Airport security is strict for a reason. After all, keeping everyone safe is the whole point of those checks, and most travelers understand why the rules exist. But sometimes, even when you follow every single one of them, getting through security can turn into a complete nightmare.
One Redditor asked people to share the dumbest reasons the TSA ever gave them a hard time, and they didn’t hold back. We’ve rounded up some of the most ridiculous answers below. Scroll down to read them, and if you have any similar stories of your own, drop them in the comments!
#1
They said my shirt was a jacket. I kept telling her it was a blouse and all I had was a bra underneath and wasn’t going to take it off. After this exchange 4 times she finally let me through.
Image source: Phylace, Image-Source/Envato (not the actual photo)
#2
I got like four sarcastic answers in a row trying to figure out which line to join (pre-check or regular).
Both lines backed up past the regular start, so there was no signs clearly visible, but there was an agent nearby.
I asked casually which was pre-check, and he said “if you don’t know what pre-check is, then you don’t belong in that line”.
When I clarified I knew *what* it was and just couldn’t tell *which,* he said “you don’t think it’s the one that’s probably moving faster?”
When I pointed out that neither was moving especially quickly, he said “Well I guess it doesn’t really matter then, does it?”
When I asked if there was a separate area for pre-check at a different spot, he said “if there was, don’t you think everyone would go there?”
Like guy I don’t want VIP treatment, I just want to know what freaking line to stand in.
Image source: Art–Vandelay–, Unai82/Envato (not the actual photo)
#3
I had two laptops.
It took almost 3 hours before they could find anyone to tell them “I need a windows machine, AND a Mac because of my work” is actually a valid reason. And by then I had long since missed my flight.
Image source: Billbapaparazzi, fxquadro/Envato (not the actual photo)
#4
I traveled a lot and did government work. The rule was that you were never to have your laptop out of your sight – not even for 1 second they told us.
So here I am (Milwaukee Airport / Mitchell) – shoes off, belt off and they had me take my shirt off (staples in my lung from an operation) and I was trying to keep an eye on my laptop. ‘MOVE ON SIR’ they kept repeating and I kept saying that I had to keep an eye on my laptop.
Oh yeah, holding up my no belt pants, with no shirt (in winter), no shoes and they’re trying to get me to break a strict GOVERNMENT rule.
About a month later a co-worker followed their orders and her laptop was grabbed by someone else in a hurry (a standard issue HP) and she was almost fired because of TSA even though TSA tracked the laptop and stopped the passenger before they boarded another airplane.
Image source: RicksterA2, howtogoto/Envato (not the actual photo)
#5
My humira.
I have a bag with an ice pack since I’m on humira to treat an auto immune disease.
Taking the caps off primes the injection. Each pen costs 500$ each. They uncapped all 8 of them.
I raised a stink. Because I couldn’t travel without this and then my dr raised a stink when I called him for an emergency script.
They were even in a special bag made for TSA in mind with all the info.
Image source: Faedan, vedrana2701/Enavto (not the actual photo)
#6
I use to work at an airport and went through security all the time. We had an employee line but it was the same deal. I would bring in bread and pb & J to save on lunches. I was once (not most the time I did it, only once) had TSA claim the peanut butter was a liquid and I couldn’t bring it in. I was like open it up and turn it upside down, it doesn’t come out.
Another time a pilot was ahead of me and had a small screwdriver set for his glasses or something. They tried to take it from him saying he could hurt someone. The pilot then screamed ” I’m a pilot, if I wanted to hurt someone I’d take the plane down”. It didn’t get him his screwdrivers through. Sometimes they just want to be right about something, I’ve never seen anyone argue and win with TSA.
Image source: Evaderofdoom, ultramansk/Envato (not the actual photo)
#7
My girlfriend had TSA precheck. I didn’t. So my girlfriend said she wanted to go through the regular line with me because I had just had an eye surgery and couldn’t see very well. We get to the check in desk and the two TSA agents at the gate see she has precheck but didn’t get in that line, and ask her why. She tells them she’s helping me because of my eyesight. They give her a precheck card anyway and tell me I can go with her.
So we get to the precheck line to go through the metal detectors and a woman in a wheelchair is in front of us and no one is checking the “precheck” line so we stand there for 10 minutes while all the people who were behind us in the regular line go through no problem.
TSA finally comes back to the pc line and asks why I don’t have a pass. I tell them. They tell me I have to go back and go through the body scan aisle without my girlfriend… ok, thanks for wasting my time.
Now we are passed the scanners where you put your shoes, and my stuff is already through the precheck lines X-rays. But I can’t put my shoes on that X-ray so I have to go back, put those on the other line, come back and go through the body scanner. I get out the other side and they have to pat me down because I have a continuous glucose monitor stapled on my arm, combined with my “suspicious behavior” of trying to go through precheck. Morons, you’re the ones that told me to do it!
Image source: PerInception, acinar13/Envato (not the actual photo)
#8
A TSA agent tried to take apart my milk pump. She wanted me to “take it out of the case” (it was a Medela Pump In Style that had a soft shell case as part of the pump with a Velcro closure to keep dust out), and was ready to try to pull it apart. It hasn’t even been through X-ray yet, I had just pulled it out because I knew they’d look at it. I informed her that if she didn’t believe me I’d be happy to demonstrate (this was after several minutes of fiddling with it), and if she broke it she’d be replacing it. Her supervisor wasn’t happy with the line hold up, and he ended up just swabbing it and letting us go WITH the pump.
Image source: metaphorisma, mstandret/Envato (not the actual photo)
#9
I have a titanium plate holding my arm together after an accident. It shows up on metal detectors. I was pulled to the side. I showed an X-Ray. The SOB insisted on squeezing my arm very hard so he could feel the plate… which involved tearing healing muscle tissue over my gnarly surgical scar.
I was in more pain than usual for a couple of weeks thanks to that sadistic jerk.
Image source: cbelt3, coffeekai/Envato (not the actual photo)
#10
Not me but, years ago, I went on a series of holidays in the US with my best mate. The first was to Florida – a coach tour with a large group of people, and we were met at the airport by our guide.
I was a little freaked out by my TSA as she was wearing reflective sunglasses, and I couldn’t read her expressions at all, so I just defaulted to “polite and cooperative”, got through pretty quickly, met up with the tour guide… waited for my mate…
…and waited… and waited…
After something like 30-45 minutes, he finally got through and apologised for keeping all of us waiting. He’d decided to have a friendly joke with his TSA: when asked “do you have anything concealed in your shoes?” he responded “Maybe a bad smell?”. TSA was not amused, and went through every single item in his suitcase in minute detail.
Image source: HEXdidnt, AZ-BLT/Enavto (not the actual photo)
#11
Blood thinning injections with an original prescription and diagnostic letter. Still wouldn’t let me bring them on board… on a long haul leg of 26 hours of travel… where DVTs are known to happen. Make it make sense!
Image source: EndlesslyMeh, winnievinzence/Envato (not the actual photo)
#12
I used the bathroom. Apparently the idiots that run airports put glycerine based soaps in the bathroom. So I washed my hands, then tested positive for explosives.
Image source: filthandnonsense, Paulynn072/Envato (not the actual photo)
#13
My CPAP is often chosen for extended testing. I think it was Chicago where two separate TSA agents were alternately yelling at me, one that I had to stay there while they tested my CPAP, and one that I couldn’t stay there and had to leave the security area.
Image source: hymie0, MikeShots/Envato (not the actual photo)
#14
They dug through my stuff for a compass I had bought at a tour thing outside of Vegas because it looked like a weapon. I told him it was a compass and he said “show me” so I just held it in front of him and was like “yeah that way is north dude”. I was the last person on the plane because he took so long.
Image source: vonkeswick, Chalabala/Envato (not the actual photo)
#15
Told me that my passport pic wasn’t me. It was very obviously me. I showed them my other photo IDs and they claimed those didn’t look like me either. Supervisor came over and said he agreed with the agent. I was like “okay” and just stood there. I had flown across the world using this same ID but I’m finally getting caught in Philly of all places. Then they just let me go through security anyway! So if they were convinced I was using a fake passport, I guess they just let on a potential terrorist because they couldn’t prove it either way. Morons. TSA is a huge waste of funding.
Image source: CapnCook67, rohaneh/Envato (not the actual photo)
#16
Work at an airport and the TSA *CONSTANTLY* has new people who never recognise me.
1) employees push to the front of the line at TSA. Thats how it is. They try to stop me every now and then until i flash the badge towards them.
2) Ive been bringing a soup in my pack lunch for years now and they regularly stop me and say i cant have it. I tell them that im an employee and the safety training videos required to get a badge in the airport states that you can infact bring a lunch to work with liquids in it.
3) “go place your pen in a bin and walk back through.”
I keep a pen in my shirt pocket like a nerd with a pocket protector. I just threw the pen away, and they let me go.
4) TSA: “this plastic cultery is a no go”
Me: “you mean the cutlery thats in my lucnhbox that i plan to eat with my soup and salad today?”
TSA: “Yeah i cant let you keep it”
ME: “ok well ive been working here over 5 years and its never been a problem before, and youve been the one to scan this lunchbox many of the days over those years with the same cutlery”
TSA: “Alright well would you like to do anything with these? You can mail them to your house or go back out of security and put them in your car”
ME: “just keep them man or throw it away”
TSA: “…… UH OK….. Have a good day”
I decided to bring in a whole cutlery set to the break room so i can use less single use spoons and forks in the office.
Image source: EmuofDOOM, ultramansk/Envato (not the actual photo)
#17
I had 14 stitches on my neck from a dog bite, nine on one side and five on the other. The TSA agent looked at me and said, “It’s time to take off your Halloween makeup,” then actually handed me an antibacterial wipe and tried to pull off one of the bandages. It was March. I don’t even know where to start.
I like to think I’m fairly quick on my feet, but my brain absolutely ground to a halt while she stared at me with the most misplaced smug expression I’ve ever seen. I slapped her hand away when she reached for my neck. Honestly, I think that reaction was a product of how completely offline my brain was because, obviously, that was not the ideal response. Anyway, she wigged out, and I got pulled out of line and dumped in a room for about an hour before the supervisor got there.
I’m not terribly proud of how I acted, but it was a less-than-an-hour domestic flight, and my grandmother was actively passing away in the hospital. By that point, she had already passed away, but I wasn’t aware of it yet. The supervisor let me go and had someone drive me to the gate on a cart, so I made it with minutes to spare
Image source: Anonymous, Iakobchuk/Envato (not the actual photo)
#18
TSA is so frustrating about so many things. My family travels a lot, and I can’t count how many times my wife has gotten secondary searches and been swabbed with explosives-detection wipes because she had milk for our babies. Like, yeah, some people flying first class with a newborn are secretly sneaking in explosive liquid that looks exactly like milk in a bottle.
Another time, I had lost a lot of weight but hadn’t bought new pants yet. I walked into the scanner and raised my hands, which caused my pants to fall down a little. The TSA agent immediately got mad and, with an attitude, told me, “Sir, raise your pants!” So I held my pants up. Then he yelled, “Raise your hands!” So I did, which caused my pants to fall back down about two inches again. Then he near screamed, “I SAID PULL YOUR PANTS UP!”
“So I finally looked at him and got mad right back and said, “I lost a lot of weight, and y’all make me take my belt off. So either my hands are raised or I hold my pants up. You can’t have it both ways. Make a choice.”
Image source: _TheNorseman_, Chalabala/Envato (not the actual photo)
#19
Amsterdam security confiscated our Nutella. “If you heat it hot enough, it’s a liquid,” apparently. Like, sure, what am I going to do, liquefy it with my portable microwave?! My husband quipped, “If you heat me hot enough, I’ll turn to liquid too.” He’s still salty about it, 10 years later.
Image source: stargirl803, Beyzaa Yurtkuran/Envato (not the actual photo)
#20
Several years back, I was flying with an orthopedic boot because I had broken my foot a few weeks earlier. Nashville TSA was yelling at me and flipping out about it the entire time. I got yelled at for asking to sit down while I took the boot off, yelled at for holding up the line because I needed to take it off, yelled at while it was off because they wanted to know why I needed it in the first place, yelled at to stop lying when I said I had broken my foot, and then yelled at one final time for holding up the line while I put it back on. Meanwhile, they were sending the boot itself through the scanner multiple times.
Image source: HeyFiddleFiddle, MikeShots/Enavto (not the actual photo)
#21
Got flagged for organic material.
It was an urn. They asked me to open it. I refused. Only time I have ever made a stink in my life, supervisor finally let me go.
Image source: Cw2e, syda_productions/Magnific (not the actual photo)
#22
Actual border agent. My uncle and father have almost comically common last names. Last time they visited the US they were stopped and held because there was a warrant for someone with my uncle’s name. Only problem, my uncle was nine inches shorter and thirty years older than the suspect.
Image source: probablynotaskrull, GarpeCristina/Envato (not the actual photo)
#23
I was in an airport what was known for TSA that do things to their own discretion/mood. I had a small beautiful palm sized geode rock (size of a small apple) that is carry-on compliant. But the TSA lady said it could be used as a weapon so she took it away.
I’m sure it’s up in her living room somewhere. I got it in California and carried it across the world with me. First time I have gotten emotional over a rock, I’m still get upset when I think about it. it was blue and glittery when the light hit it right and made me so happy. But I know if I caused a stink I would’ve missed my flight and they would’ve made my life hell.
Image source: bikesboozeandbacon, winnievinzence/Envato (not the actual photo)
#24
My wife had her inhaler, in her medical bag. It was “suspicious”.
Image source: LeepII, Queenmoonlite35/Envato (not the actual photo)
#25
Pre TSA, maybe 1994 or so (Reagan years and Star Wars programs). Was working classified programs in AF and had to fly to Washington DC with a classified document and transparency slides for a status briefing.
It was double wrapped per regulation. Inside manila envelope with security markings and stickers. Outside envelope was clean.
X-ray security flagged it. I open outside envelope and reveal markings and stickers and my documentation. Security guard kept insisting I open the second envelope and I refused. Went through 2 levels of management and phone call (at pay phone) to the Colonel. Finally allowed to board and keep America’s secrets safe.
Makes me smile because it was documents related to GPS. Not so secret now.
Image source: G0es2eleven, RTimages/Envato (not the actual photo)
#26
In Salt Lake City airport, my partner had broken her ankle and was wearing a walking boot and I was pushing her in a wheelchair. They made her get up and walk through the live body scanner and of course the boot set off the scanner. Then they used a wand on the boot, and finally they had her take the boot off and send it through the x-ray. They had to get a supervisor over for the whole process and it took forever. We almost missed our flight. I had to run pushing her through multiple terminals and barely made it as they were closing the gate.
Image source: jquest303, drazenphoto/Enavto (not the actual photo)
#27
Mine’s not thaaaat stupid, but I was flying out of El Paso, TX and was pulled off to the side to have my bag searched. I had a stuffed animal in there and they couldn’t tell what it was, then when they took it out they scanned it separately. There were no substances in the bunny.
Image source: trinalo, alinabuphoto/Envato (not the actual photo)
#28
I once had a philosophical discussion with a TSA agent about whether mustard is a “liquid”.
I lost. I hope he enjoyed the mustard. Especially if he previously had runny mustard at home – this was good stuff!
Image source: pinniped1, africaimages/Envato (not the actual photo)
#29
There was a “suspicious tear” in my shorts pocket.
Image source: CanaDoug420, Chalabala/Envato (not the actual photo)
#30
I have a pacemaker and can’t go through a metal detector. I always get put in timeout till they fire up the body scanner or pat down.
Image source: belovedfoe, Iakobchuk/Envato (not the actual photo)
#31
I packed a frozen uncrustable for my baby, and they debated whether the jelly inside counts as a liquid or not. They let me through but only after they brought us to a room to strip search my baby. Had to take the baby’s clothes and diaper off.
Image source: BugsArePeopleToo
#32
For wearing a jacket with a metal zipper. Aren’t there hundreds of thousands of these out in the world?
Image source: MissHibernia
#33
I refused to go through the full-body X-ray while pregnant. I had read prior to going to the airport that I could refuse this and the agents would wand me instead like they do for my dad’s pacemaker.
These three women TSA agents in Denver, CO didn’t like that at all and went on a power trip. I honestly don’t know why such a small, reasonable request would make them so upset? They all said, “oh that’s silly. You’ll be fine.” Sure, but I’m still not going through it. She goes, well I’m going to have to call a supervisor. Go for it, lady. I’ve got time.
They were so unbelievably rude, mean and condescending after that. My shampoo bottle was 3.1 oz so they’re like, we’re gonna have to confiscate this in a sing-song voice. I was like, you can keep the tiny bottle of shampoo. My husband had to stop me from losing my mind, just so we could get on the plane.
Image source: Sydney_Bristow_
#34
I had two lipsticks. They were exactly the same, except one was red and one was pink. They were the traditional twist kind and well below the 3.4oz rule and not even liquid. They said I could keep one of them. One. I had to throw the other one away. It was so dumb. They didn’t care which one I kept as long as I threw the other one out.
Image source: goodvibesandsunshine
#35
I worked for tsa. It’s the most dysfunctional company I have ever experienced. I was there for 10 years and to this day I still don’t understand why most of it in necessary.
Oh fun fact, wanna toll a buddy your flying with? Hide a 9volt in their carry on then watch in amazement as all of their belongings are searched and they receive a full body patdown. Lol.
Image source: anon
#36
A small pair of scissors/hair trimmers, still in factory packaging, clearly marked TSA approved.
Image source: EverLastingSquint
#37
Not a hold for an actual reason…
But I was once on a small flight out of a regional airport. It was an early flight and I was the only one in securitybat a two gate airport. And I eventually ended up being one of only 3 people on the flight.
Just me standing in line at security and like 11 TSA agents standing there. But they are yelling and going on like it’s a massive crowd.
“Please step up to the id check!! Please have your boarding pass out!!”
I give them the id and boarding pass. The guy rushes me through as if there is a giant line.
Two guys now are walking and yelling the ever changing rigamarole about whatever it is you need to take off or whatever.
I can’t help but bust out laughing and ask “who are you folks yelling at?”
Well they didn’t like that. And I ended up getting “randomly” selected for more searching. Took an extra 20 minutes and I’m laughing the whole time because I literally have a bag with a laptop and earbuds in it. And they are doing their best to drag it out as much as possible.
I didn’t miss a flight or anything. But my gate was right next to security and they continued to yell as people trickled through one at a time over an hour.
Image source: geek_fit
#38
I had a cpap with me. They wanted me to turn it on. I said fine but I needed to move it somewhere where I could plug it in. No, I needed to turn it on right there on the belt. I told them it needed to be plugged in. I was told that was impossible and I needed to turn it on instead. I said that it cannot be turned on without being plugged in as it runs on electricity. We went round and round on this for a good ten minutes.
Image source: AssociationHuman
#39
I was a cane user for a long time because of a visual impairment, and the TSA agents would often grab my cane out of my hands and then push me through the detector. They’d proceed to yell at me when I didn’t leave the line fast enough with my carry-on and my cane because, well, I kind of need the cane to navigate. I had one TSA agent straight-up throw my cane at me and my sighted guide when she realized I wasn’t going anywhere. O’Hare sucks
Image source: DatsunTigger
#40
One of the agents told me to leave all my stuff for additional screening. Another one asked me to turn my laptop on and off real quick before I went to additional screening. So I did. The first guy started screaming at me that he had told me to leave my stuff, while the other guy just walked off without backing me up. At the same customs area, I had an agent ask to look at my carry-on. I let him, and he pulled out my duty-free bag and ripped it to shreds trying to open it. He pulled out a bottle of sake and announced, “This has to be in a duty-free bag!” I said, “It was.” He responded, “The bag has to be sealed.” I replied, “It was.” He said, “It has to be completely sealed.” I said, “It was so sealed that you had to absolutely rip it to shreds to open it.” He told me I could either leave it with him or pay $50 to have it checked. I’m 100% sure he just stole my sake
Image source: waf
#41
Nashville TSA can eat dirt. Worst one in the U.S. They’re power-tripping morons.
I got threatened for anticipating their nonsense and printing out their own policy stating that frozen food was allowed in carry-ons.
Then they made me throw away $50 worth of frozen cheese and country ham, saying they were liquids/gels. I’m still salty about it because, unlike them, I have a strong grasp of the states of matter and can tell the difference between liquids and solids.
Image source: trashrules
#42
We were traveling with a chocolate cake…
They must have figured I moulded it out of C4 or something because they x-rayed it twice, swabbed it, got a supervisor, etc.
Another later time I was flagged for explosives residue as I had my shot targets in my bag from the indoor range I had been at. That one I sorta get.
They decided my child’s medication that has to be kept cold and has exemptions stamped on it, plus letters, along with the syringes were a problem and they tried to separate him from me… Taking him into a windowless room…. Papa bear came out big time on that one.
Agent actually tossed the ice pack in the trash (one of those long duration gel type ones specifically for medication and related). I not only refused to accept it back (I had a spare in checked so only really needed ice for the flight) as it was now contaminated, I sent a bill to the TSA to replace it. I also made an unholy swearword filled stink in the middle of security about the general low intellectual abilities of the agent that tossed it to the supervisor. Honestly shocked I made my flight. As a cherry on top: we’re all TSA Pre… So it’s supposed to be smoother.
Image source: slash_networkboy
#43
My hands were in my pocket… i think they just enjoy trying to flex on people.
Image source: SewerRatPumpkinPie
#44
I had to go through the machine that scans you for metal three times. They did not notice I had braces on my teeth even after I was checked with a wand.
Image source: Cheap-Poetry-3679
#45
Not me but on TSA screener demanded a full screening redone on someone because he “thought he saw a bit-coin on the xray “.
Image source: El-Lamberto
#46
I’m a professional musician. Years ago I was touring and flew with my guitar 5-6 times a month.
One idiot said I had to “remove the strings because they could be used to strangle someone.” So I said. “I could stab someone in the neck with a pencil, are those allowed?” Had to call a supervisor and argue for 10 min.
Morons.
Image source: Raspberries-Are-Evil
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