Any problems taking flashlights on planes?

[Mednanu]

Stupid question here, but I haven't flown since 9/11. If airport security does decide that my flashlight qualifies as a weapon of mass destruction, do they at least allow me to mail it back to myself rather than just relinquishing it to the 'dead-pile' of confiscated scissors and nail clippers (never to be seen again) ? Probably an awfully dumb question, but I don't fly a lot and don't know much about the new procedures.

 

[Blackbeagle]

I fly a couple times a month domestically. Get hassled all the time since I'm a tech and we carry tools, wear jeans, have workboots... They've never hassled me about my X5 or my G2 which I always carry. Never about the SL Stinger or Stylus that I always carry in my backpack.

They ALWAYS hassle me about the rivets in my jeans, the metal in my workboots. They always ping on ladies for the clasps in their bras. Interestingly enough, I've NEVER had a single problem with wearing dogtags. They've scanned me left and right, frisked me, chewed around about those rivets, made me pull the boots off... and never once picked up that I'm wearing razor blade shaped and sized metal on a metal chain around my neck. Don't you love Federal agencies?

 

[Zhang Fei]

Flew to Korea in October out of LAX. Surefire 9P, Surefire G2, Minimag with Opalec and Kroll clickie, 2 Sharpie markers, 2 Super Sharpie markers, 3 large locking carabiners, couple other pens. That was on/in my carry-on. On my person was an E2 HA, another large locking carabiner keychain w/ Inova Microlight, Rotring ballpoint, Rotring rollerball, another Super Sharpie marker. Was almost trying to raise eyebrows.

Pulled aside and had my bag searched at every step of the way. I think one of the flunkies had me turn on my 9P once. Nothing else. I was even trying to act exasperated and put out. Nothing.

Luck of the draw, I guess.

Oh, I'm a 6 foot tall white guy. Head was shorn almost bald at the time. Wore polo shirt and tan pants. No tattoos, two rings, Seiko divers watch. About as unassuming as one gets. But yet, so handsome.

 

[tylerdurden]

Why would sharpies be suspicious?

 

[FalconFX]

It's the pen-tip argument. Or the toothpick argument. Or the toothbrush argument. Or the hairclip argument. Or the mechanical pencil argument. Or the belt clip argument. Or the credit card argument... You get the idea. Anything can be turned into a weapon. They might as well ban people from flying because terrorist can train in martial arts or something...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

 

[tsg68]

Never had a problem and usually carry two lights in my carryon Photon or Arc AAA and C2 or G2 sometimes Inova X5T which is the one they always ask me to turn on to prove it works as a flashlight guess it looks scary to them? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif when you go be sure to give yourself time to take it (carryon) back to the desk and check it if you have to. They let a couple traveling with my wife and me go back and check the wifes bag that they forgot had her pocket knife in it. So just to be on the safe side give yourself some time to take care of any problems. I hear some shops in the terminals are offering to mail items back but I wouldn't count on it.

Later,
TSG /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[paulr]

I met a guy a couple days ago who says he recently got hassled by airport security about a Photon II on his keychain. I forget what color the LED was, but it wasn't white (shades of racism? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif) so they thought it might be some kind of weapon. Eventually they called someone over who let him take it on board. I have no idea what they thought he was going to do with it. Maybe they thought it could be some kind of remote control or signalling device, and he was going to use it to send messages to Osama. Who knows. You have to just expect weirdness now. They always want to inspect my shoes, so I usually now take them off while waiting in line, instead of bothering waiting for them to ask.

 

[Flashlightboy]

I just flew in from San Jose to John Wayne and yes, they did inspect my lights.

I took an E1e + KL1 and M2 with an SC and placed both items in my checked luggage.

On arrival, that compartment had the TSA notice in it and both lights had been turned on. How do I know? Simple. When I packed them both were backed off more than 1 1/2 turns but when I took them out all I had to do was push the tailcap buttons to activate.

 

[FalconFX]

It's more of a nuisance than it is a problem. I don't think they'll ever confiscate a flashlight if you prove to them that it's nothing but a flashlight...

Then again, has anybody ever tried to carry a 6C or 6D maglite into a plane? I doubt it'll look pretty (in more ways than one)...

 

[BF Hammer]

If you read the Transportation Safety Administration web site, it lists just what can be carried on and what is allowed to be in checked baggage. The basic strategy is to completely empty your pockets and remove all metallic items hanging off of your person into a carry-on bag before going through the screening point, let them x-ray the bag, you go through the metal detector quickly because there is no keys/light/other items to be put in the tray first, and you pick up your bag and put everything back in your pockets and elsewhere after leaving the security screening area. This has been my strategy since 9/11 and works smoothly.