This Otherwise Positive Personality Trait Might Have TSA Agents Looking At You Twice

The best — and most obvious — way to avoid getting flagged by TSA when traveling is to follow the rules and not pack any potentially dangerous goods. Unfortunately, it's not always that simple. Your appearance and behavior could raise suspicions in airport security, no matter how harmless you may be. Wearing layers of baggy clothes and even involuntary reflexes such as yawning could get you flagged by TSA. Surprisingly, behaviors that are often viewed positively can also give security officers pause.

If you have the gift of gab and don't shy away from small talk, you might make friends and win people over easily. However, don't expect TSA agents to appreciate your extroversion the same way. Being too talkative to the screening officers, asking about their day or sharing unsolicited details about your upcoming trip, can be interpreted as a warning sign. Even if your intentions are friendly and completely benign, you could be given an extra pat-down or bag search for your chattiness.

Friendliness is often considered a positive personality trait, but airport security officers see something else when a traveler is outgoing. As Jeffrey Price (a security trainer for the American Association of Airport Executives and a professor of airport management) shared with Reader's Digest, "Many criminals try to avert the attention of security agents using this approach. [...] So being overly talkative may be a red flag." Yes, even if you just meant to be sociable, your chit-chat could make you look like a criminal to TSA staff.

When you're overly talkative, you also run the risk of accidentally saying the wrong thing or bringing up a taboo topic. For example, you might make a joke about bombs or remark that the medication in your suitcase isn't an illegal drug, despite not being asked about it by the officer. These and similar comments can quickly get you flagged, and you may be forced to undergo additional airport screening or even be detained and denied entry to the gates.

Service workers in many fields, from restaurants to retail shops, might appreciate you taking the time to chat and be friendly. But remember that airport security lines can be stressful, and the TSA agents working them are busy people. In fact, U.S. airport security officers screen a total of between 2 million and 3 million passengers during a typical travel day, according to TSA data. With this stat in mind, you're better off biting your tongue and letting TSA employees focus on their job.

Of course, this doesn't mean you shouldn't be polite. Aggressiveness and antisocial behavior will also raise eyebrows in the security checkpoint and could trigger additional screening. Remain calm and relaxed, and if an agent asks you a question or needs you to open your luggage for inspection, respectfully follow their orders.

There's also no need to completely ignore TSA agents when going through security. Keeping your head down might make you stand out, and avoiding eye contact with airport officers can make you seem suspect. Though it might sound like a lot to keep track of, airport screenings don't have to be complicated. Act natural, keep conversation to a minimum, and follow directions given to you by the security staff to get to your gate without hassle.