What makes TSA suspicious?

Fidgeting, whistling, and sweaty palms are just a few of the signs listed in a confidential document to help TSA officers nab would-be terrorists.



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17 Reasons You Could Get Flagged by TSA
  • What does it mean to get “flagged” by TSA?
  • Tripping the system during a background check.
  • Showing signs of nervousness.
  • Traveling with too much cash money.
  • Bringing large containers of powder.
  • Medications.
  • Bringing odd or complex objects.
  • Trying to transport drugs.


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“TSA officers are really focused on looking for any possible explosives, and that's really what we're focused on because that could cause a catastrophic incident on an aircraft, said Farbstein.

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If you're using a lock that isn't approved by TSA, agents have the authority to break open that lock to search through a bag. If you're carrying your valuables with you in your carry-on bags, and you don't have anything really valuable in your checked luggage, then you may not need to use a luggage lock.

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When drugs are confiscated in airports, TSA officers usually refer to law enforcement to secure the confiscated substances and store them in a warehouse known as a crime laboratory. Here, the drugs will be tested, organized, and shelved for trials.

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There are signs that will indicate you have been flagged for additional screenings: You were not able to print a boarding pass from an airline ticketing kiosk or from the internet. You were denied or delayed boarding. A ticket agent “called someone” before handing you a boarding pass.

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Airport body scanners alert the TSO to threats—mainly weapons such as knives, guns and explosives. They are designed to detect “metallic and nonmetallic threat items,” according to the TSA. Those are things like explosives or knives made out of materials other than metal, like ceramics, says Malvini Redden.

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Does TSA check everyone? Please note: TSA uses unpredictable security measures, both seen and unseen, throughout the airport. All travelers will be screened, and no individual is guaranteed expedited screening.

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Various nitrates are often used in the making of explosives (e.g., trinitrotoluene, a.k.a. TNT) and they're checking to see if you've been handling any recently. I find it interesting that they were checking hands—perhaps that's more accurate than some of the other sampling sites they've used in the past.

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Security or immigration violations Some violations could result in denial, suspension or revocation, especially if there are criminal implications. Examples include assault, threat, intimidation or interference with a flight crew. Immigration violations are taken seriously, too.

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The TSA began increasing the number of random checks for Clear customers after a security incident in July 2022, but starting this month, more Clear customers will be subject to additional scrutiny, a change that erodes one of the company's key selling points: the ability to move quickly through security while avoiding ...

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When a body scanner repeatedly highlights a specific area, such as the crotch, it may be due to a variety of factors, including: Clothing and Fabric: Certain types of clothing, fabrics, or folds in clothing can create the appearance of an anomaly in the crotch area on the scanner's image.

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Suspicious activity is any observed behavior that could indicate a person may be involved in a crime or about to commit a crime.

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Specialized scanners can alert airport personnel to the presence of drugs and narcotics in luggage. Typically, this is because illegal drugs have a different density than most standard objects in luggage. If an unusually dense object is detected in someone's luggage, it will be flagged and investigated.

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As a bag scanned goes through the scanner, it absorbs radiation energy from the X-ray. The density of contraband such as drugs is very well known, and is easy to spot by airport security.

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