The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has reversed an earlier ban on travelling with novelty Star Wars Coca-Cola bottles in luggage, after earlier concerns that they resembled hand grenades.
The bottles, sold at the “Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge” attraction at Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida, are designed to look like “thermal detonators” from the film series and, as a consequence, were initially banned under the TSA’s prohibition on travelling with replica explosives.
However, the TSA has since reversed the decision, deciding to treat the bottles instead as oversized liquid containers.
“The issue concerning Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge-themed soda bottles has recently been brought to our attention by the general public, as these items could reasonably be seen by some as replica hand grenades.
“We appreciate the concerns being raised, because replica explosives are not permitted in either carry-on or checked bags. We have completed our review, and instructed our officers to treat these as an oversized liquid,” it said in a statement.
The TSA does, however, insist that the bottles are carried in checked baggage, or emptied for carry-on, before they are allowed on the flight.
The bottle design, featuring script in the fictional Aurebesh language from Star Wars, was aimed at promoting authenticity and immersion in the Galaxy’s Edge experience, according to Matt Cooper, associate industrial designer at Coca-Cola.
“We wanted to create a package that would appear like it was pulled off a ship or left behind and repurposed as a bottle of your favorite Coca-Cola beverage – all with visual cues that keep you in the Star Wars storyline,” Cooper said.
