Airport security worker reveals the big mistakes passengers make when travelling

AN AIRPORT security staff member has revealed some big mistakes passengers make when boarding planes.

Every day, people get stopped at airport security gates because they weren’t aware of some of the simple rules of travelling.

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This can often lead to items being confiscated that could have been okay, had they been stored in checked luggage, rather than carry-on.

These include common items, like tools or sporting goods, which are considered to be dangerous.

Items such as corkscrews, bottle openers and golf club prevent people from travelling smoothly through security gates every day, sometimes leaving people’s holidays ruined.

Lisa Farbstein, from the Transport Security Administration (TSA), said knives were often mistakenly brought to airports too.

She told the Ellwood City Ledger: “We’ve seen butter knives, carving knives, steak knives, plastic knives, folding pocket knives, tactical fighting and military knives.

“No knives, regardless of the size of the knife, are allowed past that checkpoint.”

Lisa also said that people forgetting to take bottles of liquid out of their bag was another common airport mistake.

Only a certain amount of liquid can be taken on board a plane and TSA agents are ware of anything that can be “spilled, sprayed, spread, puffed or poured.”

While corkscrews, butter knives and water are all items that can easily be taken to airports by mistake, the TSA released a list of 10 items that people purposefully tried to sneak through security gates last year.

Included in that list were peanut butter, packs of sweets and crutches, all of which were used to hide other less savoury items.

Elsewhere another airport worker revealed why padlocks aren’t the best way to keep your bags safe when travelling.

A lot of passengers use the locks to feel safer about the chances of their bags getting raided during their holiday.

However, with just a pen, this security guard was able to break through the zip of a suitcase, showing that the locks don’t really add that much protection at all.

In a video on Tiktok, he showed just how flimsy some cases’ zips can be, warning people to find bags with extra protection from thieves.

While demonstrating the “pen to zipper technique” the TSA worker said: “If you’re ever traveling, make sure you are aware of how security systems in your bag can be breached.

“A lot of people I see travel with locks on their suitcases with special combinations, but with just a pen, you are actually able to breach a suitcase’s security.

“The pen to the zipper technique has been around for tons of years, so I wanted show you guys this, so you know to look out for it.

“I’m just going to go all the way around and this once zipped up bag was opened with just a pen.”

Meanwhile, this passenger was forced to take drastic measures to get an item on a plane in his hand luggage.

And this man was filmed hilariously trying to get his bag into a hand luggage size checker.

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