TSA: United made false announcement about comic book luggage ban

Don’t worry Comic-Con fans, you don’t have to remove your comic books from your checked luggage, despite what a Sunday photo circulated on Twitter suggests.

The dust-up began after a person named Adi Chappo tweeted the above, tagging United Airlines, which responded on Twitter:

The restriction on checking comic books applies to all airlines operating out of San Diego this weekend and is set by the TSA. ^MD

— United (@united) July 23, 2017

But by Monday, the Transportation Security Administration was saying that no such restriction existed.

Good afternoon. Pls note there are no TSA restrictions on checking comic books or any other types of books. https://t.co/Nu00IvcZSc

— TSA (@TSA) July 24, 2017

Lorie Dankers, a TSA spokeswoman, told Ars on Monday morning that she was mystified as to how United could get this policy wrong. “I don’t know how United went ahead and stated a TSA policy incorrectly,” she said. “I can say that TSA has advised in the past that if people bring several of the same type of item, it can alarm the checked baggage screening, but there is no prohibition on bringing things that are not a security threat. In this case, comic books are not a security threat and we encourage travelers to bring them if they so choose.”

Dankers was referring to a 2016 blog post (and a more recent post, too) noting that stacks of comics “often [cause] alarms leading to bag searches which can cause a significant slowdown in the screening process leading to delays and bags possibly missing their flights.” But she clarified that this was a recommendation, not a requirement.

When Ars asked Dankers what her favorite comic book was, she said that she “had to go with Wonder Woman.”

Erin Benson, a United spokeswoman, e-mailed Ars a statement regarding this incident.

“While TSA is recommending that customers keep their comic books in their carry-on bags, there are no restrictions on packing them in checked luggage,” she wrote. “We misunderstood TSA’s instructions and regret any inconvenience this may have caused our customers.”

Ars is still waiting to hear what her favorite comic is.