These “Harmless” Items Could Cost You $17K at TSA

Everybody knows the drill by now: liquids under 3.4 ounces, laptops out of the bag, shoes off unless you've got TSA PreCheck. But flying out of Sea-Tac, Spokane, or Pasco this year, a few surprising items on the banned list can catch even seasoned travelers off guard — and the penalty for getting caught isn't a warning. It's a fine of up to $17,062 per violation.

Cordless curling irons top the list of items nobody expects trouble from.

The Culprits Hiding in Your Toiletry Bag

ThermaCELL Cordless Curling Iron Travel Kit Butane Powered via ebay.com

If your cordless curler or flat iron runs on a gas cartridge or butane, TSA banned it from checked luggage entirely this year — fire risk in the cargo hold, where nobody can reach it if something sparks. It's still allowed in your carry-on, but only with a safety cover locked over the heating element. Corkscrews with a blade attached are a no-go too, tucked into the same category as pocketknives.

Gel-type candles count as a liquid once they melt, which pushes them well past the 3.4-ounce limit most travelers already know by heart. And snow globes — the classic souvenir, the thing grandkids beg for at every airport gift shop — get banned for the exact same reason. That water inside doesn't care that it's decorative.

What This Means Before Your Next Flight

For anyone flying out of Central Washington this fall, the fix is simple: check an item before you pack it, not after a TSA agent flags it at the checkpoint. The TSA's website keeps a running list of prohibited items for both carry-on and checked bags, and five minutes of scrolling beats a four-figure fine and a missed flight. A confiscated snow globe is annoying. A $17,000 penalty is a genuinely bad way to start a vacation.

Be Careful of What Snacks You Plan on Bringing as a Carry-on (scroll down)