3-2 Prohibited Items Intercepted at U.S. Airport Screening Checkpoints: 2003-2006
3-2 Prohibited Items Intercepted at U.S. Airport Screening Checkpoints: 2003-2006
| Items | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other cutting instruments | 2,973,413 | 3,567,731 | R3,276,691 | 163,408 |
| Knives | 1,961,849 | 2,058,652 | R1,822,752 | 1,607,014 |
| Incendiaries and explosive/flammable materials | 494,123 | 693,649 | R398,830 | 110,135 |
| Clubs | 25,139 | 28,813 | 20,531 | 12,295 |
| Box cutters | 20,991 | 22,350 | R21,315 | 15,998 |
| Firearms | 683 | 650 | 2,217 | 2,053 |
| Other | 638,414 | 717,754 | R10,345,260 | 11,800,215 |
| Total prohibited items | 6,114,612 | 7,089,599 | R15,887,596 | 13,711,118 |
Key: R = revised.
Notes: Other cutting instruments includes scissors, hatchets, swords, sabers, meat cleavers, ice axes, and picks. Effective Dec. 22, 2005, scissors less than 4 inches and tools less than 7 inches were no longer prohibited.
Knives includes any length and type except round-bladed, butter, and plastic cutlery.
Clubs includes martial arts items, baseball bats, night sticks, hammers, pool cues, and billy clubs.
Firearms includes any weapon (including a starter gun) that is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive, as well as spear guns, BB guns, flare pistols, compressed air guns, and stunning devices.
Effective Apr. 14, 2005, lighters were added to the list of prohibited items.
Other refers to tools, self-defense items, compressed gas cylinders, bleach, lighters, and certain sporting goods. The jump in number of other prohibited items in 2005 is a result of the inclusion of lighters as prohibited items as of Apr. 14, 2005.
Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration, personal communication, November 2007.