* Casey Rousseau <casey at the-bat.net> [2005-02-09 20:45 +0100]: > I have a small folding multi-tool-of-last-resort that has a nice set > of scissors and a very sharp small blade that could easily do the same > damage that a box cutter can do. In the spring of '02, I went to MSG > for the Big East tournament with a buddy. They took his mini > lockblade that was on his key chain, but missed my micra. The next > time I flew, I remembered to take it off my keychain as I got out of > the car at the airport. Unfortunately, this means I don't have it on > my keychain anymore. I remember the first trip to Saudi after 9/11. Heading through security they found the lighter that my wife (then girlfriend) had given me on the one year anniversary of meeting eachother. It's a silver zippo. To set this up - I'd just flown (with two connections) from Anchorage to Baltimore with said Zippo. I'd gone through security at each stop, because I'd run outside to smoke. Enter security (paraphrasing, because my memory ain't great). Security: Oh, you can't take that on the plane. We'll need to confiscate that. Me: I arrived here from another plane which I was only able to get on by carrying it with me. I'm pretty sure I can take it on the plane. Security: No, the regulations are quite clear on that. Me: Really? Could you please show me the regulations that say that? Security: Umm. No, we don't keep copies here. But you'll have to surrender your lighter. Me: Do I get it back when I travel back through this airport? Do I get a hand receipt? Security: No. No, you don't get it back. Me: What happens to them? Do you sell them? Do you donate them to the needy? Security: Umm. I'm not quite sure, that's not my department. Me: Well, thanks but no thanks, you're not taking my lighter. At which point I get out of the line. I go back to the snack-bar where I'd been waiting, and buy a paper sack. I then walk up to the ticket counter, past the line, and explain that I have one more piece of checked baggage to put on a plane that's leaving in 30 minutes. The lady behind the counter was extremely nice, she even provided a pen and some tape to seal the bag containing the lighter. Then she wrote the line number on the bag, and gave it to a thrower to deliver to the plane. The bag was about 4x3 inches by the time I'd finished folding and packing it. The punchline, interestingly, is that after all the horror stories you hear about lost and misplaced luggage the lighter *made it through*, and was undamaged! I was called out of line before customs by one of the people unloading baggage. He looked at me funny, but handed over the tiny checked baggage. ;] Regards, -- dave [ please don't CC me ]