Bringing lighters and butane in checked baggage...

[Cohiba Stevie]

I'm going to portugal for my sisters wedding next year and I obviously want to bring plenty of cigars to smoke while i'm away. I want to smoke 2-3 a day so i will be bringing about 30 sticks in total. They will be a mixture of petit corona, corona gorda and robusto vitolas.

I can't be bothered using cheap Bics the whole time as they become unusable to light larger ring gauges, they have a small flame and they get really hot, several burns experienced in cuba plus they're useless on the beach. I was super jealous to see other guys use torch lighters in varadero, I asked a german where he bought it and he said he simply brought it with him.

I want to bring a torch lighter with a single can of butane but put them in my checked baggage.

I dont see how having butane is any more riskier than having several highly flammable aerosols (deodorant etc.) in your checked baggage? I have been able to bring butane torch lighters with fuel in them back and forth to Edinburgh with no issue.

I suppose i can risk bringing the lighter and buy butane over there but I cant be sure there will be any readily available and cant be bothered with the hassle. I then thought about bringing 8-10 disposable torch lighters but surely that would look suspicious?

I would probably have room in my xikar travel humidor for a small can of butane (st dupont xtend type) and that thing has a practically hermetic seal when its closed.

Any thoughts?

Many Thanks folks!

[CaptainQuintero]

[Duxnutz]

Pack lighters empty of fluid and leave the can. TSA (Take Stuff Away) smurfs will take it out for you on the odd occasion as it is a dangerous good and not meant to fly. Also be careful with multiple lighters, had one removed from my bag recently. I now carry empty lighter on my person and check your cutter after had a nice cutter taken off me when I left it in my carryon.

Also be careful checking cigars.

[Colt45]

Check your country's regs, check Portugal's regs. For me, not remotely close to being worth getting popped.

[hdryder]

I have never had any issues with anything in my checked luggage but have lost a cutter & torch I forgot was in my carry-on.

[Fuzz]

From the TSA website:

TSA does not prohibit standard lighters in carry-on or checked baggage. Torch and micro-lighters are prohibited in both carry-on and checked baggage.

For safety reasons, however, the Department of Transportation (DOT) restricts the number of standard lighters (disposable, Zippo, non-torch lighters) in the cabin of the aircraft to one per passenger. Passengers are limited to two fueled lighters in checked baggage, and only if properly packaged pursuant to DOT approved packaging requirements.

Even if an item is generally permitted, it may be subject to additional screening or not allowed through the checkpoint if it triggers an alarm during the screening process, appears to have been tampered with, or poses other security concerns. The final decision rests with TSA on whether to allow any items on the plane.

From the Seatguru website:

All lighters are prohibited as carry-on items. Lighters without fuel are permitted in checked baggage. Lighters with fuel are prohibited in checked baggage, unless they adhere to the DOT exemption, which allows up to two fueled lighters if properly enclosed in a DOT approved case. If you are uncertain as to whether your lighter is prohibited, please refrain from bringing it to the airport.

Note: You can get DOT approved lighter cases to carry your lighter in checked baggage.

In regards to a can of butane:

Explosive materials and realistic replicas of explosives are not permitted on a plane.

Even if an item is generally permitted, it may be subject to additional screening or not allowed through the checkpoint if it triggers an alarm during the screening process, appears to have been tampered with, or poses other security concerns. The final decision rests with TSA on whether to allow any items on the plane.

[Cohiba Stevie]

Looks like its a definite no go with the butane.

Thanks fuzz thats really helpful.

Think I'm gonna risk it though with the torch lighter. Never had an issue before.

I take it TSA regulations would be pretty much the same for the european equivalent? Maybe even a bit more stringent...

[Fuzz]

Just a quick Google search came up with these DOT approved cases:

Zippo - holds 2 Zippos, so you should be able to fit some other brands.

Colibri Tranzpak

Prometheus Lighter Travel Case

Not sure if the Xikar Travel Case is DOT approved.

[Guest robustog]

Just lost my Jet Lighter on my last trip. Had it in a leather case that also contained about 10 cigars. A little note said tourch lighters are not allowed.

[Duxnutz]

Sorry to hear that mate. TSA are notorious for lack of consistency in enforcement of regs. I remember back in the days following 9/11 when they wouldn't even let crew members in uniform carry toothpaste through security.

[Guest robustog]

Sorry to hear that mate. TSA are notorious for lack of consistency in enforcement of regs. I remember back in the days following 9/11 when they wouldn't even let crew members in uniform carry toothpaste through security.

They sure are.... I took the same leather case in my carry on backpack another time, they searched it, opened the leather case, checked out the lighter.. no problem... looked at the cutter (an elcheapo in case they took it) again no problem. I'm thinking that I could break the plastic on the cutter and have two blades that are razor sharp to do what ever with, but they took my deoderant.

[LGC]

Like I've said before... it doesn't matter what the posted regulations are...

I once printed out the regulations to take with me as proof. The dumbass still took my flint/butane lighter. Never underestimate the stupidity of any TSA agent.

[Lotusguy]

Had a nice torch lighter confiscated from checked luggage on the way to Cali from Germany. Never again...

[Fuzz]

I don't understand why we are talking about the TSA? Isn't the TSA for the US? The same rules for a similar product don't apply everywhere I think.

A lot of places have adopted the TSA regulations, and as their regulations are some of the strictest international regs (not talking about weird local regs), it would be best to meet these standards when travelling.

Heck, I have TSA approved locks on my luggage, and I haven't been to the states since before 2000. No country I have traveled to recently follows the TSA rule of no locked luggage unless locked with a TSA approved lock (you can still use a normal lock, they will just cut it off if they feel like checking your bags), but I still have an approved lock just in case.

[PoohBore]

From the uk to cuba I took an empty jet lighter and the smallest can of gas I could get in my checked luggage. No issues on either flight. Not a hope in hells chance of buying gas out there everywhere I asked on the previous trip.

Looks kinda like a can of deodorant so it wenin with my toiletries

[CanuckSARTech]

Just a quick Google search came up with these DOT approved cases:

Zippo - holds 2 Zippos, so you should be able to fit some other brands.

Colibri Tranzpak

Prometheus Lighter Travel Case

Not sure if the Xikar Travel Case is DOT approved.

No, the Xikar case wasn't DOT approved, last I checked (I have one of those, and the OtterBox Zippo case (which is approved, pending no fuel), and the Colibri Tranzpak (again, approved, pending no fuel).

The Colibri Tranzpak is pretty cool. Fairly indestructible, protects a lighter well with all the foam, and the approval is well labelled on it. Looks a bit like a gaudy giant yellow suppository though (something for Frank maybe.... )

BUT.....and Fuzz illustrated this very well above for the OP....the TSA rules vary a bit....and it all depends on if they're followed.

Some examples....

DOT approval doesn't necessarily mean TSA approval.

A TSA officer's discretion and decision at the time of inspection is always the deciding factor. It doesn't matter if that officer is being harder than the rules, and if you have a copy of the rules with you - like it or not, if they're having a bad day or not, if they decide to be stricter due to safety concerns (or just being a plain jerk), you have no recourse at the time of boarding really. A lighter's not worth it.

It depends on what country you're flying into or out of. For instance, here in Canada, even those DOT approved containers aren't approved for our flights. The CATSA (Canadian equivalent of TSA in the U.S.) says that checked baggage still cannot contain torch lighters, in a DOT approved container or not, empty of fuel or not.

And, depending on what country you're flying into or out of, it depends if they even bother checking, or for that matter, even bother with enforcing that section of the rules or not.

For my two cents, when I travel to Cuba or somewhere else via airline, with the intention of enjoying cigars, I simply bring a cheap throw-away guillotine cutter (I leave my expensive Xikar cutters at home, for fear of having them seized or stolen or lost) and some cedar spills with me as well. That way, if I can't find a relatively inexpensive and decently working torch lighter, I have the option of using the cedar spills with some standard matches or Bic-type lighters to light up my cigars.

It's just not worth the hassle, IMO. The cigars and the trip are more important to me, rather than having to worry about having bad feelings for a whole trip (or afterwards) because of a lost/seized/stolen cherished lighter or cutter.

[Scdalak]

Had a nice torch lighter confiscated from checked luggage on the way to Cali from Germany. Never again...

+1.....Buy the Bics when you get there.... Not worth the hassle...

[tmac77]

I normally put a couple of empty tourch lighter in my checked luggage inside a small xicar case and buy the butane when i get there. Has worked every time.

The only time I had a lighter removed was when there was one in my golf bag which got xrayed in the oversize luggage check in area.

It was not confiscated but I was told I could not bring it on the plane. So, allthough I was not able to bring the lighter with me, I was able to find a post office in the airport and mail it home to myself in a padded envelope.

[Puros Y Vino]

I usually put a cheap butane lighter in with my toiletries. I crank down the gas to low, tape over the nozzle and travel away. I never put in carry on though. And let's use our heads here. Is a lighter in your luggage really going to cause an issue? Just more fearmongering.

[Ophidion]

That's how the terrorists win, frank.

[BrotherBear]

If you aren't fussy on appearances, these are great.

http://www.amazon.co...iroda micro-jet

[Dara]

Cans of Butane are prohibbited for checked luggage by ALL airlines so You could arrive over to find your suitcase is still back in the George Best International....imagine trying to explain to your sister why you're wearing shorts and flip flops at her wedding because your clothes didn't arrive.

Cigars are easy enough to pick up in Portugal (similar to the Estancos in Spain) and the prices are good too so I'll bet you come back with more than you left with.

Getting a lighter over should be no problem unless you're going to be in the middle of nowhere (even then you could stock up at the airport)

Worst case, pack some decent matches!

[LGC]

If you are so determined to have a torch, just mail some cheap ones there. No need to ponder over this for days... If you are overly concerned about losing a lighter.

[Professor Twain]

I have the Colibri case, I have flown at least 50 times with it in my checked baggage, with my torch lighter inside. I've had notes that my bag was inspected on a number of occasions and there was never a problem with my lighter being in this case. I left the little information package that came with it attached to the case, it shows in HUGE letters that it is approved by DOT. I wouldn't travel with a really expensive lighter that way because I agree with the sentiment that someone inspecting a bag could be an idiot and ignore the clear statement that this is legal.

[CanuckSARTech]

Just came across this again.

The Iroda thing that Marc shared is just top notch awesome. His Iroda was a go-to for most of us when we were all down in Havana a couple of weeks ago.

I'm gonna have to get me one (as are a bunch of us!). From here on, this will be my carry-on back up.