DIA Shows Off Contraband As Busy Travel Season Begins
DENVER (CBS4)- It may have been named the best airport in America by the Wall Street Journal, but the fact is, the Denver International Airport is under construction, which is making everything more difficult.
Passenger John Fervier found that out the hard way.
"It's a little difficult, it was confusing for the rental car bus driver who dropped us off on the other side," Fervier said while walking from inside the terminal to the outside in order to get back inside again.
If you're trying to get from here to there... well, that may not work anymore.
"We had to come outside walk down the sidewalk it's a little confusing," he said hurrying to make his plane.
Maps are posted for the best ways to get around the terminal. If you find your way to the security screening area, there are certain things the TSA wants you to know about carrying on the plane. You cannot bring grenades on the plane.
You can bring an apple pie, you cannot bring a throwing star on board, but you can bring cookies. You cannot bring swords, you can bring stuffing.
Harold McCurdy, the TSA lead officer at DIA, displayed all sorts of forbidden items on Friday.
"This one that looks like a pager is actually a stun gun," he said.
It was among the items confiscated. Guns are not allowed unless properly checked even replicas.
More than 100 people have been arrested so far this year for trying to bring contraband items on board airplanes.
McCurdy showed off another tricky item, "Here what looks like a lipstick, you remove it and it's actually a knife."
The TSA asks that you don't wrap your presents and take your snacks out of the bags. And perhaps it's best to leave your brass knuckles at home.
If you are thinking of taking the RTD A Line to DIA this weekend you should be aware it will not be running from 3 a.m. Saturday until 3 a.m. Sunday. Buses will be running those routes instead.
LINK: RTD A Line
CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.