We can stop smuggling lighters in carry-on soon

[David P]

Quick funny story about TSA, ziplock bags, and HID caniste lights: I just went to Hawaii earlier this month, flying out of LA international TSA wanted to inspect my carry on bag containing my 18w HID can light.(no surprise, and I didn't trust TSA when I couldnt watch them so I decided to carry it on, didn't want to show up to Hawaii and not have my light) I opened the bag and told him it was a flash light, the guy looked at me like I was nuts, I offered to turn it on and he said no thats ok, go along thanks... Later flying from the big island to Oahu, the woman in front of me was having her carry on searched I overheard security saying "oh good you DO have it in a ziplock bag, problem is we cant see the baggies in x-ray" umm is it me or is that a pretty stupid idea then? This time my bag was searched and before seeing the light I was told(after I admited it is a dive light)that you cannot travel with a flashlight with batteries in it because they may turn on cause heat and start a fire. When they saw the light, they looked at me and looked at each other and just blinked, um can you open that up for us please sir...hmm can you turn on for us now please sir... Flying home was the best, again bag got searched but this time they didn't care what it was and didnt ask, I offered to open it or turn it on "no need sir, we just need to do an extra test" they wiped it down with some round piece of cloth that looked like a face scrub pad and they put the pad in a machine, it whired and chimed and shone a green light. "Ok good, that is not an explosive sir, have a nice day"

something kinda funny I noticed flying from one island to another, no liquids and EVERYONE is walking around with big bottles of watter. So SOP is to dump the water in the flower bed next to security, pass through security and then refill the bottle @ the water fountain just past security...

 

[DandyDon]

...the woman in front of me was having her carry on searched I overheard security saying "oh good you DO have it in a ziplock bag, problem is we cant see the baggies in x-ray" umm is it me or is that a pretty stupid idea then?

I think you're supposed to take the ziptop out of the carry-on to ride in a basket thru X-ray, along with your shoes, coat, hat, laptop, camcorder, etc.

 

[Land Locked]

Reid used matches to try and light his shoe bomb so they ban lighters and allow matches since his attempt failed. Locally after you pass security you just have to drop by the smoking lounge and fill up with matches, there is a case of them sitting there. Security is a JOKE! About time they quit spending 4 million$ a year disposing of confiscated lighters.....

 

[mnfsh]

My wife will be happy to here this,though she has had lighters slip through the system unintentionally. My Ikelite housing always throws up a red flag at the carry on security check and I am always pulled aside for for further inspection. Anyone else have this happen to them.

 

[Land Locked]

My carry on is packed full of electronics, laptop, external drive, blue tooth devices, camera, chargers, batteries, cables, disks. They are more interested in my bic lighter and my shoes than the bag packed full of gear. I had my laptop swiped for explosives a couple of years ago, I'm surprised they have never pulled me aside and checked the rest of my bag.

 

[Darnold9999]

Yeah yeah - here come the non-smokers on a thread that has nothing to do with them....

More importantly, it was a waste of TSA efforts and an abuse of passengers.

Actually wasn't a dig at smokers, forgot how much a hold the weed has on you. Just a wee bit defensive are we.

However now that you bring it up it is sad that the addiction has such a hold over you that you can't wait until you retrieve your lighter from checked baggage.

 

[Missdirected]

In the last week or so I read an article about a study done that says an estimated one billlon, yes, with a "b", people will die this century from smoking related medical problems...I say let 'em bring the lighters on board and let 'em start smoking on the planes again.

I say one billion smokers dying prematurely this century is a good number.

:w-t-f:

Smoker or non-smoker, I think it is in everyone's best interest to have the TSA putting their energies towards more serious threats. 22k lighters, that means that 22k +/- lighters caused 22k workers to spend five minutes or so searching a bag for a lighter. That equates to a heck of a lot of time better spent looking for real security problems. When Joe Bloe terrorist slips through security because the TSA officer in front of him was busy piddling around looking for a lighter, that my friend is not security.

TSA, as is has been a waste for the most part. If they are finally going to teach them how to be real security and not nurse maids, then I am all for my tax dollars heading that way.

DD, may be celebrating that he can now bring his lighter but the issue is much bigger than that.

 

[divermatt]

Why do they confiscate breastmilk??

What is the terrorist threat in that?

DUH! Because boobies hate OUR FREEDOM!

 

[DandyDon]

DD, may be celebrating that he can now bring his lighter but the issue is much bigger than that.

Nah, I just smuggled mine in my laptop bag like I said. The prohibition was stupid, as covered...

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I carry a lighter in my save-a-dive kit. I do not smoke but do occaisionally need to sear cave-line, webbing ends, and give a light to the cigar smoking fish that sometimes come along.