TSA Finds Emotional Support Snake In Carry-On Bag

TSA Finds Emotional Support Snake In Carry-On Bag

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No, no, no, no, no, no… no. Please no.

TSA finds boa constrictor in bag at Tampa Airport

While details are fairly limited, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) posted on social media about a recent find in a passenger’s carry-on bag. Specifically, security staff at Tampa International Airport (TPA) saw something suspicious-looking in a passenger’s carry-on bag as it went through the x-ray. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a four foot boa constrictor.

X-ray images of the snake the TSA detected
X-ray images of the snake the TSA detected

YOW! Presumably the bag was pulled over for secondary screening, so I wonder how that went. Did the TSA officer open the bag and discover the snake directly, or did the snake’s owner warn the officer about it before the bag was opened?

Also, honestly, who is in charge of social media at the TSA? Here’s how the incident is described:

There’s a danger noodle in that bag…

Our officers at Tampa International Airport didn’t find this hyssssssterical! Coiled up in a passenger’s carry-on was a 4’ boa constrictor! We really have no adder-ation for discovering any pet going through an x-ray machine.

Do you have asp-rations of taking a snake on a plane? Don’t get upsetti spaghetti by not understanding your airline’s rules. For instance, airlines don’t allow nope ropes in carry-on bags and only a few allow them to slither around in checked bags, if packaged correctly.

Has all this left you wanting to squeeze out more travel answers? You can always mamba on over to our friends at AskTSA! They’ll rattle out responses to your questions 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. (ET).

#Snake #BoaConstrictor #NopeRope #DangerNoodle

Admittedly the TSA’s Instagram description acknowledges that the account posts “Travel Tips & Dad Joke Hits.” They sure aren’t kidding about the dad jokes part…

Passenger claims emotional support animal defense

So, what was the passenger’s explanation for having a snake (apparently named Bartholomew) in her carry-on bag? She allegedly claimed it was her emotional support animal. Hmmm:

  • Is the snake really providing much emotional support while (cruelly) being transported in a carry-on bag?
  • She apparently didn’t get the memo that emotional support animals are no longer allowed, as they’ve been replaced by psychiatric support animals (though they’re generally limited to dogs and miniature horses)

For all the things that the TSA fails to stop in carry-on bags, thank goodness that they found this. For one, it’s cruel to try to transport a snake (or any other animal) in a carry-on. Furthermore, as someone who is terrified of snakes, I sure wouldn’t want this snake getting loose on a plane.

Come and think of it, didn’t a snake end up slithering through the cabin on a flight from Tampa a few months back? Was that a coincidence, or did the same traveler just get away with it last time?

Bottom line

While the TSA finds all kinds of prohibited items in carry-on bags, a boa constrictor is next level. A woman recently tried to travel from Tampa with one, claiming it was an emotional support animal. Thank goodness she was caught.

What do you make of this near “snakes on a plane” incident?

Conversations (11)
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  1. iamhere Guest

    Prove it. Airlines I thought these days require that the passenger proves the need for the support animal after too many people took advantage. This harms and inconveniences those that really need it. Some airlines limited the types of animals that could be support animals too.

  2. MoJoe Diamond

    Glad they caught it (the snake) before it was brought on board. If she had let it out during the flight, could very possibly have caused panic on the plane. As to her defense of an "emotional support animal", there are plenty of people who would bring aboard an "emotional support gun" with them if they could (and they would be dead serious about the "emotional support" part).

  3. glenn t Diamond

    A woman needing a boa constrictor for emotional support?? Oh pleeeze.......
    She is in serious need of psychiatric help.
    In the meantime she should go on a national no-fly list.
    She is a menace and high risk person on many levels.
    It is also totally inappropriate for the TSA idiot to make light of what could have been a catastrophic airport or in-air situation.

  4. M. Perry Guest

    A soft sided dark enclosure is a perfectly acceptable way to transport a snake. Also, unless you’re rummaging through other people’s things, it’s unlikely that anyone would ever know of it’s presence. And for clarification, that is a boop noodle, not a danger noodle.

    1. Kelley P Diamond

      yeah, but you should NOT run live creatures through the TSA xray machines!!!

    2. glenn t Diamond

      Except humans that is...

  5. TransWorldOne Guest

    Not a fan of TSA and law enforcement social media accounts that try to be funny and make everything into a joke.

  6. LEGALIZE ALL DRUGS Guest

    TSA has never caught a terrorist. Airport security needs a massive overhaul and I am unopposed to removing all security checkpoints.

    1. LEGALIZE ALL DRUGS Guest

      Just keep the cockpit door locked. That's the only security measure that actually makes a goddamn difference.

    2. ConcordeBoy Diamond

      "TSA has never caught a terrorist."

      Not true at all. Easy examples being the morons who purposely attempt to bring loaded handguns through airport security on the anniversaries of 9/11.

    3. BAN ALL DRUGS Guest

      Why, so you can smuggle drugs everywhere?
      Your a drug mule, aren’t you??

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

ConcordeBoy Diamond

"TSA has never caught a terrorist." Not true at all. Easy examples being the morons who purposely attempt to bring loaded handguns through airport security on the anniversaries of 9/11.

7
BAN ALL DRUGS Guest

Why, so you can smuggle drugs everywhere? Your a drug mule, aren’t you??

3
M. Perry Guest

A soft sided dark enclosure is a perfectly acceptable way to transport a snake. Also, unless you’re rummaging through other people’s things, it’s unlikely that anyone would ever know of it’s presence. And for clarification, that is a boop noodle, not a danger noodle.

2
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