Safety devices may equal holiday hassle

In light of the Baton Rouge Serial Killer many of Southeast Louisiana female residents have armed themselves with safety weapons such as mace, pepper spray and tazor guns.
However, these safety devices will cause holiday hassle if armed females choose to travel via Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.
According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Stakeholder Liaison Jonathon Buckles, Baton Rouge has a large college community traveling for the holidays and those persons carrying such safety devices will be stopped by airport security.
“I recommend that if at all possible to leave these safety devices in your car, at home or in your dorm room. However, if the safety device is needed by the individual then they should pack it into the luggage that is going under the plane because it is not considered a weapon if it is under the plane,” Buckles.
Since October 7, the United Sates has federalized airport travel in the wake of September 11, 2001 and many university athletic teams and students weren’t aware of the new policies regarding safety devices.
Federal mandates now require air travelers who keep safety devices on their key chain, in a purse or bag to remove them or they will be confiscated by security.
Buckles said travelers will have the option of returning the object to their car, giving it to the person that dropped them off, placing it in the luggage that goes under the plane at the counter, or leaving it at checkpoint.
“Items left at checkpoint will not be returned to traveler,” said Buckles.
To deter these holiday hassles, TSA has launched a web site for air passengers to educate themselves on new safety procedures and acquire useful travel tips.
Air passengers can go to www.TSA.traveltips.us or www.tsa.gov to learn what can be expected at airports and tips on how to move through security checkpoints quickly and smoothly.