Fans of the Transportation Security Administration ’s ( TSA ) social medium pages — particularly itsInstagramaccount , which has more than 820,000 follower — know and love Bob Burns ’s witticism , even if they do n’t know his name . The airdrome screener - turn - social media maven began engaging traveler around the world with his joke - out - loud message on the system ’s prescribed web log , which launched in2008 . Five twelvemonth after , in 2013 , the TSA ’s Instagram debuted . Within one week , Burns ’s uproarious captions and bizarre pictures of " demented things masses undertake to bring through the TSA checkpoint , ” as he put it in a late interview , had attracted the notice of late - Nox talk show host Jimmy Kimmel .
Today , Burns is the TSA ’s social metier lead , which means he ’s the one post the picture and coming up with the legend that on a regular basis make you chuckle . In less than five years , the account has gained more than 800,000 followers , one - upped Beyoncé , and helped myriad air hose passenger detain safe and prepared while travel .
In a Facebook Liveinterviewon Monday , December 18 , Burns shared some of his favorite airport anecdotes , pop the question advice on how to construct a societal medium following , and busted some common myths about his organisation .
1. BURNS BECAME INSTA-FAMOUS BY POSTING “INTERESTING CONTENT,” BUT SHOCK VALUE DIDN’T HURT.
Burns , who initially start out his vocation with the Transportation Security Administration in 2002 as a screener , “ never would ’ve guess in a million age that my job would lead me to being a social media specializer for a governmental organization , ” he said . With no official training in social culture medium , he attributed his succeeder to shock time value , state that “ the great unwashed do n’t come to a government Instagram account and anticipate to see humor . " The TSA ’s external reach and , above all , strong content have also helped the account develop a dedicated following .
Burns propose aspiring societal medium mavens to “ make your content interesting . Choose pictures that are belong to get people ’s chemical reaction and make them comment , and do n’t just mail because you feel like you have to send something . ”
2. TSA OFFICERS DON’T TAKE (OR POST) THE TSA’S INSTAGRAM PHOTOS.
“ Some masses think we have our officers taking pictures and just post them to Instagram , which is not the typeface , ” Burns aver . “ I ca n’t imagine the kinds of things we ’d see if we did that . I have access to all the incident reports , so I can kind of cherry tree - pick the best motion picture and deal the best depicted object . ”
3. THE CARRY-ON ITEMS AREN’T FAKE, EITHER.
" Some masses will actually enquire , ‘ Was this a exam ? Were you testing your employee ? ’ ” Burns said . “ No , we do n’t post those kinds of things on our Instagram account . Everything we post is really something that someone tried to bring on a plane . ”
4. A LIFE-SIZED FAKE CORPSE AND A SANDWICH SLICER ARE JUST TWO OF THE STRANGER ITEMS PEOPLE HAVE TRIED TO GET PAST AIRPORT SECURITY.
When asked about his favorite checkpoint mishap , Burns recalled the time someone tried to bring a sandwich slicer through security , “ like the one you see in a deli , ” Burns said . “ It ’s got the huge steel on it that spins around and write out super thin slice of roast beef . “
Another time , someone tried to bring amovie propfromThe Texas Chainsaw Massacreonto a plane . “ This cat ’s going around the aerodrome with this sprightliness - size clay in a wheelchair , bicycle it around the drome , ” Burns recalled .
5. PEOPLE REGULARLY BRING GUNS AND KNIVES THROUGH SECURITY.
“ Knives are always a daily natural event , ” Burns said . “ Firearms are pretty much almost always a casual occurrent . ”
The TSA observe around 70 guns per week in carry - on bags , “ and the absolute majority of those are charge , ” Burns says . " The principal understanding is , ‘ I draw a blank it was there . ’ My favorite [ apology was when ] someone blamed it on their mom … ‘ My mom put it in my bag . ' It ’s like , ‘ What kind of female parent do you have ? ! ’ "
burn surmise that some traveller “ might think if they have a conceal and carry permit , that take into account them to bring it on the plane , which is not the character , ” he explained . “ No firearms whatsoever . But you may travel with them in checked luggage , as long as you succeed our procedures , which you may find attsa.gov . ”
6. THE TSA DOESN’T CONFISCATE BIZARRE ITEMS.
Contrary to popular notion , “ we do n’t attach anything , ” Burns said . “ We give travelers options . If you have time , you may take it out to your cable car . You could in reality put it in your mark bag and have it shipped to you . If you have somebody waiting for you , you could take it out to them and they can get it to you at a belated date . We give everyone all the options we can to allow them to keep the item as long as it ’s not a piece . ”
And yes , that include the sandwich slicer . “ We essay to allow you keep your sandwich slicer , ” Burns add up . “ We fuck you involve to slice your meat . "
7. AT LEAST ONE PERSON ACCIDENTALLY PACKED A PET.
One time , military officer opened up a check bag and “ a Chihuahua popped out , ” Burns said . “ Imagine the police officer ’s face when that happen . But it turn out the Chihuahua occur to just crawl into the bag when the woman was packing . She did n’t know , and she zipped up the bag and it was n’t a dribble - on udder , it was a checked cup of tea . ”
The Chihuahua incident was eternalize on the TSA’sInstagram page . ( Not astonishingly , the dog was “ not happy ” in the photo , Burns said . )
