Pepper Spray Doesn’t Go On Vacation: Don’t Bring it to the Airport

One disadvantage to carrying pepper spray on your keyring is that sometimes you can forget that you are carrying it. That is, you forget until you are attempting to board an aircraft and find yourself in possession of a weapon that is being confiscated.

Pepper spray is an item that will not pass through the security check at an airport and should be left at home to avoid unnecessary delays. Also, some airports have facilities for travelers to mail items that could not pass security to themselves (or another secure address) but even that is not foolproof. Items sometimes get lost in the mail, which isn’t much better than being confiscated.

Pepper spray may not be the most costly of self defense weapons, but your investment is lost if it is confiscated at the airport security check.

It is also not recommended to pack pepper spray in checked baggage as the fluctuations in pressure in the luggage hold (which is not pressurized like the airplane cabin) can cause pressurized canisters to explode. That is a danger to luggage handlers, who could be overwhelmed by several doses of pepper spray at once, and to fellow passengers, who may inhale some of the pepper spray that could escape into the main cabin of the aircraft.

If concerned about safety measures while on vacation, consider purchasing a small canister of pepper spray at your destination. Purchasing at your destination will also allow you to be aware of any restrictions on carrying pepper spray in that specific location.