Ellen Pompeo’s Snack Sparks Bomb Scare At Airport

Ellen Pompeo simply proved that even a Hollywood A-lister is not proof against journey drama, particularly when snacks are concerned.

The “Grey’s Anatomy” star just lately recalled how she discovered herself caught in an sudden airport scenario that had TSA brokers on excessive alert.

What was alleged to be a routine safety examine become a scene straight out of a suspense drama after her sunflower seeds, bought from the upscale grocery retailer Erewhon, triggered a safety alarm, prompting the bomb squad to reach.

In March 2025, Pompeo discovered herself briefly detained after a bag of natural sunflower seeds she bought was flagged by TSA.

In a latest chat with Travel + Leisure, the actress recalled the incident, noting that she was held for about an hour.

“I had a bag of sunflower seeds, like natural sunflower seeds from Erewhon, in order that they have been in all probability the most costly sunflower seeds cash should purchase,” she stated. “They actually held me for an hour, they usually introduced the bomb squad in.”

Pompeo recalled being puzzled and asking what was occurring, to which the officers responded, revealing that “it was most probably a chemical on the packaging of those tremendous costly, fancy, natural, clear sunflower seeds” that triggered the search.

The 55-year-old did not need any bother and simply needed to proceed with the safety and boarding course of, so she supplied to get rid of the bag.

Nonetheless, the officers insisted that she await the bomb squad’s arrival to substantiate the bag’s contents.

The ordeal lasted for some time, inflicting Pompeo to almost miss her flight. “I nearly missed the flight. It was actually like nobody would ever imagine this! I used to be texting my publicist saying, ‘I may not get on this aircraft, and also you’re by no means gonna guess why,'” she defined.

Regardless of the fiasco, Pompeo advised the outlet that she nonetheless likes to journey and usually packs her on-flight requirements which embody, “mint, glasses, water, hand sanitizer, and child wipes.”

She added, “I’ve to do the Naomi Campbell factor and wipe down all the seat.

Though Pompeo likes to journey, she is not all the time probably the most relaxed flyer.

Through the chat, she described herself as a nervous flyer and had beforehand admitted to being very cautious each time she needed to journey by air.

The “Catch Me If You Can” actress revealed that one in every of her air journey fears was turbulence.

Based on her, though pilots have been doing a greater job of chatting with passengers about anticipated turbulence, she most popular to have her household, together with her three children, Stella Luna, Sienna Could, and Eli Christopher, whom she shares along with her husband, Chris Ivery, as her fundamental type of help.

“I like to carry my children’ fingers once I take off, which might be a little bit egocentric, they usually’re in all probability feeling my nervousness, which in all probability is not the very best factor to do,” she stated.

Ellen Pompeo could also be nervous within the air, however she is happier when she arrives at her vacation spot along with her household.

“I like any sort of journey so long as my children are with me. I get a little bit bit anxious once I journey for work with out my children, however after we’re all collectively, we attempt to do all of it and provides them a superb combine [of types of trips],” she stated.

The Folks’s Alternative Award winner stated she felt privileged to journey along with her children, and as such, she all the time made a degree of exhibiting them how grateful she was.

“In the event you’re fortunate sufficient to have the chance to journey with children, it is the very best schooling there may be, as a result of I do not know who’s utilizing algebra of their day by day lives,” the mother of three shared.