TSA to Comic Book Fans: Stop Bringing Batarangs on Planes

Bring Liquids You'll Have to Throw Away — (Photo: TSA Agent Searching Bag via Carolina K. Smit

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

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File this under: Why does the TSA have to even say this out loud?

Apparently traveling with Batarangs—weapons from Batman’s arsenal, similar to throwing stars—is a thing people do. And, to make matters worse, people have a habit of bringing them on planes in their carry-on bag.

In a recent blog post, the TSA wrote that during Comic-Con International, which draws fans of comics, movies, video games, and more, “officers have issues with the various items that people purchase and then either carry-on or place in their checked bags. These come in the form of figurines, costume items (including replica and real weapons) and other mementos that generally alarm our checkpoint and checked baggage screening systems and result in a bag check.”

On the topic of replica weapons, which includes the aforementioned Batarangs, the TSA says, “If you’re not checking a bag and you have a realistic replica of a weapon or an actual weapon, you’ll want to ship the item. If you are checking a bag, replica weapons and actual weapons may be packed in your checked bag. Replica firearms can be placed in your checked baggage with no declaration or packing guidelines, but actual firearms must meet packing guidelines and be declared. Anything looking like an explosive (whether real or not) is strictly prohibited from air travel.”

So, just put the Batarang in your checked bag, okay?

A perusal of the TSA’s Instagram page shows several instances of confiscated Batarangs. The TSA actually has a pretty good sense of humor about this, suggesting travelers check these items “along with your grapple gun, bat-saw, collapsible bat-sword, and other utility belt items” or simply “leave it in the bat cave.”

In fact, the TSA’s Instagram page is pretty incredible overall—the sheer volume of exotic weapons people try to bring onboard planes is staggering. Besides the obvious guns and knives you’ll find movie prop mummies, smoke grenades, jawbone tomahawks, fireworks (really?), and a stick of butter.

If you’re even in doubt about bringing something on a plane, you can tweet a photo of it to @AskTSA or the AskTSA Facebook page.

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