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A traveler at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin, was caught trying to sneak a knife through security by taping it inside her carry-on bag in order to avoid paying a $100 checked baggage fee. The incident happened at the airport’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint, where officers using an X-ray machine noticed the suspicious object in the bag.
TSA Officer Callie Meis identified what looked like a knife during the screening and called for a search of the bag. Supervisory Officer Andrew Kasten and TSA Manager Annie Lu joined the search, and the Dane County Sheriff’s Office was called to respond. During questioning, the unidentified passenger admitted she tried to hide the knife so she would not have to pay the checked bag fee, explaining she was heading on a camping trip and did not believe TSA would find it.
TSA officers noted that while they have discovered knives in bags before, it was unusual to find one taped in such a manner. Jim Kohn, a veteran TSA officer, told Fox News, "Our team does a great job making sure every possible threat is found when we need to conduct additional screening." Kasten warned other travelers not to risk penalties to save on fees: "When contemplating the options of saving a few dollars or paying a federal civil penalty due to something hidden, I recommend being smart about it," he said.
According to TSA rules, knives are only permitted in checked luggage and must be securely wrapped. Concealing prohibited items in carry-on luggage can result in civil penalties. In this case, the passenger voluntarily surrendered the knife and was allowed to continue her travels, the TSA confirmed.