Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers discovered two live snakes inside a checked bag at Ontario International Airport in California during October. The snakes were found inside a pillowcase within the luggage during a routine x-ray inspection.
The discovery occurred when TSA Officer Benjamin Andrade-Carillo noticed an object on the x-ray screen that appeared to be a rope. Upon manual inspection of the bag, Andrade-Carillo reported that he realized the item in his hand was alive and immediately notified a supervisor. Supervisory TSA Officer Suggey Flores stated that the pillowcase tensed and began to move during the subsequent inspection.
Following the find, TSA paused screening operations in the immediate area to address safety concerns, as officials did not initially know if the snakes were venomous. Airport police took possession of the bag and moved it to the airline ticketing area. The passenger, who identified the snakes as pets, removed them from the luggage and handed them over to a family member who was not traveling.
The Los Angeles TSA Coordination Center reported that the passenger claimed to have traveled with the pets on a different airline previously. After the snakes were removed, the TSA rescreened the luggage, and the passenger was cleared to continue their travel. TSA officials noted that while they occasionally encounter unusual items, such as live lobsters, live snakes are not a common discovery during baggage screening.
The scale of the disruption was localized to the immediate screening zone during the inspection period in October. While the TSA did not report the specific number of other travelers delayed by the pause in operations, the agency encouraged travelers to contact their specific airline carriers prior to arrival to understand individual rules and requirements for traveling with pets, as policies vary between companies.
The day-to-day takeaway for the traveling public is the enforcement of safety protocols when animals are found in checked luggage. Passengers who attempt to transport animals without following airline-specific procedures face luggage searches, potential law enforcement intervention, and the possibility of being separated from their animals at the airport. Moving forward, the TSA continues to screen checked and carry-on items using x-ray technology to identify materials that may pose safety risks to aviation.