I was just reading in the NY Times that starting Aug. 4th, lighters like Bics or Zippos will be allowed on planes again. The "torch" type lighters will still be prohibited. The reasoning behind the change is that it was a waste of time searching for lighters instead of concentrating on things like bombs and bomb components. Apparently the TSA spends $4 million a year just disposing of all of those lighters.

Anyway, for those of you who have lighters in your PSK or for EDC, that's one less thing to remember to remove before heading to the airport.

Woo-hoo!!

Now if they'd only return to allowing knives again.

4 million to dispose of butane lighters? Why don't they just bag 'em up & give them to to the local bars that still allow smokers? Or rock concerts...Freebird!

Tim

What a waste. I betcha, they not only got some cheap ones but also fancy ones too.Those were "disposed" of in some TSA workers pocket.

" The reasoning behind the change is that it was a waste of time searching for lighters instead of concentrating on things like bombs and bomb components."

When the FBI sent 21 teams out to 21 airports to see if they could get bombmaking stuff on board, every single one succeeded. TSAs can at least recognize lighters. They obviously don't have a clue as to what bomb components look like.

I guess all the poor little TSAs can do now is check baby formula and underwire bras, or stand around with their hands in their pockets looking bewildered.

Sue

Garbage collectors are paid more than these people, when you offer 30-40k a year you don't get the people that are qualified running to fill the positions. The training for most of them is basic at best and not to the level required to do the job. 90% of the population in this country not trained wouldn't know what bomb component looked like if the found them (they don't always look like the ones on TV). If we expect them to protect the planes and the passengers they need to be trained not only to look for these things but to deal with people in a professional manner. In short if you can't expect a person to go from flipping burgers one week to being skilled at anything, you have to train them to be professionals.

From www.makezine.com:

Homemade iPod charger cause problems at airport security checkpoint.

-Blast

I've seen auctions on ebay from stuff taken from the airports! Knives, lighters, scissors, etc. HUGE Lots.

So I guess those cute little Otterbox holders aren't worth much anymore.

I am so tired of the TSA and its special brand of lunacy. Its all about "feel good" politics with little attention to logical protective measures. Remember when you couldn't take a simple bottle of water on a plane. It only took two weeks of real life experience to prove that policy a complete shambles. And there are example after example of similar failed policies.

I tell my wife every time I suffer through the indignity of taking off my shoes to go through security, "Honey, I hope no one tries to blow up a plane with a pair of underwear, then we'll really be in for it." Is the American public going to suffer thorugh this for another four years until somebody wakes up and decides that the possibility of another shoe bomber is incredibly remote?

I guess so long as the gross majority of us are willing to suffer any indignity in the name of "security", it will continue.

Personally, I am tired of traveling "naked." YMMV.

Craig.

"... when you offer 30-40k a year you don't get the people that are qualified running to fill the positions."

Does that mean if the people who are currently accepting less than $40,000 a year as TSA agents not only shouldn't be expected to do their job, but are of such low IQ that they can't be trained to recognize certain types of items and materials?

Sue