TSA Snags My FOH Lighter

[PapaDisco]

After 700,000 miles and a ridiculous number of airport security screenings by USA, Vietnam, Hong Kong, London (and those guys are picky!), Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. an energetic lad from the TSA in San Francisco relieved me of my FOH Iroda lighter.   And it was one of those nice ones with the Ken-proof safety lock . . .    and yes it was disassembled.

Ah well, at least I know where to get another one!  

[AlohaStyle]

For what reason?  Regular bic style lighters are okay to bring on the plane.  What the heck did he think the disassembled parts were?? 

[fred170]

Matches aren't allowed, lighters are fine. I'd challenge that if it were to reoccur

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[andy]

I had a similar experience. I asked why and was told it was shaped like a very small gun and could be mistaken as such.

[Duxnutz]

In Orlando earlier in the month, they told me that there was a high likelihood that there was still butane in the mechanism. I told the guy to push the button down! Voila on my way! Thank you Mr Smurf for your commitment to aviation safety! 

Everytime I go through TSA I'm reminded of their ineptitude by the gold 'police like' badge they fought tooth and nail for to be treated in a similar way to sworn in cops. Idiots.

[wabashcr]

Security theater at its finest.  

I know the regulations technically allow for travel lighters, and the odds are very low of this happening.  But it only takes one of those bozos who either doesn't understand the rules, doesn't care, or most likely both, and then what can you do?  Is it ever really worth it to try to reason or argue with these people, no matter how right you know you are?  Of course not.

[oliverdst]

In international flights I never take any lighter, full or empty, carried-on or checked. Airport staff can be rude and not that smart and I dont have patience to deal with that shit. Nothing related with hundreds cigars inside the luggage 

[luv2fly]

Smurfs at their bestI could tell stories about them.  Once they took my cigar cutter away.  I told the guy I have a crash ax behind my seat so what is the problem with a cigar cutter?   

[dangolf18]

That sucks, but not as bad as them taking a personalized Swiss Army knife of mine that was gifted by a dear friend. My fault really though. 

[Philc2001]

2 hours ago, luv2fly said:

Smurfs at their bestI could tell stories about them.  Once they took my cigar cutter away.  I told the guy I have a crash ax behind my seat so what is the problem with a cigar cutter?   

I have had my cigar cutter snagged by TSA too. I asked the agent, how does a simple double blade curved cigar cutter pose any kind of threat? He said because it was sharp enough that it can cut someone. I tried not to laugh out loud, then I said if the test is whether it can cut someone, then what about plastic knives the stewards give out with the food, or a long fingernail, or a comb? Ironically, they did not flag the little 1.75-inch pen knife in my toiletry bag. 

Another time, I was flying back from Paris, my son had bought a souvenir shell casing from the museum at Normandy. It was in the Normandy sealed souvenir packaging, with a receipt, and it wasn't even a real casing, but it looked like a bullet with a hoop through the igniter end of it, so it was obvious that it was not a live round. TSA insisted I can't bring a bullet on board the plane and took my son's souvenir.  

The rules are all subject to interpretation, so anyone can basically stop you for anything they want. I try not to give these guys a hard time, I know they are trying to do their job, but someone needs to set a standard and educate them on what is and what is not a threat. 

[RijkdeGooier]

Carry a PDF of IATA rules and regulations and show them. 

No discussion just politely show them. 

[luv2fly]

19 minutes ago, RijkdeGooier said:

Carry a PDF of IATA rules and regulations and show them. 

No discussion just politely show them. 

I know where you are going with this but it will fall on deaf ears.  I wonder if they can read????  

Harsh I know but I am not in the best of moods as far as "they" are concerned.

[Philc2001]

24 minutes ago, RijkdeGooier said:

Carry a PDF of IATA rules and regulations and show them. 

No discussion just politely show them. 

Happen to have a link handy? I tried searching, but couldn't find it. 

I did find the TSA site showing the prohibited items: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/prohibited-items

Interestingly enough, soft flame butane lighters are ok in carry-on, but not in checked bags unless they are in a DOT approved case. Torch lighters are not permitted in either.

I just don't see how a cigar cutter is more dangerous than nail clippers, knitting needles, disposable razors, and tweezers, which are all allowed in carry on, but cigar cutters are not mentioned in the list, so.... I guess it's up to the agent.

[mrwhitt]

I must be lucky. I regularly check a torch lighter and extra butane and have never had either removed.

[Cletus]

Sorry to hear all these stories of confiscations.  Like @mrwhitt I've taken torch lighters on multiple flights over the years and never had one taken.  Then again, it's usually been a $4 HongJing lighter that can easily be replaced at my destination. 

I try to give the TSA a break -- low wages, varied degrees of training, and dealing with stressed out travelers their whole shift.  I would take a TSA job if my only other option were being unemployed and living in a van down by the river.

Remember when air travel was an enjoyable, pampered experience?  

[Squarehead]

To put it simple,they think they're sitting above God as they wear a Uniform.

[Colt45]

3 hours ago, Cletus said:

I try to give the TSA a break .....

Yes, I imagine that TSA agents, gate agents, flight attendants, etc think as much of us as we do them.....

[krish the fish]

I picked up a cheap restored vintage Dunhill rollagas on eBay a couple weeks ago for my trip to Napa and San Francisco. Made it through 2 airport checks (one without precheck) completely fine as a "trial run" for my trip to London in the summer. 

If it was confiscated I would have been sad but it wasn't my Ligne 2 which I bought new so I wouldn't be too upset about it. But it made it fine, and I'll bring a little ziplock for it for the way back from Heathrow. I hate having to find and use a cheap lighter when I'm traveling because they never seem to work quite as well as my own, but on previous trips I never wanted to take the risk with my "good lighters"

[Nico]

.

[Jfeath74]

I had a lighter taken by tsa in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I tried to reason with them, explaining it had sentimental value being it was a gift from my dad. Fell on def ears, it still angers me to this day thinking about it. Another time in Traverse City, Michigan I had my finger nail clippers confiscated, only to find finger nail clippers for sale in a vending machine in the terminal. Literally my only two times in Michigan, two stupid tsa agents may have ruined my opinion on the entire state. 

[gcman68]

When the rules weren't as clear I had a bit of an argument about a lighter in an approved container taken from my golf bag that was being checked in Phoenix.  The JetBlue lady behind the counter interjected what was starting to be a bit of an argument between me and a few TSA guys and eventually mailed it to my address. I never forgot that and wrote them a nice letter about her after I received it.  Sometimes you get lucky I guess. 

[LGC]

I once had a flint and butane lighter confiscated, soft flame... also a crescent wrench that was 2" too long.

Give a badge to a 5 year old... and you have a TSA agent.

[SignalJoe]

I accidentally tried to board once with my butane Xikar,  The TSA agent told me I could mail it to myself.  She walked over to a bin and brought me a clear mailer.  I filled out a form addressing it to myself along with a credit card number to cover postage.  The lighter showed up almost two months later in a small box.  When I opened it the lighter was wrapped in aluminum foil and the igniter was taped down where they had lit it to burn off the butane.  I assume they wrapped it in foil due to the heat from burning it until empty.  It was nuisance and I was without for a while but was happy to get it back.     

[Ryan]

At Jose Marti Terminal 3, two out of the last three times I've gone through, they have been taking all lighters, soft and torch flame.

I never bring a decent lighter or cutter (more than $10) in carry-on, on any flight, anywhere.

Matches get through no problem in Havana. Airside for smokers is like a prison-scene with people almost offering favours for a light.

A trick that often works, in Jose Marti at least, is to place your lighter under your phone on the tray at security. They usually just see phone.

I still wouldn't risk bringing a decent lighter in carry on, in or out of Cuba.

Going to Cuba, I bring a few cheap empty torch lighters, buy a bottle of gas in a hotel shop the first day ($6.20 in a set with a torch lighter). A few boxes of cigar matches in the check in for the first night. The gas is terrible, it smells quite strongly of a mixture of blue cheese and something worse. But it works.

I usually give the lighters away towards the last day, this time I brought a couple home in the check-in, in my Cigar Caddy, just in case. No problems.

I had a couple of free Habanos bics taken off me at the airport that I had forgotten about. No big deal, I had matches.

They got a JJ Fox London branded Hippo cheapo off me this time as well. They recognised it, they must have taken a few before me and had a right old laugh, as did I!

[TBird55]

I have a bullet punch on my key ring.  TSA employee saw it,  was going to confiscate it.  I explained that it was only a cigar punch,  and showed him how to pull out the punch.  Fell on deaf ears,  but his supervisor walked over and instructed him to let it pass.  The agent was clearly irritated with his supervisor,  but I did get to keep my punch. Have had this punch four over 20 years,  only time  I have had an issue with it.  The punch doesnt get to travel anymore.