Airports begin ban on cigarette lighters

WASHINGTON — Starting Thursday, air travelers will have to leave their lighters at home. Unlike guns, knives and other dangerous items that a passenger cannot carry aboard but may stow in checked bags, lighters are banned everywhere on a plane

The rule change is expected to produce a large number of seizures of lighters even though airports, airlines and the government have been telling travelers for the past 45 days about the impending ban.

www.usatoday.com... tm

Lighters haven't been permitted in checked bags for at least 30 years because they might start fires in cargo holds. Congress passed a bill last year adding lighters to the list of items prohibited in the cabin.

The genesis for the ban was Richard Reid, who tried unsuccessfully to light explosives hidden in his shoes on a trans-Atlantic flight in 2001. He used matches.

Okay smoking Travelers, Leave those lighters at home..

Doy, I saw that posted at O'Hare about a week ago. They better have matches open and available at all the exits to the airport. After a smoker gets off of an 8 hour flight, especially if they didn't bring a patch or some gum, they're only looking to get outside to light up that treat. If matches or lighters aren't available...No explosive would have the force of a pissed off smoker I know.

Yeah, this royally pisses me off. NOT because I smoke, but because I backpack.

You see, you don't make fires in the wilderness. You can, but rarely. The impact is too great on the environment. You take a stove, put it on a rock. You need lighters. I've traveled dozens of times with lighters, because I needed to. You can't often replace a quality lighter quick enough. The cheap gas station ones are worthless.

This really pisses me off. Although, compressed gas in storage, yeah, I know it makes sense. Still, you already weren't allowed to carry them on, that solves the bomb aspect. Checked baggage isn't gonna light itself.

:bnghd:

you know I wonder about that after the Richard Reid incident. I flew a few times after that and always had a lighter in my pocket or my carry on and nothing was said and I kept saying to myself, how stupid is this.

so in a way I'm glad to see that they are finally using their common sense
but as a smoker I'm a little pissed, bet I can still carry matches in my checked luggage though.

Right like I can't light a fuse with matches. This is just one more ridiculous act designed to drive away what little public support the concept of governmentally run security has left. I love the way this administration sabotages the security process.

Well if its the difference from me dying or not they can ban anything they want.

Become an entrepeneur.

Hang out at the terminals with a sign: Light- $1.00

What a great new position the government has created.

Originally posted by dgtempe
Become an entrepeneur.

Hang out at the terminals with a sign: Light- $1.00

What a great new position the government has created.

lol cute.

i must say this is more than a nucance. i once went to the airport and forgot to grab my lighter out of my truck. they did have lighters on sale though, AT $5.00 bucks for a cheapee.:shk: do they think i was drunk or what now that lighters are banned i guess that means the price will only go up as people get desperate.:bnghd:, look if someone realy wants to they can make a fire other ways (matches come to mind). when will they ban clothing from flights? you can use them to kill as well. lets face it ANYTHING can be used as a weapon. heck mabe they should handcuff people in their seats to avoid hijackings. :bnghd::bnghd:

perhaps it is time for a reality check people. if someone realy wants to do something they will find a way. why not just put c-4 in condoms and swallow them, use a watch for a timer. instant bomb. we are hitting stupidity mark in rules to make the public feel safe.

Originally posted by dgtempe
Become an entrepeneur.

Hang out at the terminals with a sign: Light- $1.00

What a great new position the government has created.

Good one..
Pretty much what I said to my wife..
"hey, lets open a BIC stand, right outside the gate"..

I think it will encourage the use of matches, yep..

Originally posted by spacedoubt
I think it will encourage the use of matches, yep..

Maybe it wasa conspiracy of the matchbook companies.

Now travelers will have to start purchasing matches. At $5 a pop for a lighter, they can easily sell a matchbook for $1.

What y'all don't realize is that matches are banned already. I've already thought about a "light" stand ot O'Hare...

What I find really funny, though, is this:
Y'all are really pissed at our country trying to secure airports, in this case by banning lighters. Yet, who would be the first ones to start calling this administration idiots/losers/morons/failures if someone were to use a lighter to light a bomb and bring down a plane? No, George Bush, or any republican for that matter, can't win in your eyes. And y'all call Republicans biggots. How incredibly ironic.