Evelynvogtgamble

Terence Lo wrote:
    >
    > hi there,
    > i know with the somewhat recent 9-11 attacks, airlines around the world are
    > taking safety precautions and disallowing things like razors etc on board.
    >
    > so my question is which of the following items are allowed on board:
    >
    > electric toothbrush (nH battery inside)
    > swiss army knife (no?)
    > finger nail clippers
    > dental floss
    >
    > anyone know? i'd love to be able to bring these items.

Dunno about the rest of the world (which seems to be less paranoid about
such things) but in the U.S. the only no-no in your list would be the
Swiss army knife (and that's only true for your carry-on luggage, it's
okay if it's in a bag you check through to your destination). I don't
think there's any problem about nail CLIPPERS, although scissors and
nail-files are vorbotten (emery boards are okay, though, and if your
nail file has a rounded end instead of a point, that's probably okay,
too). I don't understand why you think an electric toothbrush would be
a problem - I carry any number of battery-operated items when I travel -
flashlights, translator gadget, pocket radio, mini-disk recorder,
portable CD player, digital camera, "wearable" air purifier.... If they
are questioned, all I need do is produce them for inspection, but I've
seldom even had to do that. (Although I always carry the printed
operating instructions with me, in case of any questions.)

Back when heat sterilizers were the normal disinfecting method for soft
contact lenses, I was asked to open my carry-on a couple of times -
probably because the inspector had never seen one, and didn't know what
it was - but there was never any problem about taking it, once I'd
explained its function, and they'd seen it. (That, of course, was NOT
battery operated, but fortunately the chemical disinfecting methods
becme more or less universal before I took my first trip to Europe,
where I would have had to worry about the difference in electrical
voltage and wall-plug configurations.)

Evelynvogtgamble

nightjar wrote:
    >
    > "Terence Lo" wrote in message

    > > finger nail clippers
    >
    > No.

I've had no problem with nail clippers - although they made me remove
the tiny (1/2 inch) nail file attached to them! Are we talking about
the same kind of clippers? The ones I carry are a sort of blunt-ended
spring-operated pincers affair - you have to insert your fingernail
between two fixed blades and squeeze to clip the nail. Even if the
gadget were disassembled, the tiny parentheses-shaped blades couldn't do
any appreciable damage, however determined the wielder! If the worst
wound it could inflict was something resembling a shaving nick, it
wouldn't be of much use as a terrorist weapon, would it?

Evelynvogtgamble

Judith Umbria wrote:
    >
    > I recently carried all but the knife on board. No problem. Returning,
    > however, my checked luggage was torn apart and had dayglo stickers all over
    > it. There was an angelfood cake pan in it holding clothes and the charger
    > for the electric toothbrush with cord wrapped around it. They OPENED a box
    > of Pet Fresh powder, which then distruibuted itself throughout the bag.
    > That I was non-plussed about. What could they (US Customs) think was in a
    > sealed box of Pet Fresh?

Are you saying that they now inspect your luggage when you come back
INTO the U.S., also? (Other than normal customs checks?) I know we are
not allowed to lock our luggage when LEAVING the U.S., but I was told
that only covered departure from a U.S. airport, not travel between
European destinations, and not departures from European airports when
returning to the U.S.

Incidentally (and purely out of curiosity), if "Pet Fresh" is what the
name implies, why would you be carrying a sealed box of it in your
luggage? Do you travel with a pet?

Evelynvogtgamble

Deep Floyd Mars wrote:
    >
    > Karen Selwyn wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Judith Umbria wrote:
    > > >
    > > > I recently carried all but the knife on board. No problem.
    > > > Returning, however, my checked luggage was torn apart and had dayglo
    > > > stickers all over it. There was an angelfood cake pan in it holding
    > > > clothes...
    > >
    > > Security certainly seems to go bananas over cooking utensils. Flying out
    > > of LAX, I triggered a security search because of a fish spatula and an
    > > offset icing spatula.
    >
    > Interesting items to take on board with you. Did you have a portable oven
    > too?

Hmmm... I always carry a shatter-proof coffee mug and a dual current
electrical gadget for heating water in it (also a few bouillion cubes
and some herbal teabags). I've had no problems with them on any of my
post-9/11 trips up until now - have they, too, become questionable
items? (I still maintain that, with the obvious exception of sharp
items like knives, anything that might be questioned is better off in a
carry-on, where it is much more easily produced, and will be examined in
the owner's presence.)

Evelynvogtgamble

Adrian Rothery wrote:
    >
    > "S Viemeister" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Deep Floyd Mars wrote:
    > > >
    > > > Karen Selwyn wrote
    > > > > Security certainly seems to go bananas over cooking utensils. Flying
    > out
    > > > > of LAX, I triggered a security search because of a fish spatula and an
    > > > > offset icing spatula.
    > >
    > > >
    > > > Interesting items to take on board with you. Did you have a portable
    > oven
    > > > too?
    > > >
    > > I often have kitchen equipment in my baggage - pots, pans, measuring tools
    > > - once I even packed a food processor.
    > >
    >
    > Of course it is always advisable to have a selection of kitchen utensils to
    > hand just in case you should need them during a flight. You never know when
    > a garlic press or egg whisk would be needed in an emergency.
    > Remember, you won't be able to save the day if such items were packed in
    > your stowed luggage.

I suspect that these may be gift items, included in carry-ons to avoid
breakage. (I can't imagine even the most clueless of inspectors not
recognizing such items for what they are - and in your stowed luggage,
they certainly would pose no threat while in flight!)

    >
    > Adrian.

Evelynvogtgamble

Thomas Peel wrote:
    >
    > Karen Selwyn schrieb:
    > >
    > > Judith Umbria wrote:
    > > >
    > > > I recently carried all but the knife on board. No problem.
    > > > Returning, however, my checked luggage was torn apart and had dayglo
    > > > stickers all over it. There was an angelfood cake pan in it holding
    > > > clothes...
    > >
    > > Security certainly seems to go bananas over cooking utensils. Flying out
    > > of LAX, I triggered a security search because of a fish spatula and an
    > > offset icing spatula.
    > >
    > > Karen Selwyn
    >
    > At Stansted Airport right after the Xray machines there is a big
    > transparent
    > plastic box they throw the things into that have been confiscated.
    > Apart from the usual Swiss army knives and scissors, they do have
    > some impressive 12" carving knives, and corkscrews, which apparently
    > are forbidden.
    > Also those big long curved hair clasps.
    > Oh, and a couple of boxcutters.

But those are items found in carry-on luggage, right? I get the
impression these ladies are talking about their checked baggage, and I
don't understand why they should have had problems with things like
that. I was told (yes, Ms. Selwyn, just last week) that such items are
still only forbidden in carry-on luggage, as has been the case ever
since 9/11.

Evelynvogtgamble

GG wrote:

    > I, too, have taken a small Swiss Army knife on board. I was already in line
    > to go through security when I realized I had forgotten to take it out of my
    > purse and pack it. I was quite distressed since I'm very fond of that
    > little knife, and was amazed that they didn't see it on X-Ray. Mine is the
    > 4th post here with the same story. I wonder how many thousands of others
    > have carried potentially dangerous items through, and whether there's really
    > any way to prevent this.

Probably not - I think Msxmanic hit the issue straight on when he said
they are more concerned with being PERCEIVED to be dilligent (by
inconveniencing passengers as much as possible), rather than with really
effective "security".

Evelynvogtgamble

hotmail wrote:
    >
    > "erilar" wrote in message
    > news:erilarloFRY-CD25AC.161050230520...streamcomm.net...
    > In article , "Newsreader"
    > wrote:
    >
    > I just recently flew from Ontario, CA to New Orleans, LA and had my eyebrow
    > tweezers taken from me when I wouldn't check my bag because of them. I'm
    > sure those tweezers posed a serious threat to the other passengers. I mean,
    > if I started chipping away at the pilots steel door with them I might get
    > through around.......never????

But those don't even have pointed ends! Are you talking about the kind
with scissors grips? Did they even know they were tweezers, not
scissors? (I haven't much faith in the intelligence of people who work
steady jobs that pay only minimum wage - and although the chain of
command may have changed, have the people doing the actual inspecting?)

    >
    > Judith the Bitter

Evelynvogtgamble

Judith Umbria wrote:

    > You'd probably be surprised what people want you to bring back from N
    > America. Angelfood pans are not available here, but my Italian friend fell
    > in love with the stuff when traveling there.
    > Instant meat thermometers aren't in the shops, so I brought one in
    > centigrade for a friend who loves mine.
    > None of the pet odor or stain handling products are marketed here, either.
    > Preen garden product, which is merely corn germ, is not available, but the
    > smallest packet was a gallon, so I regretfully left it in the shop.
    > Hey, others might get requests for diaminds and drugs. I am lucky.

Ah, I misunderstood where you were "returning" TO! I thought you meant
your luggage coming into the U.S. from abroad underwent that sort of
treatment, too. (Although it shouldn't take an inspector of outstanding
intellect to reason that a sealed carton of a brand-name enzyme cleaner,
packed in your checked-through baggage, was not a bomb!)

Evelynvogtgamble

"I. Wilson Gittleman, M.D." wrote:
    >
    > Many of these posts relate to the Swiss knife.
    >
    > Am I wrong in thinking I read that any knife less than three inches in
    > length (which I think would appy to Swiss knves) is OK.
    >
    > Please advise.

If my being forced to sacrifice the half-inch-long nail file that was
attached to my pocket nail-clippers is any indication, yes, you are
mistaken. (And if you're a doctor, you should know that even a penknife
can inflict a pretty nasty wound - I think Swiss army knives are a good
deal longer than that.)

    >
    > "It doesn't matter what you do in the bedroom as long as you don't do
    > it in the street and frighten the horses".
    > -- Mrs. Patrick Campbell (English actress)

Evelynvogtgamble

Marie Lewis wrote:
    >
    > In article ,
    > nightjar@?.?.invalid writes
    > >Absolutely no knives of any kind, nor anything else that has been defined as
    > >a sharp object, nor anything that could be used as a cosh, are allowed in
    > >the cabin baggage of aircraft.
    >
    > Except full bottles of spirits bought at a duty free shop. Easily used
    > as a cosh.

Didn't I read where most of those are now sold in plastic bottles?
(Although, given the weight, I guess it could still inflict a pretty
telling blow - it just won't shatter to produce "sharp objects".)

Evelynvogtgamble

Chris Murrell wrote:
    >
    > wrote in message news:...
    > ....
    > > Absolutely no knives of any kind, nor anything else that has been defined as
    > > a sharp object, nor anything that could be used as a cosh, are allowed in
    > > the cabin baggage of aircraft.
    > ....
    > I was going to ask about needlepoint, embroidery, quilting, etc. -
    > common activities used by persons of craft to pass long hours in an
    > aircraft? Anyone heard of someone imprisoned for possession of
    > knitting needles?

No one imprisoned, but knitting needles, etc. confiscated. See some of
the discussions here shortly after 9/11/01 (or 11.9.01, if you're
European)

Krist

Terence Lo wrote:

    > swiss army knife (no?)

My experiences on the subject are varied though. About a year a go I
flew Amsterdam - Zurich and back. Bought a swiss army knife, and took it
back without problems. About six months ago I flew Zurich - Brussel -
Zurich and took that same knife with me. For trips like that I only have
carry-on luggage, so checking it was not possbile. I flew to Brussel
without any problem, but the knife got impounded in Brussel on the way
back...

Last time (about 2 months ago) I was in Zurich aiport the tax-free shops
there still sold swiss army knives. I asked how the situation was about
buying one, and taking it aboard, and was told that it was OK with most
flights, except to the states.

I didn't test this though. Loosing one knife is enough. And security had
aparently been stepped up, as I had to demonstrate that my PDA, Cell
phone, Laptop etc, were all waht they were pretending to be...

I've stopped flying for now. To much hassle. I'm rediscovering that I
can really sleep on a night train...

Krist


--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Krist Bern, Switzerland
mailmekrist

Krist

EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote:

    >>Except full bottles of spirits bought at a duty free shop. Easily used
    >>as a cosh.
    >
    >
    > Didn't I read where most of those are now sold in plastic bottles?
    > (Although, given the weight, I guess it could still inflict a pretty
    > telling blow - it just won't shatter to produce "sharp objects".)

Never seen them. Extensively checked the liquor part of the tx free
shops in Brussel and Zurich last time I flew through them. All glas. I
can't see me buying a 20 yo Scotch in a plastic bottle anyway, would be
sacrilegeous...

Krist

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Krist Bern, Switzerland
mailmekrist

Rita

On Mon, 26 May 2003 13:37:27 +0200, Krist wrote:


    >Last time (about 2 months ago) I was in Zurich aiport the tax-free shops
    >there still sold swiss army knives. I asked how the situation was about
    >buying one, and taking it aboard, and was told that it was OK with most
    >flights, except to the states.
    >I didn't test this though. Loosing one knife is enough. And security had
    >aparently been stepped up, as I had to demonstrate that my PDA, Cell
    >phone, Laptop etc, were all waht they were pretending to be...
I would hope security had been stepped up. I can't see this whining
about not being able to take a knife on an airplane these days. I
don't want to fly on airplanes where people are carrying knives.
Do you? Other than yourself, that is