Butane lighters banned from airplanes

[quaoar]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/traveloutdoors/2002113341_lighters.html

By LESLIE MILLER
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Passengers already are barred from smoking on commercial flights. Now they won't be allowed to bring their butane lighters on board either.

As part of the intelligence reform bill passed Wednesday, Congress added the lighters to the long list of banned items, including scissors, pen knives and box cutters.

Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota had pushed for the change for more than a year after learning the Transportation Security Administration allowed them on planes.

"When I found out that they had explicitly, in their rule, said you could take two butane lighters and four books of matches on board, I thought, 'What have they been drinking?"' Dorgan said. Matches still are allowed.

[Rose Siding]

1. Somebody's been reading Dude, Where's My Country

I never saw this covered without reference to Moore's book before.

[tuvor]

3. Didn't it have something to do with blowing the tobacco companies?

I know that sounds dumb, but that's what I thought I heard.

Otherwise, what possible reason is there to suddenly need a cigarette lighter?

[TO Kid]

5. Nope, it's a safety issue

It's better to have the pax carry the lighter on board than to put it in checked baggage- that way if it bursts you'll know right away.

[Squatch]

12. What's the difference?

Most butane lighters contain ~1 gram of gas.

[liberalcenter]

17. It was the Cig Cos

It was lobbying by the Cig Cos that allowed lighters on the plane. They wanted to make sure you could light up as soon as your off of the plane and in a smoking area not withstanding the security risk.

[intheflow]

2. Banning butane lighters?

What has Dorgan been drinking?
Next they'll ban arms and legs on the off chance someone will know kung fu and take over the plane. :eyes:

[Gman]

4. And they're so fucking proud of theirselves too

assholes. What a fucking waste of time.

[HuckleB]

6. Well, butane is an inferior fuel.

[Dr Fate]

7. Mike Moore strikes again- thanks Big Guy!!!

Moore has more guts than any Democrat in office- this would not be happening if not for him.

[daleo]

8. This wouldn't stop a real shoe-bomber

I always thought that shoe bomber story was odd sounding. Why wouldn't terrorists come up with a better detonator than lighting a fuse, like some kind of Saturday morning cartoon. They certainly will from here on in. This just seems like more airplane silliness.

[ze_dscherman]

9. False teet and glasses to go next

Later, clothes - a turrst might try to strangle or suffocate someone with his pants. Even better, why not just shackle and handcuff every passenger?

[BiggJawn]

10. Wish they'd make up their forking minds....

First they ban them from your pockets and carry-on, then they decide it's safer to have them in your pockets than stowed away in the checked bags down below, now...

Glad I don't smoke anymore. Air travel is a royal PITA if you smoke. Can't carry fire, they crowd you into little airless closets called smoking "lounges" at the terminal...the time factor for long over-water flights was figured on a speed record attempt....

[NNN0LHI]

11. I smoke but think allowing any fire making devices on a plane is nuts n/t

[BiggJawn]

14. How do you think the Oxygen generators work?

Not tanks like you see old smokers dragging along behind them, but devices that burn "chlorate candles" to create oxygen.

"Candles" that were improperly packed and stowed as freight (they should not have been shipped via air) is what was blamed for the Valuejet 592 crash.

Crazy, but the candles weigh less per cubic foot of oxygen than tanks do...

[NNN0LHI]

15. Oh, no, I agree there are a lots of things on board that create heat

Engines, food warmers, radio equipment, etc. I just think keeping it to the bare minimum is good policy. I don't want some nut playing with matches behind me on a plane while surrounded by jet fuel.

Don

[makhno]

16. Matches are still allowed

Lame, eh?

[BiggJawn]

18. That makes 2 of us!

That sounds like the "Shoe Bomber"!

The less sources of flame and sparks, the better...

OT, but I see that thre FCC is considering allowing Cellie calls from airplanes. I thought that was technically impossible?
About like tying-up 100 2M repeaters from 35,000 feet, I guess...

[elehhhhna]

13. Do you still get a steak-knife w/ your meal in First Class? Duh.

Next up : Bernie Kerik get the "lighters and things" concession at every major airport's exit.

[slowroll]

19. More stupid reactive security.

God, the abundance of idiocy in this administration and this country in general. How is this making anyone any safer? All of this crap just creates delays, frustration and frictional costs. Ban butane lighters? You can still light a detonator with matches. Ban matches? Tape 'em to your nuts-they won't set off a metal detector and even if TSA went to a grab-you-groin-and-squeeze search you'd probably get thru.

The only way this kind of security would have any effect would be if they stripped everyone naked at the gate, gave them a cavity search and issued them hospital gowns to wear on the plane.

[MADem]

20. Well, we are obviously being "too negative"

...because we fail to see the OPPORTUNITY in all this. See, because of this rule, FREEDOM IS ON THE MARCH for the many unemployed who got their pink slips in the last month. I'm sure they can make a killing selling butane lighters at the arrivals terminals, trotting about with those "cigars, cigarettes, Tiparillos" boxes (and maybe a perky little outfit) out at the airport curb and whilst people are waiting for their bags to come out of the belly of the aircraft.

Such opportunity for all of them there 'on-ter-pre-noooooors' who want to do some 'hard work!'

[Stinky The Clown]

21. I hate flying any more

No wonder the fucking airlines are dying. I will do **anything** to avoid flying, but, sadly, I can't. I have managed to expand my "drive" or "train" radius, but some trips just are not possible without flying.

It is degrading, tense, intrusive, and an all around fucking nightmare.

What the FUCK is WRONG with people?

The regime of Chimpus Khan enters and all semblance of COMMON FUCKING SENSE departs.

[SoCalDem]

22. Fly naked...no baggage or carry on.. That's the solution..n/t

:)

[MadHound]

23. Well, while I think that this is stupid, at least it show that somebody

Somewhere has brains, probably an ex-Weatherman who went into goverment security. Yes, butane lighters are dangerous, and yes, you can turn one in an impressive little shrapnel bomb, especiall if it is a metal clad lighter.

This is an old trick I learned from a friend of mine who turned seriously radical in the sixties, and this information was later confirmed by the lawsuit against Bic in the eighties over their exploding lighters. Pry out the valve stem from a lighter, spark and throw QUICKLY.

So it looks like somebody somewhere remembered the lessons of their youth, and decided to put them to use. Next up, no cellophane tape and mothballs out in the parking lots of airports(see if somebody figures that one out).