Sourced from NYT | July 22, 2022 by Kasia Pilat

Can you bring safety pins in your carry-on? How about a pool cue? Or a snow globe?

The answers to those questions in that order are: yes, no, and it's complicated.

Elyse Welles was traveling from Athens to Newark this Spring when it finally happened. Pulled aside for additional security screening at her gate, agents began searching through Ms. Welle's backpack and eventually grabbed a bullet-shaped vibrator from the bag and held it in the air. "Is this an e-cigarette?" the agent asked. "No, it's a sex toy," she responded with a smile. Her personal items were promptly returned to her and she was free to go.

Ms. Welles had never once given a second thought to traveling with her vibrator in her bag.

While sex toys are accepted on carry-on luggage in most countries, there are certain restrictions when it comes to e-cigarettes on flights — because such devices can catch fire in transit.

As the number of air travelers rises to almost near pre-pandemic levels, so are questions about flying protocols and rules. For instance: Is guacamole a solid or liquid? (Answer: It's a gel, and falls under the same restrictions as liquids and is therefore not allowed in your carry-on — unless it's inside a 3.4-ounce container.

In regards to vibrators, they are allowed according to the Transportation Security Administration. There are also ways to reduce the chance of uncomfortable encounters, especially if something starts buzzing. It's best to remove the batteries of rechargeable toys before packing them, or put them inside a hard case so the power button has less of a chance of being pressed when pressure is applied to the bag. There are also now vibrators with built-in travel settings to prevent them from going off at any given moment, like the Surge silicone rechargeable vibrator, which also comes with a built-in travel lock.

What's the liquid rule again?

The most common mistake people make in terms of prohibited items at airports are large liquids, gels, and aerosols in their carry-ons. TSA's widely publicized 3-1-1 rule dictates that passengers may travel with liquids, gels, and aerosols — as long as they are in 3.4-ounce containers inside of another one-quart size resealable bag. So while a bottle of water won't make it through a preflight screening, what about something in the more nebulous categories, like jars of peanut butter?

The general rule of thumb is that if you can spill it, spread it, spray it, pump it or pour it, then it is a liquid, gel, or aerosol. This is why the Magic 8 Ball, a liquid-filled toy, is not allowed through a T.S.A checkpoint. Same goes for a snow globe! Unless of course, it's small enough to fit inside a traveler's 3-1-1- bag…

The 3-1-1 rule was imposed after terrorists in Britain tried to sneak liquid explosives onto planes in August 2006. It's these kinds of explosives that dogs are searching for when they sniff passenger bags at airports.

Cool. So… Is it OK to fly with weed now?

Even though the T.S.A is not looking for drugs, it doesn't mean the agents never find them. T.S.A officers are required to report suspected violations of law to the police. While marijuana is legalized for recreational use in 19 states and for medical use in 37 states, it's still illegal under federal law and is therefore restricted on airplanes — even if it is legal in both the departure and destination states. Good to know!

I bought a plant on my trip. Can I take it home?

Plant lovers who want to fly home with a new addition to their home should know that plants are allowed on domestic flights — as long as they fit inside the overhead bin or underneath an airplane seat, according to the T.S.A website.

Returning with potted plants from abroad is prohibited, though a limited number of bare-root plants (ie; not in soil) are allowed, as long as they meet certain criteria set by the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

For travelers needing more clarifications, the T.S.A has an extensive searchable list to look up whichever items that they are concerned about bringing.

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