Originally Posted by ehasbrouck

Aukai is still "good" (although bad) law, but doesn't directly address the case of someone who tries to leave (presumably abandoning any property not in their possession) before an LEO shows up. The TSA clearly has no authority to arrest, except as a citizens arrest. TSA staff might try to obstruct the person form leaving. In such a case, trying to push through the TSA staff would almost certainly result in arrest for assaulting th TSA staff.