The INSIDER Summary:
- A 20-pound lobster was found by TSA agents in a cooler during a bag check at Boston's Logan Airport.
- According to the TSA, it is legal to bring lobsters in checked luggage as long as they are properly contained.
TSA agents were in for a surprise this week when a 20-pound live lobster was found in a passenger's luggage at Boston's Logan International Airport.
TSA spokesman Michael McCarthy tweeted a photo of an agent holding the massive crustacean.
.@TSA officers are skilled at screening all sorts of items in checked baggage...including this 20+ pound lobster at @BostonLoganpic.twitter.com/euhyyO6F7V
— Michael McCarthy (@TSAmedia_MikeM) June 26, 2017The post took the internet by storm for its absurdity, but apparently no actual laws were broken. The lobster was packed in a cooler in a passenger's checked luggage, which is perfectly legal by TSA policy.
According to the TSA's website, live lobsters are, in fact, permitted to be stored in checked luggage, as long as they are housed in a "clear, plastic, spill-proof container." However, the website also noted that TSA agents will "visually inspect" any lobsters that enter a security checkpoint.
As for bringing live lobsters in your carry on bag? That depends on the airline.
In an interview with the Boston Globe, McCarthy said that lobsters are actually fairly common to find in luggage in New England, and after a standard inspection, the crustacean went on its way.