"Tactical" Flashlight vs TSA Security?

[ec9]

I like to check under my seat for gremlins with mine.

 

[jackman2]

To blind terrorists. Duh.

 

[Rumble]

All sharp looking things go to my check in luggage. I leave my E2DL at home or it goes into the check-in luggage, and I carry on my Quark or other safe looking lights in the cabin. I don't need crenulations anymore because gremlins (which ARE hiding underneath the seats) are more likely to take over the plane before terrorists will these days. I just need to see in the dark when the gremlins cut the electricals.

I accidently left a set of ti camping utensils in my pack once. Xray picked up the titanium mess so my bag was inspected. The agent took out the BLUNT dinner knife, the kind you get at a high shcool cafeteria, which would take considerable effort to puncture a tomato, and said that it had to go. Fine. But she left me with the MUCH sharper fork to take with me. <scratching head> I had to do everything from making a snarky comment that would have landed me in a private room for further screening.

 

[tradja]

Dumb question here: What reason do you have for carrying a "tactical" flashlight on a plane? If I need to take a flashlight along, I pack it in a bag (carryon or check in), and let it go through the scanner. I'm pretty sure the plane has lights in the cabin.

Yeah, I have lights in my house, at my job, and in my car too. I EDC a flashlight as a backup to those lights. I've had seats where my light didn't work. Yes, I fly pretty budget airlines sometimes.

 

[joeshredd]

just flew for the first time since 9/11 to see my parents for the first X-Mas in years... Left everything at home except my E2D.. Put it in my backpack, no checked luggage and went thru Seatac and RaleighDurham with no issues... "crenellated bezel" and all... Am glad I got lucky...

 

[storl]

Dumb question here: What reason do you have for carrying a "tactical" flashlight on a plane? If I need to take a flashlight along, I pack it in a bag (carryon or check in), and let it go through the scanner. I'm pretty sure the plane has lights in the cabin.

This is actually against the TSA/FAA guidelines if you read through them, assuming it is one with lithium batteries. Anything with lithium batteries in it should be in your carry on, not your checked luggage. Also, you are not supposed to have loose lithium batteries in either place.

After reading that, I took about 30 high end flashlights in my carry on when I was going to SHOT last month and about half of them were tactical style ones with crenulated bezels, some with very aggressive teeth. I flew out of Hartsfield in Atlanta and did not get a single question. They did not open my bag and did not test any of them, although I did get the pleasure of being selected for the backscatter machine.

I had the same experience in the way back. No problems either way. I think a lot of it comes down to the TSA agent that is manning the scanning machine.