Since 9-11, TSA has really tightened up its security belt. When going to the airport now, you might feel as though you do not even know what is allowed and what isn’t any longer. The TSA rules seems to be changing frequently and its hard to keep up. Not only are their prohibited items you must keep up with, but you also should know that certain items and behaviors carry penalties.

Some of the obvious things that we cannot take on board an airline is sharp objects such as box cutters, ices picks, knives, meat cleavers, razor blades, sabers, scissors and swords are understandably prohibited. Any sharp objects that you choose to carry in your checked in baggage must be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent the baggage handlers and inspectors from hurting themselves.

Additionally, sporting goods such as baseball bats, bows and arrows, cricket bats, dumbbells, golf clubs, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, pool cues, ski poles, and spear guns are not prohibited as carry-ons.

Now if you have any degree of common sense at all, then you would know and understand that guns, firearms, and ammunition are not prohibited as a carry-on. However, what you may not realize is that some airlines will not even allow you to have them in your checked-in baggage. If you plan on taking them, you need to first check with the airline.

Then there are the items that seem perfectly harmless. These include gel-type candles, get shoe inserts, snow globes and like decorations regardless of size and amount of liquid inside. To avoid any problems beforehand, you need to check with your Pre-Paid Legal attorney.

So, if you choose to carry on any of the prohibited items and TSA determines that your intent was to hide them, you could face penalties of up to $25,000. If you are being detained because of a carry-on item that you have brought along, you need to immediately call your Pre-Paid Legal attorney.

Then of course there is the new TSA pat down policy and the advanced imagining technology (AIT). At airports where the AIT is available, passengers who are asked to go through it must comply or be subject to an intense pat down. If you refuse, you cannot fly.

There was a case where a man by the name of Samuel Wolanyk refused to go through AIT. He said he did not want his naked body viewed by perfect strangers. So, he chose the pat down, but first he stripped down to his underwear. TSA requested that he put his clothes back on for the pat down, but he refused. He was then arrested for not completing the security process. In the same incident a woman was detained for video taping the entire thing. In both of these cases, these two individuals would have benefited by being a Pre-Paid Legal member.

Another interesting situation I heard about was regarding someone’s first amendment right to free speech. This individual wrote on one of the little plastic bags carrying his liquids, “Kip Hawley is an idiot.” He was then singled out in line and they did a complete search and detained him for quite a while. All he did was exercise his first amendment right. This is another example of someone who should have been on the phone to their Pre-Paid Legal attorney.

So, it doesn’t matter where you are going or even who you are, you must follow the rules of the TSA. If a questionable situation comes up, do not hesitate to call Pre-Paid Legal. If you are a member of Pre-Paid Legal, your attorney can be on the phone within 3 minutes. This could save you from penalties or even arrest in you are put in a situation that is questionable.

Want to find out more about Pre-Paid Legal, then visit Jennifer Provencio’s site to enroll in a Pre-Paid Legalplan.

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