All rules cease to exist the moment you step foot in an airport. Dressing like Lord Farquaad to catch a flight? No biggie. Chowing down on your third beer at 7 AM? Totally acceptable. Bringing a pizza box as your carry-on? Go ahead, you legend.
Don’t believe us? Just take a look at all of the strangest moments captured in airports that we at Bored Panda gathered from the depths of the internet. Be prepared to take off on a bizarre adventure, and don’t forget to share your thoughts on it down below!
While you’re at it, make sure to check out a conversation with an experienced traveler and blogger, Apeksha Shah, and travel specialist and owner of Where to Next Travel, Amy Zainfeld, who kindly agreed to share the weird moments they witnessed while trying to catch a flight.
#1 The Best Thing To Happen In An Airport, Ever
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#2 A Sign Outside An Airport In Helsinki, Finland
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#3 This Pilot Was Flying His Retirement Flight And Wanted To Look Special And He Did
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Experienced traveler and blogger who has visited 39 countries, Apeksha Shah, tells Bored Panda, “Airport antics start from literally checking in till baggage collection. Some small classic scenarios that I usually encounter would be someone trying to fit an oversized suitcase into an overhead bin meant for a bag half its size, much to the amusement of fellow passengers.”
A more extremely bizarre moment she recalls is a person falling onto a conveyor belt and being unable to get out. “Also, an airport is a place where people are usually either too dressed up or are literally in their pajamas, directly from their beds. I have encountered people literally carrying inflatable dinosaurs along, dressing up like superheroes or anime characters - these sights are not frequent,” she shared with us.
#4 Buffalo Airport Hires Service Dogs For Passengers To Pet. 13/10 Would Pet Again
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#5 My Dad Bumped Into His Doppelganger At The Airport In Newark
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#6 London Heathrow Airport, May 4th 2018. May The Fourth Be With You, Well Played
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Incidents that she sees happening more frequently are often due to language barriers, “sometimes very hilarious, and which even get chaotic at times.”
According to Apeksha, immigration also seems to result in comical situations. “Failure of a person to understand the immigration process, like scanning of passport and thumb impressions, actually led to an immigration officer literally leaving his place and guiding the person through, which was quite amusing and somewhat comical with the reactions and expressions from the officer.”
She adds, “People have been found sleeping in creative places, one that I encountered was curled up on the floor under the seats in an airport."
#7 The TSA Dog At The Airport "Confiscated" A Ball From Someone's Bag And Wouldn't Give It Back
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Meanwhile, travel specialist and owner of trip planning agency Where to Next Travel, Amy Zainfeld, shares that she sees weird and random things in airports on a regular. "I've seen many dogs flying as passengers, once I saw a pampered dog in first class with her own seat, meal, and entertainment."
#8 Flight To Cancun Was Delayed After 3 Hours For Plane Issues. Everyone Is Angry. This Guy Just Gets On The Floor And Plays Cars With His Son. I Can't Be Mad Anymore
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#9 Workers At Prague Airport Having Fun
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When asked why Apeksha thinks such bizarre moments are often witnessed at airports, the need for public attention was the first reason she mentioned. “Also, we cannot deny the fact that the anonymity where people are surrounded by strangers they likely won't see again, can encourage them to dress up like this, as airports have relaxed social norms.
Thirdly, I feel people travel through different time zones. So the disrupted routine of a traveler's internal clock might be the reason for drinking at 7 am. Additionally, many people feel stressed by air travel. The primary reasons are adhering to tight schedules, enduring long waits, and navigating through securities and customs.”
#10 New Zealand Airport
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Amy believes that weird things happen at airports because people see them as a neutral third place, "not home, not work or school, where they can feel comfortable letting their freak flag fly. Also, when you travel, there are no rules, no sense of time, calories, or money on the travel day, especially. When you enter an airport, all rules go out the window," she explains.
#11 Denver Airport Mocking Conspiracy Theorists
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#12 Maybe The Whole World Just Needs A Few Airport Beers
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Apekshaa, as well as Amy believe that weird airport antics definitely make the airport a fun place to be. “Watching people amidst the hustle and bustle of travel has a quirky charm, and there's always room for a bit of laughter and human connection. These lighthearted moments might also give a routine break to the staff, making the atmosphere more free and light," said Apeksha.
#13 Airport Raccoon
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#14 Flying Is Rarely Fun, But These Two Strangers Put A Smile On My Face For Our 6 AM Flight
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#15 This Puppy At The Airport Yesterday
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Even though some airport weirdness can brighten the day of any traveler or staff member, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reminds us that it can sometimes become a threat to our safety. In 2022, the organization released a video listing the top 10 most bizarre catches of the year that people tried to smuggle through security.
In the honorable tenth place are crutches stuffed with soiled banknotes. They were discovered by agents at El Paso International Airport in Texas. “It's hard to imagine someone thinking this idea did not stink,” the TSA said in the video.
#16 The Best Way To Never Lose Luggage
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#17 Atlanta International Airport Ad. Thanks For The Anxiety
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#18 This Sofa In Stockholm Airport That Looks Like A Baggage Carousel With "Suitcase" Cushions
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The ninth catch was an inert grenade (one that doesn’t explode) at General Mitchell International Airport in Wisconsin. Before it was discovered to be an imitation, the bomb squad was called in for help. The passenger said in a statement at the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office that he had purchased it at an air show.
The eighth peculiar find was three electric cattle prods (sticks used to make livestock move by striking or poking them) packed inside a carry-on guitar case at Dulles International Airport in Virginia. TSA’s spokesperson said he was allowed to relocate them in a checked bag, however, passengers definitely can’t carry such items into an aircraft’s cabin.
#19 My Local Airport Was De-Icing The Frozen Plane
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#20 All Shapes Welcome At The Jacksonville Airport Bathroom
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#21 Who Is This Dude?
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The next one was a firearm stashed inside a PlayStation console. The agent who found it noticed it in an odd X-ray picture. “This isn’t a game…” wrote TSA on their Instagram account. “Our officers at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport powered down this passenger’s poor packing choice. It’s never an idea rated E for everyone to pack firearm parts or guns in a carry-on bag.”
They also noted, ”Without going into graphic detail, gun parts, firearms, and ammunition must be placed in checked bags. You’ll control your travel destiny by declaring these items with your airline and ensuring they are packaged properly.”
#22 Special Arrival At Sydney Airport For Tonight
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#23 Someone Checked In A Stick At The Airport
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#24 Delta Wins Tonight. Pizza For A Delayed Flight, Minneapolis
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From fifth to second place, the list is occupied by weapons concealed inside various objects. A knife was hidden in a laptop at Richmond International Airport. Meanwhile, several firearms were stashed in medical arm sling, jars of peanut butter, and even a raw chicken. The former discovery was made in November, nearing Thanksgiving, which prompted TSA agents to write about it in a pun-filled post.
“The plot chickens as we barrel our way closer to Thanksgiving. For us, it’s a time to be thankful that our officers are always working around the cluck to keep you safe. Take for instance this “hen you believe it?” find at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
We hate to beak it to you here, but stuffing a firearm in your holiday bird for travel is just a baste of time. This idea wasn’t even half-baked; it was raw, greasy, and obviously unsupervised. The only roast happening here is this poor packing choice!”
#25 New Chitose, Sapporo Airport Crew Gave Everyone A Warm Welcome Last Christmas
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#26 Porter Being A Very Good Boy At The Airport
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#27 Charlotte Airport Has Rocking Chairs
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Can you guess what catch took first place? If you said 12,000 pills made of illegal substances hidden inside "Sweetarts," "Skittles," and “Whoppers” candy boxes, you would be right! Such a discovery was made at Los Angeles International Airport. The suspect was able to escape before being detained by law enforcement but has been identified, according to the LA Sheriff’s Department.
#28 Jersey Airport Smoke Shaming
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#29 When Benches Are Too Hard To Sleep On At The Airport
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#30 An Airport Lounge Has Instructions On Building A Paper Plane
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#31 When Someone Takes "Sleeping At The Airport" To A Whole New Level
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#32 This Airport Waiting Area Has A Slide
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#33 Baby Skateboarding At An Airport
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#34 At Jacksonville International Airport, Each Airline Decorated A Tree. Had To Laugh At The Effort Allegiant Put Into Theirs
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#35 In Honor Of The Anniversary Of The Last Bag Of Peanuts Offered On A Southwest Flight, Orlando International Airport Set Up This Exhibit To Honor A Relic Of Airplane Food History
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#36 Seen At Saskatoon Airport. I Think They Got Their Point Across
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#37 Airport Breastfeeding Suite Uses 8008 As A Passcode
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#38 Things Not To Try And Take Through Newcastle International Airport Security, Number 1: Sword
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#39 Not Getting The Coronavirus. Spotted At The Atlanta Airport
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#40 A Friend Of Mine Saw This Traveler And His Falcons At Doha Airport In Qatar
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#41 I Think They Are Recording Us, Bremen Airport
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#42 These Shoes I Saw At The Airport In Trinidad
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#43 The Airport In Portland, Oregon Has Giant Sticky Notes While They're Undergoing Construction
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#44 Apparently Booked A Business Trip On A Furry Flight. I Feel Like I’ve Entered A Different Dimension
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#45 I'd Bet Some % Of People End Up Clicking Yes By Mistake. Wonder What Happens Then?
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#46 Dude Going Through Airport Security Had 2 Pizzas As Carry-Ons
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#47 Two Stalls, One Roll. I Guess DFW Airport Wants Me To Fight This Guy
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#48 The Toilet Door Was Broken At The Airport, So I Decided To Use My Brain For Once
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#49 I'm Sorry Sir, That Is Not How You Go Through Security
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#50 Delta Passenger Put Down Mattress And Goes To Sleep At The Gate
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