Two separate discoveries of prohibited items within 24 hours have prompted Germany’s Federal Police (BPOL) to remind air travellers to review carry-on rules before flying. According to a 25 September press release from the Erfurt Federal Police Inspectorate, officers were alerted early Thursday when X-ray staff spotted a single hunting round in a 29-year-old passenger’s rucksack. A database check confirmed the woman’s firearms licence; she was allowed to travel, but the live cartridge was confiscated. Only hours later, a routine night-shift search of checked baggage uncovered a 20-centimetre telescopic baton, categorised under German weapons law as a “Totschläger.” The 61-year-old owner, en-route to Mallorca on a holiday flight, now faces criminal proceedings for a weapons offence even though he, too, was eventually permitted to board. The twin finds come as passenger numbers at mid-sized regional airports rebound to 90 % of pre-pandemic levels. With staffing still tight, BPOL warns that every additional bag inspection risks cascading delays. Travellers—including business passengers on tight connections—are urged to check the interactive “What may I take?” tool on the Bundespolizei website and to place questionable items in checked luggage or leave them at home. For corporate mobility managers, the episode underscores the importance of pre-trip security briefings: fines can reach €10,000, and being denied boarding can invalidate non-refundable tickets, hotel bookings or visa time-windows. Firms that ship employee equipment should use freight channels rather than personal baggage to avoid similar disruptions.
Source: Bundespolizeiinspektion Erfurt
