An Official Information Act request to the Civil Aviation Authority has revealed tens of thousands of items were forfeited by southern travellers caught out by rules about what prohibited or dangerous goods are allowed on planes.
The figures cover items removed from both carry-on and checked luggage in the year to mid-November.
Aviation Security caught thousands of potential weapons carried by presumably well-intentioned travellers.
Queenstown Airport recorded 2847 prohibited items as seized, including more than 2000 blades and spikes.
In Invercargill, 330 prohibited items were relinquished by travellers, including eight explosives, a firearm and a significant number (135) of projectiles.
Security at Dunedin Airport recorded 2115 banned items, 69 of which were bludgeoning weapons.
The airport’s aviation security team donated 162 knives, 84 tools and 16 tent pegs to Mosgiel Hospice in January.
In October, a further 226 pairs of scissors were donated, along with 185 knives.
Of the 49 explosives confiscated across the region last year, 17 were imitation items, one was unknown, another was industrial and the other 30 were recreational — which encompasses fireworks and party poppers.
Thousands of dangerous goods were also prevented from going on a high-stakes vacation with their owners.
Invercargill Airport security nabbed 4117 dangerous goods, including 889 flammable items; while at Dunedin Airport, a total of 9253 items were confiscated, including 113 gas canisters and 6080 batteries.
However, Queenstown Airport took the cake for hazardous items, with 21,266 items confiscated — including a staggering 16,762 batteries.
No information was available on dangerous goods donations, as they were mostly handled by the airport if removed from carry on luggage or the airline if removed from checked bags.
When international flights reopened, it did not take long for liquids , aerosols and gels to be confiscated from travellers at Queenstown Airport at pace, with 4894 items confiscated between May and mid-November.
The total includes 1861 beverages, 1290 cosmetics, 541 items of liquid or spreadable food, 468 gels, 298 hygiene or perfume products, 30 items of medicine and 15 trade products.
Only one penalty was imposed on a traveller in relation to a seized item, with one hapless traveller in Auckland receiving a $500 fine in October for a dangerous goods offence, when they were caught with an all-season gas canister in their checked luggage.
