Tips for flying with food, weapons and alcohol during the busy Thanksgiving travel period

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – The busy Thanksgiving holiday air travel season kicks off Friday and TSA wants you to leave your weapons at home or put them in your checked luggage.

Some of the items that have been confiscated at security checkpoints include knives, guns, ammunition, a fake grenade, toy guns, and a lipstick tube containing a small knife. Those items, except for anything that looks like  grenade, are allowed in your checked luggage.  Firearms must be unloaded and locked in a hard-sided container and transported as checked baggage only.  Firearm parts, including magazines, clips, bolts and firing pins may be transported in checked bags, but replicas of explosives, such as hand grenades,  are prohibited in checked or  carry-on luggage.

If you’re taking food items for your Thanksgiving Dinner, put them in a separate bag to help speed up the inspection process.

“When you’re coming through the checkpoint, you might have a separate bag for your food items,” said Lexi Gorena with TSA. “It’s a little bit quicker, instead of us digging through your property.”

She says anything that smears, pours or spills out of its container is considered a liquid, and you’re limited to one quart-sized clear bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes in your carry-on bag, so jellied cranberries, jars of gravy and honey will have to go in your checked luggage. Gorena says large bottles of wine or liquor aren’t allowed in carry-on bags.

“You are welcome to bring them, but they do have to go in your checked luggage,” said Gorena.

If you’re taking Christmas gifts, don’t wrap them.  TSA may have to unwrap them to check them out, and that just slows down the process.   Gift bags are easier to look through.

For more information on tips for air travelers, visit TSA.gov.

Tom Bartlett with TSA recommends that  you  get to the airport at least two hours before your scheduled departure time.