This one's for all of you business travelers out there.
My wife was packing for a trip recently and couldn't remember if she was allowed to bring a disposable razor in her carry-on bag. Her search for an answer led her to the TSA's website, which offers a handy list of items that travelers are not allowed to bring onto a plane.
As a public service, I offer an abbreviated version of that list below. Remember, this is an official government agency's list, which means they're not assuming any common sense on the part of the traveler. Probably a good idea, come to think of it.
Among the prohibited carry-on items:
- Ice picks
- Meat cleavers
- Sabers
- Swords
- Bows and arrows
- Hockey sticks (ice skates, though, are A-OK)
- Spear guns
- Cattle prods
- Stun guns
- Throwing stars (sorry, ninjas)
- Dynamite
- Hand grenades
- Pretty much anything, in fact, that explodes or catches fire
Check out the full list here, then realize this one indisputable fact: If you're thinking of bringing anything on this list onto a plane, getting stopped at security is the least of your problems.
Here's a good rule of thumb for air travel: Leave the firearms, explosives, disabling chemicals and sharp weapons at home. Actually, leave the blunt weapons at home, too.
Go ahead and pack that disposable razor, though — it gets a pass.