The 5 weirdest things people have seen at airport security

Airport security can be a tense place. Moving through busy, often crowded queues, unpacking then repacking your bags – even sometimes having to take off your shoes. 

But sometimes, aside from the ultra-professional manner of the security team, strange things can happen when you’re travelling through airport security. 

In a thread on question-and-answer site Quora, users and frequent flyers shared some of the oddest things they had seen at airport security. 

Bicycles

Julian Devat travels frequently through Miami International Airport and recounted a strange instance of police travelling through an airport. 

He wrote: “Once in a while, a speaker announcement explains that everybody has to stop right where they are for security reasons. The terminal becomes a hall of statues and the only moving creatures are police officers on their bicycles trying to ride around immobile people.”

Turtles 

Sandra Barren was travelling back from Japan and was pulled aside for an enhanced agricultural screening.

She wrote: “Our bags were checked quickly, but we were held up because the man ahead of us was denying that he had any idea that the contents of his bulging bags would be a problem - dozens and dozens of live turtles!”

Puppy love 

Mira Zaslove, a travel lover, recalled the time she encountered a stray puppy in security.

“The Vieques airport is tiny. It flies mostly small local airlines, offering flights to San Juan. The attitude at the airport is informal and friendly. And at airport security, there was an adorably friendly stray puppy running around. The puppy lived at the airport. He was small, but looked reasonably healthy, and well cared for— he was well fed by tourists at the security check in. He even had a hat and some clothes on.”

The Force

Ross Boardman, a restaurateur, was travelling through Amsterdam when he spotted a man attempting to get through security with a newly purchased lightsaber.

“Coming through Amsterdam and there is a gadget shop. Guy ahead of me buys a Star Wars Light Saber toy. The thing was a few hundred Euros, it made noises, reacted to motion, very cool. This is now part of his take on baggage. Got to the gate, the same guy is ahead of me. He got to security and he had to demo the thing to the pat down guys.” 

Toilet seat 

Marcia DiMiceli was waiting at an airport in Cancun, when she noticed a woman with a strange item in her suitcase.

She wrote: “I happened to notice a woman open her suitcase and try to rearrange something. Seems she never goes anywhere without her own toilet seat.”