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Lighters, etc. on the Airlines
Posted by Michael Strahan on Jun 26 2005
Steve,
Although I'm sure the lighter manufacturers and others are lobbying for change, for the time being, lighters are on the list of prohibited items aboard commercial aircraft, both in checked luggage and in carry-on baggage.
For those who may not know, one of the reasons for apparent inconsistant application of these sorts of policies is the fact that the individual carriers sometimes have some latitude in how they're going to implement the various regulations handed down by the DOT, FAA and TSA. In some cases, the carrier has no latitude at all. These regulations take a long time to implement, therefore any proposed changes could be expected to take "a while" to percolate all the way through to an individual passenger.
Some items you should also be aware of are; strikes-anywhere matches, pepper spray (the larger canisters for bear protection), ammunition that's not in a container specifically designed for it (in other words, no loose rounds), flares, and other combustibles. Another regulation that's percolating through the system is an overall ban on MRE meals. Some of these meals contain a heat packet. If too many of them are loaded in the same compartment of an aircraft, and they ignite, they can cause a fire in the aircraft that, in some cases, cannot be extinguished in flight. This is a new regulation, and some carriers are already implementing the ban. Passengers should be aware of the policies of their carrier and prepare accordingly. Most commercial operators post their Contract of Carriage, which lists these policies and regulations, online.
If you must bring prohibited items on your trip (who doesn't), you have two choices: Either ship them as cargo and pay the requisite HazMat fee (usually $25), or have your air charter pick the things up for you and have them waiting for you on arrival. If you try to smuggle them in your checked luggage, you should be aware that your bags will be screened, and there's a very good chance the items will be discovered. In most cases the items will be confiscated by TSA without your knowledge, and in some cases you may receive severe penalties involving your checkbook and possibly some of your vacation time! Don't take chances!
Hope this helps. I know it's a huge hassle, but until things can finally settle out, we're sorta stuck with these changes.
A lot has been written on this issue, so you may want to check the archives for more details. For reference, I'm a 20-year airline employee in Anchorage, and this is an issue that constantly comes up.
Regards,
-Mike
Previous: More info on lighters in luggage Michael Strahan Jun 27 2005
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