Florida

Airport Officials Give Safety Tips for Holiday Travel

South Florida airport officials are warning holiday travelers about what they can and can't bring for their trips, and that includes drones and hover boards that have been purchased as gifts.

"These [drones] are not allowed at the airport in any way, shape or form, whether they are flying or coming through your checked luggage," said Greg Meyer with the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. "So while it's not a prohibited item the airlines are not allowing these on the planes."

Another hot item that has to be left at home is hover boards. Airlines worry the batteries that power them and the drones could catch on fire.

At the airport Friday, security officials laid out just a handful of the 8,000 pounds of items confiscated in the last few months.

"It's very important that you know what's in your suitcase before you head to the airport," TSA spokeswoman Sari Koshetz said.

Some common sense banned items are hand grenades, and when it comes to a handgun, don't bring it to the checkpoint even if you have the license to carry it.

"Your concealed weapons permit, which the majority of the 43 weapons holders that we got, it specifically says on the permit you can not bring your firearm to a facility like this," said Broward Sheriff's Office Airport Commander Capt. Roy Liddicott.

"You will face a civil penalty from the TSA of up to $11,000 for bringing a loaded firearm to a federal checkpoint," Koshetz said.

The weapon has to be unloaded, placed in a suitcase with the proper packaging and the airline must be notified. The other items like brass knuckles and knives, simply don't try to go on board with them.

Since so many in Florida have concealed weapon permits security experts worry that people think the rules don't apply to them, but they do. A piece of advice they have is run through a check list with your family before you leave home. Liddicott said he's heard it all when it comes to families trying to sort out after the fact what happened.

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