Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion The Water Cooler for those who travel by plane

>>Butane lighters are a no-no. If you smoke, ditch it in the trash before you enter security. None of us do, so it was no biggie.

I saw a whole lot of butane lighters being confiscated on the trip out here. One person had about 6 lighters themselves, which I found a bit alarming.

On the other hand, I found three packs of safety matches in my baggage, left over from a camping trip, which nobody seemed to care about.

Oh yeah, pruning shears get confiscated.

LOL Ken! Sometimes I just get a huge chuckle out of your posts! I'm easily amused!

And they're all true.

It was just that I was imagining security searching someone's bag then pulling out a huge pair shears and saying, "ummm...sorry, these aren't allowed". I don't know why, but I thought it was funny. But thanks for the info! I'll make sure I tell all my landscaping buddies!

It was an accident, really... and he did have to check with his manager.

You should have no trouble with any of those things (not knives) in your carry on; even scissors are allowed since last December. Anything else except flammables/explosives should go through fine in checked bags.

Every time I fly, I call ahead about the lighter situation... it seems to change daily here... I think currently you're allowed one disposable butane lighter, but no liquid fuel (ie: Zippo) lighters on domestic flights.

I think I might just start carrying flint & steel and a tinderbox... I'm the guy that runs off the plane and sneaks that smoke in before the luggage carousel fires up.

I'm also a nightmare for airport security... Leatherman Super Tool in my checked luggage (thankfully the Air Canada woman reminded me once it was still on my belt as I was checking luggage) and there's always something in my carry on that has to stay out of the X-ray machine (film, video tape or magnetic media).

A favorite sphincter-puckering experience was coming back from Queen City, going through airport security and having my carry-on swabbed for residue... and at that very moment remembering I spent some of my time there firing a .22 match rifle with a target shooting buddy. Was really glad I was wearing that jacket at the time, keeping my gunpowder-residued sleeve away from the swabbing.

Bren R.

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keeping my gunpowder-residued sleeve away from the swabbing

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I walked through a sniffer device in Charlotte, NC this month. First time ever seen one of those in use..

You might get busted there.

Yea, they have new machines that puff you with air then smell the air.

Once, I went through airport security with my computer to fly to Florida for a LAN party. Boy, that was fun. They enjoyed the radioactive fan grills and green wires inside. It was only a few months after 9/11 too...