would be too logical and intelligent for the TSA, so that probably isn't it...)

[rtschl]

Got pulled out of line because of a small jar of change. Was told I needed to leave my change at home.

Last flight I took in February, my carry on laptop bag got searched for both flights and I was told on the return that it was because of the change I had in the full coin wallet that I grabbed from my car. I asked why that was a problem and was told I shouldn't carry so much change.

Same trip, TSA removed a tactical knive and pen from my checked luggage but left my swiss army knife. Both were legal to have in checked baggage per what I could find on TSA website and have not had a problem any other time I had them in checked luggage.

[ScottDLS]

Got pulled out of line because of a small jar of change. Was told I needed to leave my change at home.

Last flight I took in February, my carry on laptop bag got searched for both flights and I was told on the return that it was because of the change I had in the full coin wallet that I grabbed from my car. I asked why that was a problem and was told I shouldn't carry so much change.

Same trip, TSA removed a tactical knive and pen from my checked luggage but left my swiss army knife. Both were legal to have in checked baggage per what I could find on TSA website and have not had a problem any other time I had them in checked luggage.

They stole your tactical knife and pen? You should definitely file a complaint and a claim with the airline if you didn't get them back...

[minytrker]

I would have kept going and just mailed it back to myself I think. When I was in the Air Force we landed at a civilian airport (not uncommon) to drop off some people. So we decided to run inside ourselves and get some food, not being familiar with the airport we accidently ended up past the checkpoint so we had to go through TSA to get back to our plane. We were in Air Force flight suits, and they started freaking out because we had leatherman's and pocket knives on us. They wanted to confiscate them, after arguing with them for what seemed like forever they agreed to escort us to our plane and give them back there.

[doncb]

Shoulda told 'em it was "Obama's 'Change you can Believe In'"

What exactly was their problem with it?

The screener said it was difficult to see through.

[rtschl]

They stole your tactical knife and pen? You should definitely file a complaint and a claim with the airline if you didn't get them back...

It was TSA not the airline as they put a note in my luggage that they searched it. I looked up how to file a claim with TSA, but I do not have my receipts to turn in an amount for a claim.