The agency says that toy weapons that realistically resemble their real counterparts — as this Fortnite grenade apparently does — are prohibited. — Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
Airport security is not a game, a recent Fornite fan found when Logan Airport security removed a toy replica of an in-game grenade from a checked bag.
“Replica grenades are not allowed in any travel bag!” Dan Velez, the New England regional spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration, said in a Tuesday tweet. “#travelfail.”
Velez included an image of the fake grenade found Tuesday morning, which appears to be a replica of the Fortnite video game’s “Boogie Bomb.”
The Boogie Bomb is a “rare utility item... thrown like a normal grenade,” as described by a Fortnite fan site hosted on Fandom.com, “but any players inside the blast radius are forced to dance for 5 seconds or until damage is taken.”
A toy that appears to match the replica can be found in Spirit Halloween-branded packaging on online marketplaces.
The TSA says that toy guns and weapons are “generally permitted,” but they “recommend that you pack them in your checked baggage.” The agency says that toy weapons that realistically resemble their real counterparts — as this Fortnite grenade apparently does — are prohibited.
“Replicas of explosives, such as hand grenades, are prohibited in checked and carry-on baggage,” the agency writes. “TSA officers have the discretion to prohibit any item through the screening checkpoint if they believe it poses a security threat.” – Boston Herald/Tribune News Service
