TSA Snags My FOH Lighter

[ebhead]

3 hours ago, Ryan said:

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!

They do the same thing to lighters in Varadero. I always have a cheap bic on me that they manage to find. The four boxes of cigars in my carry on this past Tuesday? Just a question and a stamp on the factura...not even a bother to look. Three years ago I had five or so boxesin my carry on, didn't even bat an eye. Focused in on the lighter in the bag, took it, then sent me on my way. 

Now, the funny part of this recent trip we were the last flight out. Standing over the security gate (it's one floor down and we had a balcony view) as they're closing shop one of the guards takes big boxes near each metal detector which were all filled with lighters and starts to transfer them into one main box for easy transport to the back (I guess). As this last box is being passed from hand to hand wouldn't you know it, one of the guys palms a lighter or two as it's going by. At least the confiscated lighters are being used (some of them at least).

[Tone_NY]

I've used a Colibri Tranzpack since they first came out, never had an issue. Don't know if they sell them anymore, but cheap insurance if you can find one.

[Ryan]

1 hour ago, ebhead said:

At least the confiscated lighters are being used (some of them at least).

I hope they're all going to good homes and the security guys at the airport can make a little something extra from them.

That's the way of the world, and I'd wish them all the best!

[Corylax18]

I take 2-3 round trips a month around the states, for work. If TSA knew what I brought with me on every single trip for the last 5+ years they would certainly not be happy campers. It is amazing what they let through/miss completely, like loaded hand guns, and what they seem to get bothered about and not let through. 

I discovered on a hunting trip to Alaska a few years ago that you can put just about anything else in your checked bag with Guns/Ammo. The shiny metal seems to distract them. Never try to bring a digital caliper through in your hand luggage though. Between the "sharp edges" and the fact that they vaguely resemble a pistol on the Xray I have had two confiscated. 

For all the complaining we (myself include) do, they seem to have been doing a pretty good job over the last decade or so. Maybe they just get lucky every single day, but they have to be doing something right.....

[hedgeybaby]

On 3/30/2017 at 11:47 PM, krish the fish said:

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"

I almost got my Dunhill Rollergas confiscated at Fort Lauderdale the other month. Had to show the supervisor that it was a soft flame and he let me through. 

[torsion]

I had my FoH lighter refill insert taken off me coming out of Cuba at Jose Marti Terminal 2 after coming through the x-ray a couple of weeks ago after almost 2 years of use 

Now I have to seek replacements  

Thankfully the 100 custom rolls I had in my carry on rucksack didn't even raise an eyelid

[DBNInc]

In Beijing they took an FOH travel lighter in its original packaging from my checked luggage.  Thing doesn't even have a tank.  But that's why I never travel with anything I'm not willing to lose.

[El Hoze]

I was just debating whether to pack my new FOH travel lighter for a trip to Barcelona tonight from MIA. Just got it w my Xmas sampler. I may still roll the dice. 

Almost lost a Cartier lighter at MIA 5 years ago I had purchased for my father in law, had to unwrap it. Once they saw it was soft there was no issue. 

[David88]

The airport security rules are a bit of a minefield as each country seems strict about different things. I don’t take lighters with me when I travel and I often pre cut my cigars so I don’t need a cutter either. Interestingly when I made a purchase at Beirut duty free they gave me 3 free cutters and two jet lighters which I took straight on the plane!

[TheGipper]

I long ago stopped buying lighters that cost anything more than $5.  Every lighter I spent $50...$60...$80 on died within 1-2 years of use.

My local B&M has some of those cheapo flame lighters that have the angled head and come in different semi-translucent body colors.  $3 USD each.  You can even get them on Amazon for something like $10 for a 5 pack.  Last at least as long as the high end Colibris I used to have.

Never worried about losing lighters to TSA ever since I switched to those.

 

[Fatshotbud]

My idiot child (actually too smart) was coming home on leave for the holidays. Wanted to hand out some gifts to friends and he caught a bit of trouble from TSA. Oh the gifts were Dummy Grenades..... Luckily he doesn't carry a lighter so they let him check the bag instead of carrying on.
Yes I am serious

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[GasGuy82]

About 3 years ago, I went on an international hunting trip with my father and brother. We made sure to avoid flying through London or NYC as if your flight gets delayed and you have to collect your luggage including firearms, you are going to have a bad day. Regardless, we packed our ammunition in TSA approved containers and firearms in heavy duty lockable TSA cases. On the trip I had purchased some sticks in Paris and what we didn't smoke on the trip we brought back with us. I was especially concerned about having half a box of Punch3 and Epi 2 when they inevitably searched us at SFO. When they did search us, I came to the conclusion that anyone wishing to smuggle contraband into the US should just legally travel with firearms. Everyone so fell over themselves checking all our paperwork and inspecting the firearms they couldn't give a rats ass about our luggage. Now, trying to legally take your ammunition home with you once you are returning from a non-western country is a whole other story...

[joeman]

I avoid expensive lighters and sunglasses because I could never seem to hang onto them very long. That sucks!

[El Presidente]

5 hours ago, Fatshotbud said:

My idiot child (actually too smart) was coming home on leave for the holidays. Wanted to hand out some gifts to friends and he caught a bit of trouble from TSA. Oh the gifts were Dummy Grenades..... Luckily he doesn't carry a lighter so they let him check the bag instead of carrying on.
Yes I am serious

Sent from my KYOCERA-E6560 using Tapatalk
 

[BrightonCorgi]

I just bring the crappiest plastic cover cigar cutter I can find in my toiletries and hope for the best.  I can find a lighter at my destination.  Would be neat to come up with a "TSA Approved" cigar travel kit.

[mcicvara]

FAA:

Under TSA regulations, torch lighters (a.k.a. jet lighters, blue flame lighters, cigar lighters) are forbidden in your carry-on or on your person. TSA rules also prohibit lighters that look like guns or other weapons.

[TNT009]

They tooka9stole) a cutter out of my bag..... Ill only travel with cedar spills and buy cheap lighter when I arrive...

Even more horrible is how the unpack golf clubs to inspect and haphazardly repack them... Not that make me wanna grab a baseball bat!

[BellevilleMXZ]

Its strange, leaving Canada, we are allowed one lighter in carry on. Yet flight home a week later from Cuba its a big no no....same airline of course.