Hello all,<br><br>I will soon be flying (for the first time), via Continental Airlines, from the east coast to Colorado on vacation. While out there I would like to do some hiking and, of course, would like to carry my survival kit with me. My kit contains several items for fire starting, such as lifeboat matches, sparklite tabs and sparker, and wetfire tinder tabs. Continental's website states that flammable items are prohibited on flights. Can I take this stuff with me? <br><br>Given the small quantities, I would think that they would allow it. However, being a backpacker, I have heard stories of people having empty camp stoves confiscated by airlines because they had residual fuel left in them. I really don't want to have to sort through my kit at the gate and discard certain items. Would it be better to stow it in with my check in baggage? Does anyone have any experience in this matter?<br><br>Thanks.<br>MVS<br><br>

Replace the matches and stuff with a 10 dollar bill. Dont want to hassel with them stop buy a local outfitters and buy what you need i wouldnt risk having that stuff on the plane with you (fire related). ive walked on a plane with a 4 and a half inch blade spyderco. knife with no problems. it was a spyderco. walker i took it out and put it in my carryon and walked thru and they didnt say a word. (i am only 15 though so i guess they didnt care )<br><br>

I haven't tried to carry a survival kit through security, probably someone else has more pertinent experience.<br><br>I have flown quite a bit, though, and I've had it drummed into me by experience that what they object to, except for obvious and extreme cases, is largely unpredictable. Sometimes it's amazing what just breezes through, and other times they just seem intent on keeping you from flying that day. It seems to have more to do with who's shift it is, how busy they are, and what their mood is that day (whether they feel the need to show you who's in charge) than policy- much like you'd expect in a third-world country. I have been hassled for a solid ash stick in one case, and a small (also solid) statue on another.<br><br>The strictest interpretation of "no flammable items" would prohibit briefcases full of paper. On the other hand, I wouldn't put any faith at all in security's being able to tell a metal box (which is going to look suspicious on an x-ray) containing a sparking device and "tinder" from a bomb- when you think about it, that's a pretty fine line. Personally, I'd check it as luggage AND arrive early enough so that any questions won't keep you from making the flight.<br><br>For what it's worth, they don't object to cigarette lighters or matches carried on one's person, and the instructions that came with the Windmill lighter say the policy is that a filled butane lighter MUST be on your person, not in checked OR carry-on luggage. That's sort of the opposite of what they want you to do with a knife, making it somewhat difficult to keep even the most basic survival gear together.<br><br>If you have the time, and are really concerned, you can do what I've done with other items in the past- ship it to yourself, care of the hotel at the destination, via UPS or FedEx. Call the hotel to let them know to expect the package, but they do this sort of thing routinely. We used to do this with computers in the days before laptops.<br><br>

Great advice, PL. My evperience confirms your observations. I once flew during a time of heightened security probably due to some terrorist activity getting a lot of coverage on TV news. I was carrying nothing suspicious, just my car keys and wallet. I couldn't make it through a single security station without at least a manual wand search. They were picking up a metallic signature from my hiking boots. Maybe the lace eyelets or the shank. At one point, one of the wand operators was beeping on a zipper. She refused to let me pass. I explained to her that she had found a zipper and I showed it to her and I requested a hand search. I had to ask to speak to her supervisor to get through the station. You never really know what to expect. Other times I have carried a folding Gerber LST knife with no problems.<br><br>I would never carry anything unusual through a security checkpoint that I wouldn't be willing to lose. I would definitely check my survival kit with my luggage. If you really feel like you need some survival items on the plane, put a disposable lighter in your pocket and a small folding knife that you wouldn't mind losing. Those won't look unusual to a security person. You might even assemble some other miscellaneous goodies in a zip-lock bag in your carry-on luggage. A zip-lock bag is far less suspicious than a carefully sealed metal box. A bottle of Potable Aqua, a signal mirror, flashlight, and whistle would all be fine. Anything that could be used as a weapon such as a wire or a wire saw, hatchets or blades could easily give you problems. Chances are good that they won't inspect it closely, but even if they do, your real kit will remain untampered-with and will be ready to go hiking with you when you get to Colorado.<br><br><br>

Both Presumedlost and Castaway gave good answers, especially to expect the unexpected with the uneven interpretation of airline rules, which varies between different airlines. I would either pack your hiking survival kit in your luggage or send it to yourself overnight carrier if you're worried about losing your luggage. Although I would hazard a guess that you'll have packed other critical gear with your luggage anyway. <br><br>BTW, the matches and firestarting gear is likely to cause no concern. I believe the law is intended to prevent canisters or containers of flamable liquid, gases or powders that may cause an explosion on board. The empty camp stoves are a risk of explosion should the plane suffer lose of cabin presure (even the luggage compartments are preasurized). Cigarette lighters and matched do not present the same catostrophic risk.<br><br>Still, you present an interesting topic for consideration. What should one carry onboard a commercial airline flight for emergencies. Obviously, there will be soom differences between your wilderness kit and an airline kit, as well as some similarities.<br><br>I'll start of with some ideas, even though some may be off base.<br><br>1. A small fanny pack to carry the items<br>In an emergency you should leave all carry on behind. A fanny pack around your waist solves this proble. It also allows airport security the opportunity to search the items easily if needed, instead of a metal case sealed with tape and cord (ala Doug's mini kit). Wear the kit during flight with the pack in front, in your lap, so items are accesable while in your seat belts.<br><br>2. A folding pocket knife.<br>Big enough to be useful but small enough to not represent a threat to security. I'd have it on top of the kit or in a separate side pocket so it can be found quickly in the dark. If you have to wexit the plane with no lights or a smoke filled cabin, you need to be able to find the knife by touh alone. It could be useful to cut away seat belts if the latch jams.<br><br>3. Bandana or hankechief.<br>Besides traditional survival and camping uses, a bandana could be used to cover your mouth to protect you from smoke inhalation during egress. This item should be in a pocket so you can retrieve it in a hurry. You don't want to be fumbling around in a fanny pack at this time if you don't have to. You need to leave the plane.<br><br>4. Meds.<br>Here I'm not totally sure what would be best. You may experience or need to treat all sorts of injuries, burns, cuts, broken bones, etc. Crash sites of commercial airliners are going to have immediate response. Extreem circumstances, such as weather conditions or terrain (mountains) may delay response, but survivers would likely be reached in hours, not days (is that a reasonable assumption?). So I would guess that antibiotics would not be needed, but pain meds would. As would gauze bandages, tape, maybe a SAM splint, but security might find that odd. What else.<br><br>5. Firestarting<br>In cold conditions, providing heat may be necessary, especially since survivers may suffer from shock. Lifeboat matches and Spark-lite & tinders, etc., should sufice and not present a problem with security. If you pack several alternatives, you'll have backup if you need to surrender one form, such as the matches.<br><br>6. Water treatment<br>Iodine tablets and/or Potassium Permanganate Crystals plus a condom or balloon to hold the water.<br><br>7. Signal mirror<br>Flares would be out of the question.<br><br>8. Sewing kit<br><br>9. Rite-in-the-Rain paper and pencil<br><br>10. Button compass<br><br>11. Photon LED light.<br>I'd have this on a keychain or a lanyard for easy access during egress. Perhaps I should hqave listed this near the top of the list.<br><br>12. Paracord<br><br>What else?<br><br>Willie Vannerson<br>McHenry, IL

Basically you are carrying fancy matches and some tinder. Matches should not be a problem. The tinder should not be a problem in most cases. I have found that if you have a piece of carry on and you pack your survival kit inside your carry on, that most things go through with no problems.<br><br>As mentioned earlier, you have about $10 worth of supplies. If it is confiscated, pick up some additional supplies at the other end of the flight.<br><br>You could also carry alternate tinder material that may be less obvious to the security types. Dryer lint, 0000 steel wool, char cloth, cottom balls, magneisum blocks, etc.<br><br>I carry a Leatherman, matches, MFS, and other similar supplies in a fanny pack and throw the fanny pack in a day pack when traveling on airlines. Throw the day pack on the X-ray belt and no questions.<br><br>Empty coleman stoves make sense to me. Even though the fuel tank is "empty", there may still be lingering fumes that could ignite. Fires on planes are not much fun.<br><br>

Thanks for the kind words.<br><br>I’ll just add that, in general, they seem less interested in small items in carry-on luggage than on your person. They often seem a little reluctant to start opening bags (slows things down), whereas anything that you pull out of your pockets is fair game. This is a little odd, since once you’re on the other side of the checkpoint, as in waiting at the gate, you can transfer anything you like from your carry-on to your pockets. Don’t wait until you’re on the plane- you need to get seated quickly. Personally, I’d do this for anything but the tiniest pocketknife. Lighters, matches, bandannas are not going to cause problems in your pockets.<br><br>I’ve never had anything actually confiscated by security. I’ve tried to avoid giving them anything to even think about, and even then I’ve had them insist on transporting items in the cockpit. I have wondered, though- can they actually take your property over your protests, or can you opt to withdraw with it (provided it’s nothing actually illegal, of course)? If the latter, I’ve wondered if you could carry a padded envelope and mail it to yourself from the airport, then go back through security, rather than losing it for good.<br><br>But then, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a mailbox in an airport, either. Bottom line, they’re not very accommodating… you’d never guess that you’re paying hundreds of dollars for the privilege of being treated like cattle.<br><br><br>

Your suggestion of a bandana for smoke is a good one because the risk from a fire during a crash scenario is a major consideration. Assuming you survive the impact, which you don't have much control over, your next major risk would be smoke inhalation from a fire (unless it's a water landing, then you have to worry about drowning and hypothermia). I would also assume a relatively quick rescue, but there's no telling what kind of environment you could be facing (desert, mountainous, etc).<br><br>The problem is that I don't think a bandana would have any effectiveness against deadly smoke in a burning airplane. One item that could be useful specifically for airline travel would be an emergency smoke hood. I don't know exactly what they are called, but there is something available that consists of a filter canister and a transparent hood to cover the head. It's one-use-only for emergencies and designed to be compact. I think it's about the size of a soda can when it's sealed. It gives you a few minutes of good air to find your way out. A powerful flashlight might also be helpful finding your way through the smoke. <br><br>If I wanted to be prepared for an airline crash, I'd want to have one of those hoods more than anything else.<br><br>

One of the problems with a stove is the fact that it is (potentially) a pressurized container. Airlines have a problem with that even without fuel vapors. For example, if you travel with scuba tanks, they are not allowed on an airplane unless the regulator is removed, leaving the tank wide open. Many divers have a problem with this because they don't want to risk getting any moisture or debris in the tank.<br><br>With a stove, you could just take the cap off, but then the fuel vapors become a problem. So you have two issues there.<br><br>

I think if you have an item that is a problem at a security checkpoint, it is not confiscated, you are just not allowed to pass the checkpoint with the item. You can choose to remain outside the secure area. You could return to your car, for instance, and leave the item there. This may not be practical if you are rushing to make a plane or you are not at your home airport. In most cases you would have to leave the item at the checkpoint and they would probably dispose of it.<br><br>Of course, if posessing the item is illegal, it would probably be confiscated.<br><br>I didn't realize that transporting items in the cockpit was an option. What was it that had to go that way?<br><br>