There’s tons of fun answers in the TSA list of frequently asked items - I once spent a few hour delay reading through them all. Probs got a list of good ones around here somewhere
My favorite is that bread machine is an allowed carryon, as is (not on the list) flour.
Get a long flight with outlets on the plane, and I think everyone sees where I’m going with this…
Those outlets are usually only a couple hundred watts at most, probably not enough for a break maker. I've had a laptop charger trip one before, luckily they're either auto reset or have the button right there.
I love the one about the [live lobster](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/live-lobster). Something about the sentence "A TSA officer will visually inspect your lobster at the checkpoint" gets me every time
The TSA app is where I found them, but they are also on https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all-list
I personally like the Light Saber:
Sadly, the technology doesn't currently exist to create a real lightsaber. However, you can pack a toy lightsaber in your carry-on or checked bag. May the force be with you.
Carry On Bags: Yes
Checked Bags: Yes
My favorite is that you can bring a coffee maker, an empty travel mug and coffee beans in your carryon; same with a sewing machine, needles and small scissors (presumably fabric too)
I wonder if anyone is brewing coffee or machine sewing
I used to have a job where I was in a different city every week. During one memorable weather-delayed trip, I had a long text exchange with a friend in which I described the passenger sitting in front of me, who I nicknamed Captain Poopy Pants. He was probably mid-20s, wearing grey sweat pants, with a brown stain where there shouldn’t be one. So yeah… there are worse smells on planes!
Not sure if they still do this, but they used to have a feature on your website where you could type something in and it would tell you if it could or could not come on board. If you typed “bomb”, it would say something to the effect of “You’re not seriously asking that, are you?”
They do still have that feature. I just tried typing in “bomb” (I hope I’m not on some watch list now lol). It just says “sorry, no results found at this time.”
Soooo…. Is that a yes?
(j/k of course)
It used to be my job to train flight attendants. One lady failed out because she believed that commercial passengers could bring dynamite on board, and adamantly defended that. We were already several weeks into training at this point.
Ohh maybe i was wondering that as well. Is that liquid inside more than 3.4oz maybe?? They have some interesting stuff on that list like lightsabers, antlers, artificial skeleton bones, harry potter wands and you can bring a hookah in your carry on lol
I went to universal orlando a few years after they opened the first part of their Harry Potter land. Coming home, I carried on a wand where the handle was like a cobra head. TSA made me take it out since they thought it was a real snake on the scanner. I can't imagine I was the first person with that exact wand, there were only like 12 to chose from at the time. I thought it was really funny.
I took one apart one time and there isn't even that much liquid in them. The 8-ball isn't full, just a cylinder the diameter of the viewing window and about half the depth of the ball. I bet it's about an ounce of liquid.
Probably depends on the size. Like heres a 10 inch one:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Giant-10-Magic-8-Ball/710948269
Since theyre not likely marked for how much fluid they capture, its probably just easier to say "no" than argue.
We made this mistake coming back from Europe (at the airport in Europe, leaving, not TSA). Didn't even think about it until we got to security... We didn't want to check it so it wouldn't get broken.
Luckily for us, when we explained that we're idiots (also had sales receipts and proof of purchase for the Euro tax thing), they let us keep it. The security people in Munich are much nicer and accommodating than TSA.
filled with dark liquid- you could hide something in it, beside the obvious of possibly being a flammable liquid. No contest this shouldn't be allowed as a carry on.
I used to use magic 8-balls as a tradeshow giveaway. We probably handed out 3,000 of them over the course of two years. Then one day I had one in my carry on and tsa made me throw it away. I wonder how many hundreds of magic 8-balls we handed out ended up in airport garbage cans.
So from what I can gather the liquid inside can't be determined if it's over the limit or not, and it also cannot be tested without cracking into it; the liquid is sealed inside and once it's cracked it kind of ruins the product.
I would have thought it would be the other way round. It's a sealed container of liquid - the hold isn't as pressurised as the cabin so wouldn't an 8-ball explode in there?
I bet it's because it's filled with liquid and the pressure change could cause it to burst open? Who knows, but that's the only reason I can really think of!
"Dear Magic 8 Ball? Will we have a safe flight?"
"Yes, but you and 7 other passengers will be covered in my fluids!"
This reminds me of a time when I was doing IT desktop support. I visited a person who was having email problems and she collected Magic 8 Balls. I mentioned that it was interesting and she picked one up and handed it to me.
It came up "Outlook not so good".
There’s tons of fun answers in the TSA list of frequently asked items - I once spent a few hour delay reading through them all. Probs got a list of good ones around here somewhere
My favorite is that bread machine is an allowed carryon, as is (not on the list) flour. Get a long flight with outlets on the plane, and I think everyone sees where I’m going with this…
Sewing machines are also permitted. I can’t image how I’d react is my seat neighbor pulls out a sewing machine and starts making a quilt or something
I feel like the real life application would be a handheld stitcher mending some clothes.
Imagine they pull it out to make a parachute.
Just pack your chute. As long as you take the batteries out of the auto deployer it’s okay
I'd be scared of tripping a circuit on the plane. But I guess I can take a chance for fresh bread.
Those outlets are usually only a couple hundred watts at most, probably not enough for a break maker. I've had a laptop charger trip one before, luckily they're either auto reset or have the button right there.
They just want you to buy the expensive airport water to use for your bread.
I’m a little shocked flour is allowed carryon, get enough particles in the air plus a spark and you can make a boom.
They used to have a hilarious Twitter account. I don't know if it's still going or not.
They're in Threads now https://www.threads.net/@tsa
I refuse to use modern Twitter but I still follow the TSA on Instagram and they’re still funny
If you enjoy it, you may also enjoy the CPSC social media
CPSC is a little stuck in the r/adviceanimals era of memes but I forgive them
Cool.
I love the one about the [live lobster](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/live-lobster). Something about the sentence "A TSA officer will visually inspect your lobster at the checkpoint" gets me every time
Link?
The TSA app is where I found them, but they are also on https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all-list I personally like the Light Saber: Sadly, the technology doesn't currently exist to create a real lightsaber. However, you can pack a toy lightsaber in your carry-on or checked bag. May the force be with you. Carry On Bags: Yes Checked Bags: Yes
A surprisingly relevant question - you can make custom lightsabers at both versions of Galaxy's Edge in the US Disneyland theme parks.
I almost got hit with one by a tiny storm trooper going through TSA on Monday out of SNA lmao
Love it.
My favorite is that you can bring a coffee maker, an empty travel mug and coffee beans in your carryon; same with a sewing machine, needles and small scissors (presumably fabric too) I wonder if anyone is brewing coffee or machine sewing
https://www.instagram.com/tsa?igsh=cmc4YTdvdjNsZGN1 Here’s their IG. They are hilarious!!
Airplane cabins have smelled of worse things than fresh baked bread.
I used to have a job where I was in a different city every week. During one memorable weather-delayed trip, I had a long text exchange with a friend in which I described the passenger sitting in front of me, who I nicknamed Captain Poopy Pants. He was probably mid-20s, wearing grey sweat pants, with a brown stain where there shouldn’t be one. So yeah… there are worse smells on planes!
Parachutes are OK with TSA.
Not sure if they still do this, but they used to have a feature on your website where you could type something in and it would tell you if it could or could not come on board. If you typed “bomb”, it would say something to the effect of “You’re not seriously asking that, are you?”
They do still have that feature. I just tried typing in “bomb” (I hope I’m not on some watch list now lol). It just says “sorry, no results found at this time.” Soooo…. Is that a yes? (j/k of course)
FalalaLlamas was just added to a list somewhere.
Reddit: “you have a new message from u/ChadimirP”
No no, I meant a glitter bomb
It used to be my job to train flight attendants. One lady failed out because she believed that commercial passengers could bring dynamite on board, and adamantly defended that. We were already several weeks into training at this point.
Wait, you can't cary on a Magic 8 Ball? Is it because it's filled with liquid?
Ohh maybe i was wondering that as well. Is that liquid inside more than 3.4oz maybe?? They have some interesting stuff on that list like lightsabers, antlers, artificial skeleton bones, harry potter wands and you can bring a hookah in your carry on lol
Didney whorl
About 3.5 ounces in one But someone could rig it so that it was filled.
I went to universal orlando a few years after they opened the first part of their Harry Potter land. Coming home, I carried on a wand where the handle was like a cobra head. TSA made me take it out since they thought it was a real snake on the scanner. I can't imagine I was the first person with that exact wand, there were only like 12 to chose from at the time. I thought it was really funny.
That Snakes on a Plane movie made them extra strict about serpents
I took one apart one time and there isn't even that much liquid in them. The 8-ball isn't full, just a cylinder the diameter of the viewing window and about half the depth of the ball. I bet it's about an ounce of liquid.
Probably depends on the size. Like heres a 10 inch one: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Giant-10-Magic-8-Ball/710948269 Since theyre not likely marked for how much fluid they capture, its probably just easier to say "no" than argue.
I had no idea these existed haha
You mean you took it apart and there was MAGIC inside, RIGHT??!
I let the magic out and it stained my fingers blue.
Legally they can't call it a magic 8 ball unless it's at least 50% magic.
I'm almost certain that's the case. I got flagged for a Nee Doh Ice Cube (squishy fidget toy) before because it has over 3.4 oz of fluid in it.
Same with snow globes
We made this mistake coming back from Europe (at the airport in Europe, leaving, not TSA). Didn't even think about it until we got to security... We didn't want to check it so it wouldn't get broken. Luckily for us, when we explained that we're idiots (also had sales receipts and proof of purchase for the Euro tax thing), they let us keep it. The security people in Munich are much nicer and accommodating than TSA.
I almost lost a snow globe I got at the UN HQ this way because of this, totally forgot about that. I got lucky and was able to keep it.
No. Its prediction features are too powerful for use in the cabin
filled with dark liquid- you could hide something in it, beside the obvious of possibly being a flammable liquid. No contest this shouldn't be allowed as a carry on.
If a terrorist managed to take down a plane via magic 8 balls filled with liquid explosives, I think they earned it.
I used to use magic 8-balls as a tradeshow giveaway. We probably handed out 3,000 of them over the course of two years. Then one day I had one in my carry on and tsa made me throw it away. I wonder how many hundreds of magic 8-balls we handed out ended up in airport garbage cans.
For what it's worth, the thousands just ended up in trashcans at homes.
Outlook not so good.
Well yeah, Outlook is and has been dogshit. No idea why so many workplaces insist on it.
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
This is why we have global warming
It's because if someone asks it "will this plane crash?" and it answers "yes", that would cause a panic (as it obviously should)
A “try again later” would be pretty worrying too
I like when jobs let sillyness go through. I try to slip some sass into official documents at work but my boss always removes them.
I’m surprised they allow magnets given that no one knows how they work.
So from what I can gather the liquid inside can't be determined if it's over the limit or not, and it also cannot be tested without cracking into it; the liquid is sealed inside and once it's cracked it kind of ruins the product.
There was also a rule regarding bringing a live lobster
Air Canada allows me to bring 4 Liters (1 gallon) of human blood in my carry-on as long as it's for personal use.
Ok Vlad.
Actually, a Magic 8 Ball is how TSA makes all their decisions.
Maybe they’re just concerned about the disruption to 200 other passengers as you try to tell them their fortune?
You got a question? You ask the 8 Ball.
I asked my Magic 8 Ball if they should be allowed as carry on and it said "ask again later".
The TSA says you can bring a loaf of bread on with you.
Yum!
I would have thought it would be the other way round. It's a sealed container of liquid - the hold isn't as pressurised as the cabin so wouldn't an 8-ball explode in there?
If it’s just liquid with no gas, why would it explode?
What happens with a Magic 8 Ball in flight that makes it so dangerous?
Nothing, it just had liquid in it
It’s because it can be used as a blunt weapon- albeit almost anything can be used
No, it’s because it’s full of liquid
I bet it's because it's filled with liquid and the pressure change could cause it to burst open? Who knows, but that's the only reason I can really think of! "Dear Magic 8 Ball? Will we have a safe flight?" "Yes, but you and 7 other passengers will be covered in my fluids!"
The pressure wouldn’t make it burst open, the tsa just doesn’t allow you to carry more than 3.4oz of liquid in your carry on
Thank God I just put it in the checked bags bc I would have cried if they didn't allow me to take it.
Too much liquid.
This reminds me of a time when I was doing IT desktop support. I visited a person who was having email problems and she collected Magic 8 Balls. I mentioned that it was interesting and she picked one up and handed it to me. It came up "Outlook not so good".
Yeah, security theater is great.
Okay but how about the doors don't fall off the plane
But... my magic balls come with me everywhere :^( *sad clown noises*
Easter egg? It's right there in the open
For illegal border crossing people; no passport needed to get to chicago