A carry-on bag set off a brief scare at Rickenbacker International Airport on Monday when a scan showed what looked like a pipe bomb, triggering an immediate pull from the security line and a closer look by Transportation Security Administration officers. A TSA explosives specialist ultimately determined the object was a replica and not a real device, the traveler agreed to give it up, and the incident wrapped up without injuries or major disruption to airport operations.
According to NBC4, the replica was discovered at the Rickenbacker checkpoint and turned over after bomb technicians examined it. The outlet reports that TSA used the incident as another reminder that realistic-looking props and training aids are not allowed in carry-on bags.
How TSA handled it
“The officer immediately notified a TSA explosives specialist who determined the item was not an explosive hazard,” the agency said in a release quoted by Spectrum News 1. TSA rules bar replicas of explosives and training aids from both carry-on and checked luggage, and the agency points flyers to its “What Can I Bring?” tool for the fine print, according to TSA.
Not the only recent find in Ohio
Screeners in Ohio have seen more than one fake explosive this month. TSA officers at Dayton International Airport recently stopped another passenger after spotting what turned out to be a training-aid anti-tank mine in a bag, one of two replica devices discovered in the state within a week. In both cases, officials said explosives specialists ruled the items non-hazardous, and the travelers voluntarily abandoned them, as per Spectrum News 1.
Rickenbacker ahead of a busy weekend
The timing is not ideal for security nerves. The discovery comes just as Rickenbacker gets ready for the Columbus Air Show, scheduled for June 19–21, which is expected to pack the airport with bigger crowds and longer checkpoint lines. The organizer’s site lays out the dates and full performer lineup for the weekend. Columbus Air Show Hoodline has already spotlighted the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds’ planned return to tear up the skies over Rickenbacker, as per Thunderbirds Set To Shake Rickenbacker.
Pack smart
TSA officials stress that even harmless props and training devices can look like the real thing on X-ray screens and will be treated as prohibited items during screening, which can bog down lines and bring in law enforcement. Travelers unsure about whether a prop or novelty item will fly are urged to check TSA’s “What Can I Bring?” tool, use the MyTSA app, or text AskTSA at 275-872 before they pack, according to TSA.
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