DETROIT – TSA officials want anyone planning to travel over spring break to take a little more time when packing their bags.
Officials at Detroit Metro Airport put out a table Thursday piled with prohibited items they've found in the last two weeks. The display is to help future travelers get ready for their next trip to the airport.
The most common items confiscated by TSA agents at airports are shampoo, sunscreen, toothpaste, aerosol cans, drill bits and razor blades.
This week, agents said they even confiscated a shovel.
Spring break travel is expected to be up 7 percent at DTW this year, which means TSA will be busy. But what really takes up their time is when people pack prohibited items.
Mark Howell, of TSA, said people who accidentally forget they have pocket knives in their carry-on bags or lotions in large bottles typically don't get in trouble if it's a mistake, but the problem is they hold up the line and create delays.
Howell said there's a tool on the TSA website that allows travelers to type in an item and find out if they can put it in a carry-on bag.
For example, a tennis racket can go in a carry-on bag, but a hammer must go in a checked bag because it could be used as a weapon.
Items confiscated by TSA are called surrendered items, and the Michigan State Surplus Office sells them to make money for the state.