Lighters banned & matches restricted on airplanes

[RicBrannon]

Interesting story, Ric! Thanks.

No problem. I haven't flown in a couple years so I'm not up on the goings on but I'm taking a trip to Billings, MT. at the end of the month. I'll let ya'll know how that goes as far as airport security and such.

Ric

 

[cardimon]

No problem. I haven't flown in a couple years so I'm not up on the goings on but I'm taking a trip to Billings, MT. at the end of the month. I'll let ya'll know how that goes as far as airport security and such.

Ric

Here are rules of thumb from a family member who travels often -- and travels lightly -- by air:

(1) If you're not sure whether something is alright to bring or not, don't bring it.
(2) If you can't afford to have something confiscated, don't bring it.
(3) If you have any question at all about an item, don't bring it.

She developed these rules after a male TSA officer confiscated her eyelash curler because he didn't know what it was. Yes, that's right. She had to ask a female office to please come over and explain the facts of life to this obviously single and quite dateless male officer. Now she travels with the bare minimum and buys what she needs at her destination. She also throws it out before returning. Why not bring it back? Not worth the hassle, she says.

 

[Watchful]

Back in my traveling days, many of us got in the post-9/11 habit of packaging almost all items in plastic bags--that way, if searched, they could pull out only the item(s) that caused confusion...without having to rip everything out of your carry-on.

Of course, I'm sure all carry-on items will be prohibited before long...

 

[cardimon]

Of course, I'm sure all carry-on items will be prohibited before long...

I sure hope not. I'd never be able to fly. I get headaches all the time so I have to carry meds all the time. Plus, basic personal first aid and comfort items are convenient to have around. Also, with airline food being disgusting or not available, more people are doing what they did at the dawn of commercial aviation -- bringing their own meals.

 

[Watchful]

...more people are doing what they did at the dawn of commercial aviation -- bringing their own meals.

I tried that, but they objected to my whole-hog-on-the-spit roast.

 

[Jeff Clark]

Postscript: I just thought of a perfect fire starter that they will probably not think to ban for a few years. I would explain it, but it would make an even better explosive trigger than fire starter. It can even be used as a low power stun gun. It is also cheap and easy to buy at airports. Ah, the wonders of technology. Now the only problem is that I'll forget to bring one.

 

[RicBrannon]

Here are rules of thumb from a family member who travels often -- and travels lightly -- by air:

(1) If you're not sure whether something is alright to bring or not, don't bring it.
(2) If you can't afford to have something confiscated, don't bring it.
(3) If you have any question at all about an item, don't bring it.

She developed these rules after a male TSA officer confiscated her eyelash curler because he didn't know what it was. Yes, that's right. She had to ask a female office to please come over and explain the facts of life to this obviously single and quite dateless male officer. Now she travels with the bare minimum and buys what she needs at her destination. She also throws it out before returning. Why not bring it back? Not worth the hassle, she says.

Here’s a pre- 9/11 story for you. I used to study martial arts in Atlanta and my instructor did this out of town seminars from time to time. One of them was a knife fighting seminar in New Jersey. He uses a wooden copy of the Cold Steel Trail Master that he had made from a piece of rose wood for his training knife. Now this Fake knife is really a half inch thick piece of wood. Well he goes up to do this seminar and on the way back he forgets to put his training knife in his luggage so he puts it in his carry on bag. They wouldn't let him through because he had a knife over 3" long in his carry on bag. They took it out of his bag and tried to confiscate it as a real knife. He even went as far as sawing on his arm with it to prove it wasn't real but they wouldn't go for it. They wanted to keep it or he didn't get on the plane. He ended up having one of the guys there ship it to him. This was in 95 or 96, way before 9/11.

Ric

 

[cardimon]

Here’s a pre- 9/11 story for you. I used to study martial arts in Atlanta and my instructor did this out of town seminars from time to time. One of them was a knife fighting seminar in New Jersey. He uses a wooden copy of the Cold Steel Trail Master that he had made from a piece of rose wood for his training knife. Now this Fake knife is really a half inch thick piece of wood. Well he goes up to do this seminar and on the way back he forgets to put his training knife in his luggage so he puts it in his carry on bag. They wouldn't let him through because he had a knife over 3" long in his carry on bag. They took it out of his bag and tried to confiscate it as a real knife. He even went as far as sawing on his arm with it to prove it wasn't real but they wouldn't go for it. They wanted to keep it or he didn't get on the plane. He ended up having one of the guys there ship it to him. This was in 95 or 96, way before 9/11.

Ric

It is heartwarming to know we have such bright people looking out for our best interests, isn't it?

 

[Merek]

Postscript: I just thought of a perfect fire starter that they will probably not think to ban for a few years. I would explain it, but it would make an even better explosive trigger than fire starter. It can even be used as a low power stun gun. It is also cheap and easy to buy at airports. Ah, the wonders of technology. Now the only problem is that I'll forget to bring one.

The only thing I can think of that you might be talking about is the tiny capacitor clicky thing that fires the flash in a disposable camera. Next time you use up one of these take it apart. (turn in the film roll for processing). You will find the 'clicker' produces a rather uncomfortable zap when discharged.

 

[pict]

The state where I live in Brazil is famous for cheese. About ten years ago I was headed to Paraguay with two of them in my carry-on as gifts for Brazilian friends there. It is a wet cheese so I had them packed in brown plastic and taped down with packing tape. The x-ray guy lit up and frantically pointed at my bag as it came through. The other security guy lazily opened the carry-on and had a heart attack! The guy was paralyzed with fear. I said, "That's cheese". He looked closer and this wave of relief washed over him. "It's cheese!" he finally said.

I'd probably do time in Club Fed for that now. Mac

 

[cardimon]

The state where I live in Brazil is famous for cheese. About ten years ago I was headed to Paraguay with two of them in my carry-on as gifts for Brazilian friends there. It is a wet cheese so I had them packed in brown plastic and taped down with packing tape. The x-ray guy lit up and frantically pointed at my bag as it came through. The other security guy lazily opened the carry-on and had a heart attack! The guy was paralyzed with fear. I said, "That's cheese". He looked closer and this wave of relief washed over him. "It's cheese!" he finally said.

I'd probably do time in Club Fed for that now. Mac

We're fortunate to have such brainiacs looking out for our best interests.

 

[Watchful]

Well, I don't know.

If I were a pressured screener, and I saw someone carrying a couple of thick, gooey masses wrapped in plastic--which smelled really funky--I'd suspect plastic explosive, too.

Especially when the bomb-sniffing dogs went crazy for it.

 

[cardimon]

Well, I don't know.

If I were a pressured screener, and I saw someone carrying a couple of thick, gooey masses wrapped in plastic--which smelled really funky--I'd suspect plastic explosive, too.

Especially when the bomb-sniffing dogs went crazy for it.

The same thing would happen with raw, juicy T-bone steak.

 

[DJ _Wolf]

How about a blast match or sparklite, in checked luggage? with some tinder quick tabs?

 

[cardimon]

How about a blast match or sparklite, in checked luggage? with some tinder quick tabs?

I suspect those would be fine -- for now anyway. They are specifically talking about sources of flame -- not sparks.

 

[randjack]

I used to have to travel a lot. Get yourself a FedEx account, and ship all your crap back and forth to yourself. Costs a fortune, but . . .

Once upon a time in Atlanta the only Fed Ex drop box was on the OTHER side of the checkpoint. I finally got a cop to drop my package in the box for me.

Before TSA we used to so all sorts of creative things with lead Film Safe bags. No more. And, if you think the TSA idiots are tough, check out the Federal Marshals at your local Fed Courthouse.

 

[cardimon]

...check out the Federal Marshals at your local Fed Courthouse.

I LOVE those guys. I don't think they are Federal Marshals, but they're bloody good.

When I reported for jury duty, I took everything I normally carry except for my Swiss Armys. And security opened and inspected everything except for my can of soda and my container of tuna salad -- which is exactly what I wanted and expected.

They opened every flashlight and looked at the batteries. They opened my pill bottles (I get headaches and migraines) and looked at the pills. They even opened my lip balm and twisted the stick up and down. They were marvelously thorough and I told them that and thanked them for being so cautious.