TSA adds new items to the banned list — and they might be in your bathroom

If you have late summer or early fall travel plans, you’ll want to double check your checked bags. The TSA and the FAA just banned some popular hair care items from checked luggage.

Cordless hair straighteners and curlers are no longer allowed in checked bags because they contain potentially hazardous materials. In order to bring them with you while you travel, the products must be in carry-on bags. There is also a one per person limit on such items. 

“Cordless hair straighteners that contain lithium metal or lithium ion batteries or are gas or butane fueled are only allowed in carry-on bags,” a notice on the TSA website states. “A safety cover must be securely fitted over the heating element. The device must be protected from accidental activation.” 

The restriction includes cordless curling irons or flatirons containing gas cartridges, butane-fueled curling irons or flat irons, and gas refills (spare cartridges) for curling irons or flat irons. Gas cartridges and butane are already not allowed in checked luggage. The TSA also enforces restrictions on E-cigarettes, vape pens, and most electronic smoking devices, which are banned from checked bags.

The latest change is not the first to hit airports lately. In July, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it would end the “Shoes-Off” policy that passengers have grown used to during security checks. According to a press release, allowing travelers to keep their shoes on will “increase hospitality” while “leading to lower wait times.” 

DHS also recently announced that families traveling with kids will be able to move through the airport more quickly. “We are implementing new measures that will streamline hospitality for families that travel,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said at the Nashville International Airport in July.

Noem continued, “There will be expanded areas that will give them the benefit of recognizing that they have children with them, and will help make sure that we have the ability to take care of them and their families as they go through this expedited process with their kiddos.”

In addition, a line called the “Honor Lane” for uniformed members of the military will show up in more locations. The lanes, which are available at 11 airports, will be expanded across the country, most notably, near military bases.