The swarms of casual vacation travelers heading back to airports this summer have seemingly forgotten the rules of flying and getting through the TSA checkpoints.
Transportation Security Administration agents are collecting piles of prohibited items, from shampoos and lotions, to drinks of every color, and even cans of cooked pork.
Bins full of bottles, tubes and cans on display Thursday were three days worth of collections at Lehigh Valley International Airport. The confiscated items included cake fondant, a new jar of apple butter, a full bottle of wine, large cans of cooked beef and pork, and numerous drink bottles.
The Lehigh County airport has seen passenger traffic go from abysmal at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, to crowds filling the terminal this summer and lines at the TSA checkpoint. It’s a trend at airports across the country, as TSA officers are screening between 1.8 and 2.1 million people daily.
LVIA officials, dealing with a practically empty terminal a year ago, are now begging travelers to be aware that crowds have returned and travelers should arrive at least two hours early for their flights.
“If people had been traveling during the early days of the pandemic, they may have gotten accustomed to arriving a short time before their flight because there were so few passengers, but those days are gone and we recommend that travelers get to the Lehigh Valley airport two hours before their scheduled flights,” said Karen Keys-Turner, the TSA Federal Security Director for the airport.
Delays are increasing, both because of the sheer number of passengers and the amount of prohibited items making their way into the checkpoint, said Michael Kichline, Assistant Federal Security Director for the greater Pennsylvania area.
“Summer travel is in full swing,” he said, adding LVIA is now exceeding pre-pandemic travel traffic and agents are screening about 1,800 passengers per day.
If you can spill it, spray it, spread it, pump it or pour it, it needs to go in checked baggage, TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said. The exception during the pandemic is that travelers can have one liquid hand sanitizer, up to 12 ounces, per passenger in carry-on bags until further notice.
Any liquids, gels or aerosols larger than 3.4 ounces (100 ml) must be in checked baggage. Of course, if a TSA agent is telling you that at the checkpoint, it’s too late. The items are surrendered and destroyed, Kichline said.
Passengers may carry liquids, gels and aerosols that are 3.4 ounces or smaller in a one quart-sized, resealable bag, known as the 3-1-1 bag.
If you have a question about what to include in carry-on bags, the TSA has a website called “What Can I Bring?,” where items can be searched by name.
TSA agents are dealing with more than Gatorade and hair gel. Weapons and firearms are also repeat problems at the checkpoints, with agents finding a record number of firearms -- 4,432 guns-- at security checkpoints in 2019.
The problem even persisted even during the pandemic.
Firearms -- loaded or unloaded, real or fake -- cannot be taken through the checkpoint.
Firearms can be in checked luggage, but must be unloaded and packed in a locked hard-side case. Ammo must be in the original box, and can be in the case next to the firearm.
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com.