As Upgrade: Travel Better reported last week, the TSA reserves the rights to fine you in the event you have prohibited stuff in your carry-on luggage. The agency collected over 1.5 million dollars in fines last year, and considering the increasing security measures implemented at airports and proposed, they may opt to levy more fines. It is within their legal rights, and it would encourage people to be more vigilant.
However, there are no signs warning people of these fines and the information is not publicly known. Of course, many laws are not advised to the public and then enforced to our financial detriment. Considering the confusion associated with TSA checkpoints and the variances in policy and enforcement…they have a long way to go before they can effectively demand fines without a massive public outcry.