TSA confiscating forbidden items
 

Screeners at several sites insist that the TSA always gives passengers options on disposal of forbidden items. I think I have seen that happen only once or twice and that's when traffic has been slow. Most of the time, the item is removed from the bag without so much as a "by your leave" and tossed into the garbage.

What's your experience?

I don't want to come across as a defender of the TSA's policies, but this is one area in which I wonder whether passengers overstate their case.

In my experience (since you asked), I have never had an item "confiscated" by the TSA, but the only "prohibited" item I've attempted to take through the checkpoint has been the forgotten bottle of water, which I don't mind relinquishing.

If it were an item of consequence (something expensive and/or important), I'd certainly insist upon having it returned to me so that I can put it in my carry-on and have the bag checked, but I prefer to do this before reaching the checkpoint to avoid the hassle.

I'd be most interested to hear from those who tried to pass through the checkpoint with an item that the TSA prohibited but were not allowed to go back and check/store/dispense of the item, because that clearly fits the definition of "confiscated."

I routinely forget sodas/water that I need to have handy for medicine. I have, on rare occasions, forgotten things like a weatherman, small pocket knife, tools, etc. TSA has always given me the option to go out and check it/mail it or they would "dispose of it" :rolleyes: for me.

They let me drink a bottle of water I forgot about at STL. At LGA, I think, I brought shaving cream. I said, well here better safe than sorry. Never saw a trash bin. For all I know someone got some free shaves.

I inevitably forget that I have a bottle of water (or 3!) in my bag. So far, they've always been accommodating about letting me drink it if I wanted to.

I had a set of drill bits at PDX. Less than the length of prohibited tools but they would not allow them through nonetheless. The agent said I could dispose of them, go back and check in the bag or mail them instead. He even gave me an appropriate sized pre-printed USPS envelope with a space for my credit card number for the postage, a pen to address it and pointed me to the mail bin less than 10 feet away, put there for this exact purpose. Cost a couple of dollars and it arrived in 2 days. So yes, they do give you a choice.

I had a half consumed bottle of gatorade in my carry-on bag once. I didn't realize it was still in my bag until I was at the gate...

The worst part is the inconsistency. Flying with the exact same items for months and suddenly they're not allowed. Last week I had cuticle scissors taken that have been in my carry-on toiletry bag since buying them in November in Thailand. The agent said "these are very dangerous" :rolleyes: Never have I gone back landside and checked a bag. I figure I'll just get new cuticle scissors every 6 months, as will the TSA agent :D

that's stupid. I looked on their site and it says shorter than 4 inches are allowed in checked, but none in carry on. Here we can take scissors shorder than 6cm in carryon. why can't everyone have the same rules? when I was in sumatra, I was allowed any liquids through, the shop was even next to security, they didn't care.

I just had a small blunted (nasal) scissors taken at security in Shanghai (PVG flying back to ORD). I was given the option to go out and check the bag (but no time due to customs and security line lengths). I've had them over a year back and forth with the TSA.

Always wondered about consistency.

In the USA are there (m)any airports that have mail boxes landside? [I think one of their fears is that an explosive device can be deposited--since there is NO landside security.

Never anything taken without permission.
 

I grew up always having a small folding pocket knife in my pocket. After 9/11, I have lost so many small pocket knives that I don't even bother carrying one anymore. Likewise with corkscrews, a dozen of those are somewhere in the TSA/EU/AUS/Thai airport security bowels of contraband.

Never have I ever had any agent take something without asking. They identify it, ask me if I would like to go back and check it, and then offer to dispose of it for me when I let them.

2 data points.

IIRC, SEA has at least one mailbox landside, right across from a checkpoint.

I was told (when I went looking for one and asked) that there are landside mail boxes at ATL. There supposedly used to be a mailbox airside in the international terminal but it was moved for security reasons.

Conclusion: One cannot rely on having a mailbox convenient to security lines.