We’ve all witnessed someone holding up the rest of the boarding process as they try for the tenth time to cram their large roller bag into the overhead bin, despite the urgings of the flight attendant to move out of the way and groans from other passengers. We painstakingly watch on, wondering how this was allowed on the plane in the first place and also why the person thought it would fit. As unfortunate of an event as that is, oversized bags are actually not always the biggest issue.
We’ve dug through official TSA social media accounts and countless travel blogs to find things that absolutely, positively shouldn’t have been allowed on the airplane. Some of these never made it past the careful eye of a TSA checkpoint agent (thankfully), but others did only to be found (and in some cases, captured) later.
Keep reading to find out what happens when an animal ends up in luggage, pranks go too far, and people push the limits of normal human behavior. Take notes so you don’t commit any in-flight faux pas (we’re looking at you, ‘aisle yoga’ people, and you, ‘takes shoes off immediately’ people).
If you’re still not sure after reading this whether or not your meat slicer counts as a carry-on, go ahead and reach out to the TSA directly. By the looks of their Instagram and Twitter feeds, they would love to answer your questions with a dose of humor.
25 A "Clawfully" Close Call: Live Lobster Sets Off Security Scanner
What might be even weirder than the fact that you can bring a lobster onto an airplane is that someone would want to in an era where nearly everything can be ordered online and shipped.
In any case, this large (and very alive) lobster set off a scanner at Boston Logan and had to be removed from its packing material to be checked by one very nervous TSA agent. In no time at all, owner and lobster were on their way to the gate and one step closer to dinner.
24 A Slithering Surprise: Curled Up Snakes Cause A Fright
They made a movie about it, but snakes on a plane isn’t a good thing.
Knowing full well that the Miami TSA agents weren’t going to go easy on her, one woman that very badly wanted to travel with her pet snake took matters into her own hands.
Thinking she had outsmarted TSA by placing her snake inside a nylon stocking and then inside a computer hard drive, she was surprised they figured out the secret. She was even more surprised that she missed her flight and had to pay a fine (you can’t do that to snakes).
23 Almost Purrrfect: The Cat Is Out Of The Bag
In addition to silently plotting their next move to take over the world, cats are also notoriously strategic and sneaky. They sit atop your bag while you try to pack as if to suggest you couldn’t possibly be leaving them, though some take it a bit further an actually snuggle into a packed bag without anyone the wiser.
That’s what happened to Slim, the tabby cat, in Erie, Pennsylvania. His owners were baffled when TSA agents asked if they had packed a cat when a feline outline showed up on the scanner. They had most certainly not packed their cat. Except they did, they just didn’t know it.
22 A Mid-Flight Picnic: Sliced Meats For All
While a meat slicer is a suitable addition to a checked bag (if you really need to travel with a meat slicer), it can’t be included with carry on luggage. Presumably, the person that thought this would be okay hadn’t thought through how the very sharp blades could be misconstrued as a weapon (though he did try to make his case when Southwest Florida agents questioned him).
It turns out that TSA doesn’t care if your prosciutto is evenly sliced.
21 Fuel For The Flight: Propane Tanks Confiscated Just In Time
I see your meat slicer and I raise you a full barbecue. Nay, I raise you two full barbecues. There isn’t actually a competition to see who could bring the strangest thing to the airport, but if there was the person that brought not one but two full propane tanks intended for a grill (and a backup grill?) to the Anchorage airport would be the clear winner.
You guessed it, propane isn’t allowed, even in the bitter cold of Alaska.
20 Have Chainsaw, Will Travel: One Person's Quest To Haul Power Tools
You might be surprised (and very alarmed) to learn that you can pack a chainsaw next to your change of clothes beside your granola bar snacks. The catch is that there can’t be any gasoline residue on the motor.
So, you can bring it, but it needs to have never been used before and never be used at all in the future if you intend to transport it again in the same way. Seems like a no-brainer to just stop off at the Home Depot when you arrive at your destination and skip the hassle.
19 Utterly Bananas: An Inflatable Carry On Draws Stares
It sounds like the beginning of a strange riddle, but how inflated can an inflatable banana be to safely make it through security? The answer is not inflated at all.
Inflatable bananas, or any inflatable novelties of the like, must be emptied of their contents prior to screening. The TSA states this is to protect your property, but also to be sure there’s no funny business inside. You’ll have to exercise your lung capacity again once you’re at your gate if you need a blow-up companion.
18 A Ribbon Cutting Fit For The Queen: Ceremony Or Not, Large Scissors On A Plane Are Never A Good Idea
Small scissors (with a blade of under four inches) used for crafts or to cut average lengths of paper are totally okay. The world’s biggest pair of scissors used only to cut the world’s biggest ribbon is totally not okay.
Agents in Nashville recently retrieved an enormous pair of (sharp) scissors from a carry-on bag, much to the chagrin of the bag’s owner. We’re going to guess that instead of a ceremonial ribbon cutting this individual had to settle on a ceremonial ribbon drop.
17 Oversized and Underloved: A Teddy Bear Is Left Behind When Owner Is Not Allowed To Bring It On Board
Call us crazy, but we would never try to bring a five-foot teddy bear on board an airplane. It sounds a little embarrassing, but mostly just unnecessary. This large teddy was deemed too big to come on board at LAX. Rather than pay for the bear to be checked (which was probably upwards of $50), the owners decided to just leave it behind.
The bears don’t come cheap, so this was an unfortunate choice, but even more unfortunate was how sad that teddy looked sitting there without a home.
16 Identity Crisis: Tiger Cub Nearly Mistaken For Stuffed Animal
Prepare yourself for an intimidating dose of cuteness. An adorable tiger cub found itself in a precarious situation at the Bangkok airport when a researcher at the facility the cub was living at decided to remove the cub. Agents happened to notice that one stuffed animal in a bag full of cuddly stuffed animals seemed a little too cuddly and a little too lifelike.
Sure enough, those blue eyes and soft white fur belonged to a live cub. Needless to say, the cub was returned to the research facility and the thief was arrested.
15 Goose On The Loose: Another Kind Of Emotional Support Pet
Each airline has their own policies related to passenger travel, including things like what can be brought on board and what can be worn on board. However, no policy is as divisive as the one regarding emotional support animals.
We all learned last year the emotional support peacocks were on the no-fly list, but that doesn’t necessarily apply to all fowl. One traveler contributed to a travel blog just to share a photo of a goose that was on his flight. The goose apparently brought a lot of joy to everyone, but we’re going to guess the peacock owner is a little offended by the whole thing.
14 Birds Of A Feather: The True Story Of Smuggled Pigeons
People that want to smuggle various items deserve some credit for creativity. We’re not condoning this act, but if you are going to go as far as placing pigeons in breathable socks and then taping the socks so the wings are pinned down and then further taping the whole unit to your leg, then you should at least get a little recognition before that mug shot.
We’re hoping this disaster at LAX isn’t the only thing this woman is known for, but we’re not positive she can outdo that.
13 Literary Lizard: Secret Book Compartments For Secret Creatures
It might be neat to have a mahogany-paneled library in your home but instead of full books lining the walls, the middles have been removed and replaced with lizards. Wait. What?
That’s what at least one person in America has (well, maybe not a full library, but at least one book). TSA agents discovered a mock book that opened up to a lizard seemingly very comfortable in some cotton. Cozy or not, lizards masquerading as pages aren’t allowed.
12 When Pigs Fly: TSA Was No Match For This Pot Belly
We were going to avoid a reference to the saying, “when pigs fly”. However, we just can’t help ourselves. Except that when pigs do fly they can cause a bit of an uproar. Even the most well-behaved pig still roots around, eats loudly, and doesn’t smell particularly great.
Though the prevalence of pigs on flights is likely to decrease with the implementation of more strict rules regarding therapy pets or emotional support animals, one or two might still oink by.
11 Safety First: Arm Rest Down, Tray Table Up, Hamburger Buckled
Near the top of the list of things that would make you do a double take, a stuffed hamburger toy buckled into a seatbelt would probably be right in there.
We’re not sure if this seat was just unoccupied so the person in the neighboring seat took advantage of the vacancy to spread out his loot, or if he actually purchased an extra seat for the coveted burger in a bun. Either way, it made for some talking points among passengers.
10 Comfy Compositions: An Extra Seat Just For A Musical Instrument
Sometimes items are just too valuable to be checked, but also too big to easily fit in the overhead bin. The only way around this is to purchase an extra ticket (which seems ridiculous in terms of price) or just hope that the flight attendants don’t mind putting your item in the closet (if it fits).
A special cello made a cross-country trip in the middle seat after the cello’s owner bought an extra ticket for it. If this person has extra money to spend on a musical instrument, maybe he or she wants to share the wealth? We’ve got some people that could fill that seat.
9 Cabin Comforts: No Need For Extra Leg Room When You Can Make Your Own
The dreaded spread.
You anxiously await the boarding of the other passengers, picking out people that you are glad keep walking past your main cabin row. You let out a sigh of relief when a relatively normal appearing individual plops down beside you in the middle seat. Then, minutes into the flight, that person’s leg creeps over into your space and you’re wishing the person with the baby would have been your seatmate.
Spreaders shouldn’t be allowed on airplanes per general etiquette rules. Period.
8 Rockets Red Glare: Giant Box Of Fireworks Discovered
If you’re traveling around the Fourth of July, or any other holiday that you celebrate by sending loads of fireworks high into the sky, make sure you’re playing it smart.
As small and innocent as some fireworks can be, they’re still considered explosives by the TSA and will be treated as such. You don’t want to miss your flight because you brought a five-pack of sparklers that required a full search of your bag by agents. Leave the pyrotechnic show to the experts.
7 The Case Of A Curious Chihuahua: A Tiny Adventure For A Tiny Dog
One small step for dog, one large step for dog-kind. As elusive as cats can be, dogs can also end up unnoticed in a checked bag until it’s too late.
A bite-size chihuahua had an epic adventure to Laguardia Airport in New York City before being discovered. The little guy was a little shaky, but not harmed by the x-ray. The owner, upset but not too phased by the whole thing, called a friend to pick up the dog so she wouldn’t miss her flight.
Maybe not a great dog-mom move, but understandable in the name of vacation.
6 Let Your Hair Down: Relaxation Ruins A Movie
So, you get to your seat and are pleased to see that you have a screen (because you weren’t about to pay to rent a movie on your laptop when you could do so for free in-flight). You take a quick restroom break, ask for two packages of peanuts and a full can of Diet Coke (flight attendants love that), and settle in to watch your movie.
But then, terror strikes in the form of the person in front of you that has draped his or her (hey, it can go both ways) long hair over their own seat and across your screen.