Zippo Upset by Federal Airport Ban

[Rose Siding]

Zippo, the Reusable Cigarette Lighter Company, Upset by Federal Airport Ban

PITTSBURGH Mar 3, 2005 — The war on terror is making an American flame sputter.

Zippo Manufacturing Co., which prides itself on its classic brass-and-chrome butane lighters, says new air travel security regulations could cut into sales by as much as 30 percent.

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration has announced it will ban butane, electric and absorbed fuel lighters aboard all aircraft and in areas behind airport security gates beginning in April.

Zippo officials will meet with federal officials later this month to plead their case. Millions of the metal, rectangular lighters are bought on impulse at duty-free shops and at vacation spots as mementos. Now, the company fears disposable lighters will drain their business.

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=546986

[Tux]

1. NO! NOT ZIPPO!

Zippo lighters are the best. I'm a fan and may start collecting them as I replace older ones. They're a fine lighter, made in USA (America, not China), and are reliable as can be. Seeing this banned this way on flights is stupid. Bush et al may as well say they're anti-American as they really are.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. So does this mean I can

carry my Bic lighter on a plane or not?

[napi21]

4. NO! The only thing you can have is up to 4 books of matches.

Suposedly, they didn't ban matches because there's no way to enforce it. They don't show up on any scan, and can't be detected because there's no metal.

[pretzel4gore]

5. or 2 sticks

i mean, you can rub em together and BOOOM!

[napi21]

3. I never thought of that, but it's true.

I always have my favorite Zippo with me. I really question the logic of this ban, the same as I questioned the stupid ritual speach they had to go through with EVERY passenger..."have you bags been in your possession the entire time, bla bla bla

Like if I have a bomb in my carry on I'm gonna tell them yea, Osama packed my bag.

This whole airport security stuff is crazy and doesn't use any logic at all.