Woman shares why you shouldn't carry a particular self-defense item on flight to get through TSA

Preparing for a trip or taking a flight for any other purpose is no mean feat. There are several rules and regulations that a person might be unaware of, especially if the rules have been tweaked recently for security purposes or to better manage people's concerns during a flight. A woman on TikTok who travels quite frequently shared an item that people shouldn't carry if they want to get through airport TSA without a hiccup. The item, according to Tayler Gill who goes by @travelingtayler on the platform, is used for self-defense.

Tayler shared how there has been an uptick in the use of this prohibited item. Especially in the upstate New York area, but also around other parts of the US. "Can you guess what this is," Gill asked, hiding the item behind her head with the help of a green screen. "Cat eyes," the woman revealed showing a photo of three types of the said item which looks like a normal keychain at first glance. The item that looked like a cat's face has sharp ears that can be used as a weapon and the eyes have holes, allowing a person to wear them around their knuckles if they need to use them.

In the text and photo Gill shared the item was likened to brass knuckles. The text explained how these were banned from carry-on bags in 2023. Hence, you could get stopped at TSA, if you are carrying one in your bag for any reason. "Although I really like this purple one, it's really cute," the woman said pointing at a shiny purple pair of cat eyes. "It is considered like a brass knuckle, club-like item, it is essentially a weapon." She explained, "You cannot take this in your carry-on. So, just be careful while you are packing. If you keep this in your purse for protection or something, just know that you can't take it on a plane."

Gill captioned the post, "I’m gonna be honest I had never even heard of these before but apparently they’re becoming a problem." The woman told the Daily Dot, "Packing is like second nature to me at this point, but I get a lot of first-time flyers who watch my videos who are anxious for their upcoming trip. They genuinely want to do their best but it’s a lot of information and they don’t always know where to find it. So whenever I run across any of these articles I like to share them, not only because I find it interesting, but also because it could help someone have a better airport experience." 

People took to the comments section of the video to express their opinions on the situation. @cre8ingwords572 wrote, "A lot of self-defense tools aren't allowed on planes. It's still smart to keep one close by for most days. We just have to make sure they aren't there for flights." @okkayechaos commented, "I've seen an uptick in self-defense jewelry over the last couple of years. Maybe something more discreet like that. I remember a ring that the accent pops off and it's a tiny sharp blade inside." @didiget2u remarked, "I always forget my stabby cat is on my keys and I tried to walk into a courthouse. They were so mad at me, they took it and I had to collect it afterward." @celestialcrabb shared, "Used to have one of these, it was in a girlie goodie bag from a Passion Party I went to. Kept it on my keys for years. In and out of court, school, etc. Finally got it taken by a subway rent a cop."

You can follow Tayler Gill (@travelingtayler) on TikTok for more travel-related content.