Source: KansasCity.com

Warning to Wichitans taking a Christmas present to a track-and-field star this year: Don't try to carry a discus onto the airplane. "I've had several discuses," said Dennis Copp, lead screener at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. "I've had bowling balls, golf clubs, baseball bats. I've seen it all."

And none of it got on the plane.

As airport officials brace for another rush of holiday air traffic, security screeners are getting ready for an influx of not-so-frequent fliers who are unfamiliar with security guidelines.

Keith Osborn, federal security director at Mid-Continent, said screeners are still collecting an average of 50 prohibited objects a day from travelers passing through security checkpoints.

Several weeks ago, he said, screeners found a gun inside a hollowed-out book carried by a 79-year-old woman. They also recently found a knife hidden in a woman's bra.

Osborn said most forfeited objects are the result of innocent misunderstandings. He said torch lighters, which are not allowed on commercial airplanes, are the most commonly confiscated items.

Osborn said screeners also run into quite a few travelers who didn't realize they had a knife or pair of scissors stashed in the bottom of a suitcase when they started to pack.

His advice: "Unpack your bag before you pack your bag."

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