Nunchucks, umbrella shank and 150 handguns among weapons found at Austin airport

Mancha says that in states like Texas, where gun laws are less stringent, people are accustomed to leaving the house with their keys, wallet and guns, and sometimes taking them to the airport with them.

“The excuses we hear are unacceptable: “I forgot that this is my gun,” or “This is not my gun, this is my husband’s gun,” or “I haven’t used this bag for a long time.” If you are a responsible gun owner, you should always know where your gun is,” she says.

Travelers who arrive at the airport and attempt to carry weapons through security in their hand luggage can be arrested and fined up to $15,000.

In addition to weapons and ammunition, the TSA at the AUS found many other prohibited carry-on items such as grenades, knives, nunchucks, brass knuckles, a garden hoe, a brick, a small axe, stun guns, and a mace.

The most curious thing for those who landed in Austin and witnessed the noise near the luggage in the Barbara Jordan terminal was a standard-sized bowling pin. Several people wondered aloud about the illegality of an everyday item, at least on an airplane.

“This is a club,” says TSA agent Dale Clay. “In your hand luggage, it can’t get through.”

Clay says the number of prohibited items increased during the travel season, when more people were flying – and more people were traveling with souvenirs that were not allowed in carry-on baggage.

AUS also found many items that look normal but have hidden blades. TSA agents on site demonstrated how they work.

One person tried to steal a credit card through security, but the agents found it to be a fake card, which turned into a blade. The other was carrying what looked like an ordinary comb, but had actually turned into a knife. There was a tube of lipstick that, when turned, opened a tiny dagger. The strangest among them is an umbrella with a convincing-looking lid that quickly turns into a foot-long stabbing device.

“What is it like Kingsman” says Clay, referring to a series of spy films in which many everyday items are turned into weapons.

Weapons, especially those that are unlicensed or with scraped off serial numbers, often end up in the Austin Police Department because they can be checked in connection with open cases. Items that simply cannot be carried, but which are not illegal, are usually voluntarily checked in by passengers or, given enough time, may be repackaged as checked baggage. But that’s usually not the case, says Mancha.

Items confiscated by the airport can be sold, the money from which will go back to the airport. But there are always a bunch of confiscated items that pile up in the back rooms of the security team.

For this reason, TSA has some simple advice for travelers passing through Austin or any other airport in the United States.

“Know what’s in your bag,” says Mancha. “I forgot” is not a valid excuse.