Don't put your nice lights in your checked in luggage

Late last year some friends (who travel for work and were on the coast of Hawaii at the time) lost power for a few days because of a hurricane. They had absolutely no lights in their posession, and picked up a pair of mini-maglites to tide them over until power was restored. At the time, that was all they could get as all the cheapie plastic lights were sold out, and the maglites were the last lights on the shelf.

I sent them a pair of Lumapower LM-31 lights, and a bunch of Lithium E2s for XMas (funny they don't make fun of my flashlight hobby anymore ).

They flew home last week; both Lumapowers and the Maglites were in their "checked" luggage, until they discovered the TSA stole the lights (but didn't take the $400 Archos video player). I don't know anything about travelling, but the bag was hand searched and didn't have some slip the TSA is supposedly required to put in when they do so.

Anyway, the moral of the story is put your nice lights in your carry-on luggage and not in checked (as if that isn't obvious but maybe a reminder is a good idea).

Obvious question, why didn't they just report it and get a full reimbursement??

How do you know it was TSA and not just the baggage handlers?

WAIIIIIIIIT.....so you cant bring flashlights in hand carry, for risk of getting them taken by picky security at the gate...

now you cant check them in either?

seriously...WTF....maybe they should be fedexed ahead...

i think the real moral of the story, is to padlock your checked luggage...if they want to search them, let them get a warrant..or use a frekking x-ray machine..

Crenshaw

Crenshaw said:

WAIIIIIIIIT.....so you cant bring flashlights in hand carry, for risk of getting them taken by picky security at the gate...

now you cant check them in either?

seriously...WTF....maybe they should be fedexed ahead...

i think the real moral of the story, is to padlock your checked luggage...if they want to search them, let them get a warrant..or use a frekking x-ray machine..

Crenshaw

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You clearly have not dealt with the TSA after 9-11-01. Padlocked luggage is either cut open, or the padlocks cut off. There are 'special' locks you can use that have TSA overrides (they have corresponding codes, keys, etc) so this is one way to identify culprits.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/locks.shtm

I would go with carry on. There is absolutely no legal excuse for them to confiscate your light during screening, and attempting to do so is simply theft, and a quick word with a supervisor will clear things right up.

Marduke said:

I would go with carry on. There is absolutely no legal excuse for them to confiscate your light during screening, and attempting to do so is simply theft, and a quick word with a supervisor will clear things right up.

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It depends on which light you carry. I have had no problems with Surefire E2E, L2, L1 or even a Ti PD-S. Some people reported successfully carrying M6 or lights with Strike Bezel however i would not push my luck. Always carry a prepaid envelope in case you have to mail things to yourself.
Lights that can act as a impact device such as Mag 3D is a no no.

well, i have never had to deal with TSA thank God...never actually been to the USA

but seeing this kind of thing is giving me second thoughts of ever wanting to actually visit. What if i buy an M6 while im there, only to have it confiscicated at the air port?

Crenshaw

No worries Crenshaw. This is very rare and you'll be fine.

However, the TSA is known for stealing.

Taking Something Away is another acronym for the TSA, sadly.

I always allow them to hand search my checked bags if they wish, then I lock em. They have always arrived intact no problem. Takes a few minutes extra to wait for the seach, but it's worth it.

The TSA folks as a whole also have motivation to take items because they are often auctioned off online. There are a number of articles like this one or this one.

-LT

Luggage is very easy to open even if it is locked. All you need is a pen or similar object and push it against the zipper and the zipper will pop open. Anyone can get into your checked baggage. TSA wont reimburse you for anything unless you send them pictures of the items in the bag and copies of the receipts from their purchase. Even then they may refer you to the airline claims instead if, for example, the luggage was lost or delayed. That's my understanding of their procedure anyway.

I have traveled with a Surefire E1e, Fenix P1D-CE, Fenix L1T V2.0, Lummi Wee Ti and Lummi Raw Ti in my carry-on baggage, including spare Li-ion cells without any hesitation from the baggage screeners whatsoever. They definitely should never be trusted to checked baggage.

Whilst visiting the Empire State building, the Raw Ti attracted attention, and the female baggage checker queried it with one of her colleagues. Luckily, he pulled out an Inova X5 and flashed it about saying, "It's just a flashlight, like mine, see?" Understandably, my Leatherman Squirt P4 had to be retained, but was returned in good order on my return to ground floor.

Crenshaw, as for the M6 purchase, strike bezels would be an almost definite 'no' for carry on. But otherwise, they may still consider it to be an 'impact weapon'. It is such a silly definition because it fails to define exactly where the border lies.

MikeSalt said:

Crenshaw, as for the M6 purchase, strike bezels would be an almost definite 'no' for carry on. But otherwise, they may still consider it to be an 'impact weapon'. It is such a silly definition because it fails to define exactly where the border lies.

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exactly...i mean, not that i have the money to get it, but i am thinking something along the lines of a UB2 might still be considered a striking weapon..which is stupid too..

anyone else watch the bourne identity? he uses a PEN..not a tactical sharpie, or tactical pen, regular plastic costs 30 cents PEN, to kill the guy...maybe they shouldnt be allowed to bring pens on board....

if and when i do visit there, ill be bringing a hard plastic suitcase..with combination lock and one of them special wrap around type locks..

Crenshaw

There will come a day when security ask if you have any martial arts training. If you say yes, they will say, "Sorry sir, no lethal weapons allowed on board, and that includes you!"

MikeSalt said:

There will come a day when security ask if you have any martial arts training. If you say yes, they will say, "Sorry sir, no lethal weapons allowed on board, and that includes you!"

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lets hope they revamp the whole rulebook, rather then sloppy, patch-work, add-on rules, before it comes to that.Lets hope lithium batteries fully allowed to be shipped by air, provided they comply with standards such as taping the contacts, etc...

Crenshaw

TSA claims that they have a problem with less than 1% of their security people. Quick math: 80,000 security people times 1% = 800 thieves. Assuming that we believe their claim. Probably at least one at every major airport. True enough though that most are honest and will even turn in their fellows if they see them taking something. That's actually how most of them get caught. Also sad is that with so many security people, many are not trained very well.
And sorry, but a sealed case would suspicious and would be broken open to make sure there was nothing illegal in it. It is in fact illegal to use a lock that the TSA can't open. On the other hand, a hard case should be some protection from dishonest baggage handlers.

you should read the TSA threads in the Battery and electronics forum.
it might be a clue. lithium batteries are supposed to go in your "carry-on" now.
and (if you read the other tsa threads) you will see that some people in the tsa, dont know what or how this rule is to be applied.
and it is a bit complex how the rule works, but basically they dont want lithium batteries in cargo holds , where no one can monitor if something gets on fire.

best place for your spencive lights and batteries is in your carry-on of all things. at least then when they take it, yull be there watching it go

so out with the liquids, and in with the electronics, this week at least , untill some thing gets in the news to change the hype.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/184424

or from the horses mouth
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/batteries.shtm

greenstuffs noted that you should always carry a self addressed envelope with you to send objects back to yourself. This is getting harder and harder to do in most US airports, they are removing mailboxs from the terminals because of the posibility of bombs being placed in them. Your best bet is to put your lights in your carry on bag, and try to have the lights that don't atract attention to you , and there will be know problem.

Chuck

Kind of surprised no one has mentioned this yet. But If I was traveling with expensive lights, I would take them apart. Put the lens, batteries, battery body etc, all in different places or in different bags.

There are not many people who would snatch part of a flashlight.... For smaller flashlights as in AAA, AA, cr123A and 1x18650 lights, I would carry them on as they are too small to be considered a possible weapon.