Posted on 12/08/2004 2:40:01 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
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.
Dorgan cited FBI reports that would-be "shoe-bomber" Richard Reid would have been able to ignite his explosive and blow up a trans-Atlantic jetliner three years ago if he'd brought a butane lighter with him.
Wyden and Dorgan were so persistent in their campaign against the incendiary devices that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., joked earlier this year that he never thought butane lighters would get so much attention.
"This is probably not the biggest thing in the world," Dorgan said. "But it's one of those areas where a big government agency couldn't develop a little bit of common sense about something so obvious."
The ban takes effect 60 days after President Bush signs the intelligence reform bill into law.
Private Zippo!
It took them this long to ban lighters? I mean, if smoking was already banned, what need would anyone have for a lighter???
bah!
Has anyone ever used a lighter on an airliner to harm someone? EVER?
I had security relieve my of my lighter when I put my kids on a plane two years ago at the Tulsa Airport.
I feel SO much safer now. Not. Actually, I feel like this has gone way to far in the wrong direction. Get better control over out borders, President Bush. Then us citizens won't be treated like criminals every time we fly on an airplane.
As long as this is the biggest victory we give Democrats in the next 12 months, I can go along with it.
A lighter is just something you always carry... in my pockets, I always have a lighter, a small collapsable knife, and a box of stick matches... I could see them not allowing me to take my knife on board, but has anyone ever been harmed with a lighter on any flight?
I'm thinking about asking the Admin Moderator to delete your post... it might be giving THEM ideas.
Not that I know of, but, prior to 9-11, had anyone ever been harmed with porcelin knives? I carry a pocketknife daily as well. But when I fly, I have no problems putting it in my luggage. You wouldn't have a problem doing that with your lighter, would you? I mean, what possible need could you have for one during the flight?
No, but our retarded Senator Wyden, who famously did know how much a gallon of milk cost when asked, must have burned his fingers at one point or something . . .
Because there are things called "layovers" and "smoking designated areas."
This latest move is just another piece of nanny-state insanity that will buy us no additional security at all.
Smoking on all commercial flights is banned...but there are still places in this country where one may have a cigarette in the airport bar or "smokers lounge" while waiting for a flight. Bags have already been checked at this point so it's not possible to put the lighter into a checked bag for the flight. There's also the matter of arrival at the destination. Many smokers will go have a cigarette before going to the baggage carousel to retrieve their bags (as it is quite unusual for the bags to be ready for pickup when one reaches the carousel...in my experience one usually has to wait at least 10 - 15 minutes). I'm assuming the allowance of matches is meant for persons who would be in this type of a scenario.
I remember reading something about a guy who legally changed his name to "Them"... or was it "They"? Whoever it was, I'm not going to let him put a blindfold on me! That's where I draw the line!
Butane lighters have been banned on military flights for at least 30 years.
No additional security? Okay, so maybe a terrorist isn't going to use a Zippo to hijack a plane. But, I'm more in fear of the prospect of some mentally-deranged jerk taking his lighter and a stack of the nearest airplane magazines and starting a fire on the plane. This isn't nanny-statism, this is just common sense!
Uh, if you're traveling to the developing world and don't want to check luggage.
So are you going to advocate strip searches to make sure nobody has a book of matches on them?
Buy a cheap Bic at the airport. Don't take one on the flight.
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