Cigarette lighters added to banned-items list

[annieap]

The Intelligence Reform Bill signed by President Bush on December 17 orders the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to review the banned items list and prohibits butane lighters from being carried onboard by passengers. Legislation stipulates the ban must be in place within 60 days. As a result, beginning February 15, 2005, the Homeland Security Department will ban all cigarette lighters beyond airport checkpoints.
The TSA could also include matches on the banned items list in the future but as of now, no decision has been made.
For nonsmokers, this will be no big deal. For smokers, it could be a big hassle. We will have to leave our lighters in the car when heading into the airport. No more quick trips outside to smoke before boarding call. When reaching our destination, another lighter must be purchase before partaking in our nicotine pleasure. Then we must make sure to discard our new purchase before heading back to the airport.
I am curious as to how the screeners will be modified to “catch” all butane lighters, especially since novelty lighters resemble anything but what they are. For instance, I have an ink pen that not only can I write a note with, but also I can flip the top and light my cigarette. Unless one carefully examines the pen, there is no way to tell it is a butane lighter.
I suppose we will have to sit back and see how this latest security measure unfolds.

[Daphne]

A couple years back I was taking my first flight. When we checked our luggage my husband remembered to put his knife in the luggage when the receptionist mentioned it. We got to the checkpoint at CVG and in my purse I had all driving directions we were going to need, traveler checks etc. I put my purse through not thinking about anything that was in it. Next thing I knew there was a security guard asking me if that was my purse. He walked us back to a table and then asked if he could empty the contents. I was a little startled since I didn't think that I had anything in my purse.

I got hassled over a Zippo Lighter and a .39 cent fingernail file from Walmart. They took my lighter apart several times and struck it several times to make sure that it was just a lighter. I was allowed my fingernail file back since the tip was rounded and not pointed, but the lighter they had to think about for a few minutes. After checking with several other guards I was allowed to have my lighter back, but before my flight back I made sure that I put my lighter and fingernail file in my luggage so I wouldn't have the hassle again.

I guess that anything that some of us use on a daily basis is considered a weapon without us realizing it could be.