Zippo gets lighter exemption from TSA

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Mary Shaw <mary.shaw () gmail com>
Date: August 2, 2005 8:46:16 AM EDT
To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Subject: Zippo gets lighter exemption from TSA
Reply-To: Mary Shaw <mary.shaw () gmail com>


Dave,

Have you been following the story of lighters on commercial  
aircraft?  You will recall that last April TSA banned lighters that  
use any sort of fuel from both checked and carryon baggage.  In  
addition to creating bins of BICs at TSA screening points (why didn't  
they move those bins to the exit lines so you could pick up a lighter  
to replace the one you dropped off?) this created consternation at  
the Pennsylvania-based Zippo company, creator of the iconic  
collectible lighters.

Zippo went to their (our) senators, Spector and Santorum for help.   
In May TSA ruled that new Zippos (never fueled) and similar lighters  
are not hazardous and could go in checked baggage.

In June TSA granted Zippo an "emergency examption" allowing fueled  
lighters in checked bags provided they are in approved (vapor-tight,  
sealed, unbreakable, ...) cases.  The cases were developed for Zippo  
by Otterbox, which claims to be selling them "at cost" -- $12.95.

Zippo's version at http://www.zippo.com/lighterBan.html

Curiously, the TSA policy on the exemption ( http://www.tsa.gov/ 
public/interapp/editorial/editorial_2047.xml ) specifically exempts  
Zippos by name.

Patches upon patches upon patches .....

Mary


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