Some still try to wing it with knives
Kelowna airport display of items intercepted by security during past week includes switchblade, pocket knives, box cutters, kitchen knives
Aspring-loaded switchblade, a knife cleverly concealed in a credit card, pepper spray, an array of pocket knives, CO2 cartridges, box cutters big and small, kitchen knives, large scissors, a handgun-shaped lighter and heavy tools, including hammers, wrenches and pliers.
They were the lineup of intercepted items on table No. 2 at Kelowna airport Thursday morning.
“These are all items people tried to get through security and onto planes over the past week,” said Canadian Air Transportation Security Authority spokesman Mathieu Larocque, sweeping his hand over the collection.
The authority, in conjunction with Kelowna airport, set up two tables of intercepted items in the area right before people get into the security line.
It was meant as a reminder of what you can and can’t take in your carry-on bags, especially with the busy March break travel period coming up.
“Spring-loaded switchblades, credit-card knives and pepper spray are not only not allowed on planes, but they are also illegal,” said Larocque.
“So, we actually confiscate such items and we have to call the RCMP every few days to come and pick them up.”
Guns, gun parts, bullets and brass knuckles are also handed over to police.
Other items, such as pocket knives, CO2 cartridges used for everything from whipping cream to inflating bike tires and life-jackets, box cutters, big scissors, gun-shaped items and heavy tools are not illegal, but they aren’t allowed on planes because they could be used as a weapon or to build an explosive.
As such, they are called intercepted items, usually detected as your bags go through X-ray scanning.
If caught with such items, you can run them to the friend or relative who just dropped you off outside of security so you can have them when you return from your trip.
Alternatively, you can leave them with security, which will hold the item with your name on it it for a friend or family member to pick up the same day.
However, most people simply surrender them. A potentially hazardous item not passed off to someone before security or left for pickup is disposed of.
Table No. 1 contained scores of items intercepted between 4 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. that morning.
The accumulation was less threatening than the collection on table No. 2, but the items still were not allowed on planes because they exceeded the 100-millilitre-per-container limit for liquids, gels and aerosols.
The liquids regulation came into place in 2006 after a terrorist plot to detonate liquid explosives was foiled on seven jets travelling from England to Canada and the U.S.
The Kelowna hodgepodge included the typical oversized bottles of water, juice, wine, sunscreen, shampoo, toothpaste, lotions, perfume, cologne, deodorants and cosmetics.
However, there were also some out-of-the-ordinary items such as a 418-ml jar of medium-spiced salsa, a 410-ml jar of mayonnaise, a 355-ml tub of cream cheese, a big jar of lavender honey and a giant partially used pump container of hemp and white peppermint moisturizer.
All of the sealed beverage, food and personal-care items are donated to the Central Okanagan Community Food Bank.
Unsealed and partially used items have to go in the trash.
“We’ve done this event prior to the busy Christmas travel season,” said Kelowna airport director Sam Samaddar.
“Spring break (which runs today through April 2) is also a peak period where we can see the regular 2,800 passengers a day going through security increase to 4,000 a day. Intercepting items really slows down the lineups.”
Holding the reminder event also raises awareness for people who might not travel by air regularly and are unfamiliar with all the rules.
Some of the exceptions to the 100-ml maximum regulation are any medication in a liquid, gel or cream (including contact lens solution and non-prescription cough syrup or supplements), milk or juice in containers for children under two years of age, and gel or ice packs to treat an injury, to keep milk or juice cold for kids or to preserve medication.
Skates, which previously weren’t allowed in carryon bags because the blades might be used as a weapon, are now permitted.