Watch CBS News

To Avoid Travel Delays, TSA Warns Against Common Packing Mistakes

BOSTON (CBS) -- Syrup, jam, that nice bottle of wine you want to bring your family for the holidays. These all fall under the category of what not to pack in your carry on luggage.

The busy holiday rush is in full swing at Logan Airport, so to help everything go smoothly, the YSA is reminding passengers what they can and cannot bring in their carry on bags. Things like water bottles are pretty obvious, but the TSA is attempting to ward off the common mistakes many make.

travel TSA
These are examples of what you cannot pack in your carry on luggage. (WBZ-TV)

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week will be the busiest days at Logan Airport and the TSA projects about 59,000 passengers will come through the airport. To avoid holdups, the TSA is asking you don't bring things like razor blades, oversized liquids, shampoo, wine and much more through security.

"It's going to slow you down," Michael McCarthy of TSA Public Affairs said. "We know you just want to get through security easily, but once we find a prohibited item we have to do a secondary search that will take time out of your day."

If you're unsure whether you can pack an item in your carry on bag you can take a picture then tweet it to ask TSA if it's OK. They will let you know.

TSA answers all kinds of security questions through their Twitter account, @AskTSA, including some pretty odd queries about what can make it through their checkpoints.

They do this so you can keep your belongings.

"We don't want someone to have to abandon an item," McCarthy said.

travel TSA
Passengers at Logan Airport. (WBZ-TV)

Another common mistake: packing wrapped presents. The TSA says wait until you get to your destination to put on the final holiday touches.

"If for some reason we have to look at those items we truly would hate to unwrap that gift, but we will if there's something we have to look at," McCarthy said.

For more information on what you can and can't bring in carry on luggage, click here.

 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.