Back before airplanes were seen as weapons of mass destruction, the airport and plane experience in the United States was very different. Friends and family could go all the way to the gate to wait for arrivals or to see someone off.
Minimal security and no screenings for anyone or anything that wasn’t actually carrying a ticket to fly.
Even so, in the 1990s a local businessman in my area decided to “joke” with the ticket agent at our small rural airport that he had a bomb in his luggage. After a psychiatric hold and FBI interview, the jokester hopefully learned his lesson.
Some people are like that—thinking anytime is a good time for a “funny” answer to a serious question and have to be told to hold their tongues—something common sense takes care of for the rest of us.
After 9/11, our travel briefings for my federal job included a list of words to not say anywhere in or around an airport and a strict “no joking” directive.
A traveler whose friend apparently needed that same briefing turned to the “Am I The A**Hole” (AITAH) subReddit for feedback after said friend’s airport joke lead to the inevitable consequences.
Similar to AITA, the AITAH subReddit allows posters to ask for advice and post about ending romantic relationships—both things that are banned on AITA. However there are no required voting acronyms—only suggested ones—and no official final judgment declared.
ContentEast5517 asked:
“AITAH for ditching my friend at the airport for doing a stupid prank?”
The original poster (OP) explained:
“I went overseas with two friends—we live in the United States. One of them was having her partner pick her up when we got back home and I was the ride home for the other friend—we are about an hour away from the airport.”
“He had the bright idea to ‘joke’ when going through U.S. customs and immigration that when the officer asked where we were coming from, he thought it’d be real funny to tell him ‘North Korea’.”
“We went to Seoul, South Korea.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: There are strict restrictions on travel from the United States of America to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). U.S. passports are invalid for traveling to DPRK/North Korea and U.S. citizens can be subject to legal penalties for attempting to visit the country without a special exception granted by the State Department.
“So we all get pulled back into secondary questioning because of this dumba**.”
“They let me and my other friend out of the detention area when we showed our passports, itinerary, and credit card activity showing we had been in Seoul, South Korea, the entire time. Then they let us go.”
“They kept the moron back for about 2-3 hours before letting him go.”
“But I just went straight home and refused to wait for him. It was late at night—even later by the time they let him go, so he claimed he had to get a hotel by the airport then rent a car to get back home.”
“I have no idea if that really happened or if he’s just trying to make me feel bad. We’re talking about a dude who thought it was funny to joke about going to North Korea with US customs and immigration, so who the f*ck knows what’s in his dumba** head?”
“He said I should’ve waited for him.”
“I said, ‘play stupid games, win stupid prizes, you’re lucky you didn’t go to prison or have passport revoked’.”
“AITAH?”
Some Redditors weighed in by using the AITA voting acronyms:
- NTA – Not The A**hole
- YTA – You’re The A**hole
- NAH – No A**holes Here
- ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
Redditors decided the OP was under no obligation to wait around an airport late atnight because their friend decided to be funny at the least appropriate time (NTA).
“For me, the top two situations for not ever pulling a prank would be:”
“At the airport.”
“When being held at gunpoint.”
“In that order. You are NTA.” ~ StopSpinningLikeThat
“It’s not like there aren’t multiple TV shows from a number of countries featuring what happens when you lie to or omit information at border crossings, quarantine checks and when going through customs.” ~ Pokeynono
“Definitely not the a**hole! What a POS. I would have ditched him and blocked him too.” ~ PenAdmirable9235
“What an utterly imbecilic thing to do.”
“You did exactly the right thing. He already got you pulled into secondary and wasted your time with his immature stupidity. Then he expects you to hang around for another 3 hours?”
“He’s lucky his moronic @ss wasn’t sat in a jail cell all night.” ~ Wise_Session_5370
“Not that it matters, but OP didn’t know how long this imbecile was going to be held. For all OP knew, ‘friend’ was on the way to a holding cell, and sitting around for hours would have been futile. Leaving was the best bet for all the reasons others have stated. NTA.” ~ No-Parsley-9280
“Considering North Korea is on the OFAC list, you and your friends are lucky not to be added to some ‘watchlist’ now. I hope nothing like that has happened. Your ‘friend’ is dangerous if he thinks this is a harmless prank. I’ve seen worse things happen in far less egregious circumstances.” ~ TypeAwithAdhd
“When I lived in San Diego, some visiting friends and I walked over into Tijuana. On the way back across, the border agent asked my friend something, and she responded that she was an Ethiopian princess or some sh*t like that (White as the driven snow). They detained her for about an hour. Don’t f*ck around at the Mexican border or with immigration officers at an airport.” ~ AdultinginCali
“Does your friend realize he’s on lists, now?”
“Like, ‘step over to the side for additional screening’ for life, kinds of lists?”
“Like, ‘you’ve been declined for a security clearance; this government job you wanted is having the offer recinded’ kinds of lists?”
“Does this friend realize he could have put you on those lists, too?”
“Never travel with them again, if you want to be able to fly anywhere yourself.” ~ WafnaAbroad
“Absolute utter stupidity. You never, NEVER, make jokes at any immigration/border crossing.”
“And how, pray tell, were YOU supposed to know how long your friend was going to be held for questioning? What were you supposed to do, stand around waiting and begging Customs to let him go????? Ridiculous.”
“Your friend is an idiot, and your answer was perfect. NTA.” ~ busyshrew
“When my dad was in high school, he and some friends were taking a trip into the States by car from Canada. When asked what the purpose of their visit was, one of his idiot friends replied ‘international terrorism.’ The border police not only detained them but also disassembled my dad’s car and didn’t put it back together. Don’t screw around at border crossings/with immigration officers.” ~ Hand_Me_Down_Genes
“If you ever put me at risk of being placed on the no-fly list, you’re dead to me. NTA.” ~ LopsidedGreenKoala
“My uncle learned this lesson when crossing into Canada with a camping trailer. He made a joke about being from a state where weed is legal.”
“They then spent the day waiting while customs completely emptied out the trailer, took apart every sleeping bag, camping stove, etc…”
“He is a quirky retired guy with a very introverted wife, and by the time they got to my parents‘ house, my aunt had either done a lot of yelling or said nothing at all. Couldn’t tell which, and I don’t know which is scarier!”
“Your friend FAFOed, good on you for not wasting your time waiting!” ~ IntrovertedGiraffe
“NTA. Friend better have some pretty redeeming qualities, or I would be done with him. Who needs this kind of trouble?” ~ Hungry-Combination29
“North Korea? At immigration? That’s not a prank; that’s a federal-level IQ test, and your friend failed. You don’t mess around with border security. you did the smart thing leaving, if he wanted a ride, he should’ve used common sense. NTA.” ~ Short-Grab-4364
“NTA. Has he been living under a rock? Does he think customs and immigration are a thing to FAFO with right now? So incredibly stupid.” ~ Jerseygirl2468
“Lived right up at the Canadian border on the United States side for years. You do NOT prank! One dumba** I knew did, and next thing he knew, they had literally taken apart his car, and left it in pieces. They had no obligation to put it back together.” ~ Life-Education-8030
“Nope. He was stupid and made a choice that caused you and your friend stress. Honestly, I don’t know that I would still be friends with someone like this.” ~ Particular_Cycle9667
“What an idiot. In 2025, you really don’t know that you should not joke at the airport when dealing with the authorities?”
“In 200,7 a Romanian journalist, Walter Ghidibaca, decided to make a joke at the Moscow airport. When he was asked about his luggage, he claimed that he had a bomb in it. He got 8 months of hard labor.”
“The US will just send you to El Salvador, although I suspect your friend isn’t the skin tone the US government usually detains.” ~ DanABCDEFG
The OP didn’t say whether they’re still friends.
If they are, it might be best not to travel together again.