When in doubt, take it out – Items likely to draw attention

There really is no magic involved in screening bags. The x-ray operator can’t always tell what an object is by looking at it on the screen. But he/she is trained to look for certain things that may indicate an object is a threat. When an x-ray operator encounters an object that looks like a threat he/she will call a bag check to have someone take a look.

There are items that are perfectly acceptable to have in your carryon bags that can cause the x-ray operator to call for a bag check because they have some of the characteristics of things that TSOs are trained to spot. If you take them out of your bag ahead of time and put them in a bin, it can save everyone a lot of time. Some of those items include:

Anything odd, particularly if it is large, made of metal, has protruding wires and/or home-made circuitry

Medical and optical instruments.

Dense, organic materials – cheese, ground coffee, hardwood, rock and meat (people often bring ham and sausages).

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Disclaimer: This material was written by a private citizen hoping to be helpful, not as a representative of the federal government, the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority or of the Transportation Security Administration. Any opinions expressed as well as any inaccuracies are solely the author’s.