And I thought I'd seen it all!

[FlyboyAl]

Just checked into LAX for QF12 and there was a bit of a hold up at the F desk because a guy wanted to remove 2 things from his carry on.
2 Butane Gas Canisters!!!:shock:
After the commotion it caused, let me tell you LAX is NOT the place to dispose of gas canisters.
The check-in-chick passed him to a supervisor, who told him to take it to security and they would dispose of it. The passenger pointed out they had to be disposed of in the correct way.
The supervisor pointed to security.
The passport check guy sent him through and told him to talk to security. He was behind me in the line and I told him to put the things in the bin. I was told they had to be disposed of correctly!
He then went back out of security and walked down to the body scanner where more TSA staff moved toward him.
He was last seen being escorted from the security area by a very big, dark, TSA officer.
I'm sorry if this offends, BUT WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND goes to an airport (especially in the USA) with butane gas canisters in their bag?
I'm now wondering if he has any in his checked bags:!: and do I say anything?

 

[Timba-Jet]

Whatever the reason, he sure was environmentally and safety conscious wanting to dispose of the canisters correctly!

 

[FlyboyAl]

Yeah, right!
I just spoke to the 3 staff at the front of the lounge and I was told if there were any in his luggage, the TSA screening and xray will pick it up.
Not sure if that makes me feel better or not!!!

 

[AVC]

Maybe he had one of those little stoves so he could whip up his own meal in flight.

I'm sure the screening guys have seen pretty much everything, but compressed flammable gas on an aircraft just sends a bit of a chill. They can be very very nasty, even the small ones, especially if the gas escapes and happens to mix with the air in the right ratio. I've seen vehicles reduced to shrapnel from leaky butane cylinders.

Which reminds me of a story. Acetylene (welding gas) is even nastier. Much more potent than butane/propane. Which is why they use it to blow up ATMs.

Anyway, I was in CIG (like BOC gases, but much longer ago), and a guy brought in his oxy-acetylene cylinders for "refilling" (which you dont do, they exchange them, as you dont actually own the cylinders).

He wanted the same cylinders back.
"Why?" the store guy asks.
"Because of the handles"
Handles?
We go out to the dock and this guy had WELDED two steel D handles onto his cylinders.
The store guy just says "you must be the luckiest bloke alive"

 

[MelUser]

Backpackers often travel with this. In fact I remember seeing one charged and convicted in the Darwin Magistrates Court.

But yes - I would have taken the things outside - their are bins and garden out the front of TBIT.

In USA this sort of thing can see you banned for life from Air Travel.

 

[FlyboyAl]

Maybe he had one of those little stoves so he could whip up his own meal in flight.

I'm sure the screening guys have seen pretty much everything, but compressed flammable gas on an aircraft just sends a bit of a chill. They can be very very nasty, even the small ones, especially if the gas escapes and happens to mix with the air in the right ratio. I've seen vehicles reduced to shrapnel from leaky butane cylinders.

Which reminds me of a story. Acetylene (welding gas) is even nastier. Much more potent than butane/propane. Which is why they use it to blow up ATMs.

Anyway, I was in CIG (like BOC gases, but much longer ago), and a guy brought in his oxy-acetylene cylinders for "refilling" (which you dont do, they exchange them, as you dont actually own the cylinders).

He wanted the same cylinders back.
"Why?" the store guy asks.
"Because of the handles"
Handles?
We go out to the dock and this guy had WELDED two steel D handles onto his cylinders.
The store guy just says "you must be the luckiest bloke alive"

:shock::shock::shock:
Words fail me!

 

[FlyboyAl]

Backpackers often travel with this. In fact I remember seeing one charged and convicted in the Darwin Magistrates Court.

But yes - I would have taken the things outside - their are bins and garden out the front of TBIT.

In USA this sort of thing can see you banned for life from Air Travel.

This might sound snobby, but I don't expect to see him in the lounge, but if I see him at the boarding area, I'll ask if he had any in his checked baggage. His answer will determine if the flight is delayed or not!

 

[MelUser]

I don't think he will get on the plane tonight but that is just my guess.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Just checked into LAX for QF12 and there was a bit of a hold up at the F desk because a guy wanted to remove 2 things from his carry on. 2 Butane Gas Canisters!!!:shock:

I remember some AJ's flying to GOV for some exercise 'out bush' who were specifically asked if they were carrying anything dangerous or explosive in their luggage. They said no however a few minutes later security appear with photos of the x-ray which showed 3 suspicious looking cylinders which turned out to be propane gas!

When asked why they hadn't declared them when asked at checkin they said they forgot. If only they paid as much attention to the DG's as they do to their ZOO Magazines there wouldn't be a problem.

Would've been interesting to be a fly on the wall of the RSM's office for that one!

Backpackers often travel with this. In fact I remember seeing one charged and convicted in the Darwin Magistrates Court.

Backpackers - they either rock up looking like they've just rolled out of a hedge and ask about free upgrades to business class or don't want to give up their butane gas cylinders because "we've carried it on every other flight without a problem".

It seems their thought process is if they're not asked if they're carrying such items it's not a safety breach.

Which reminds me of a story. Acetylene (welding gas) is even nastier. Much more potent than butane/propane. Which is why they use it to blow up ATMs.

A bag containing welding rods (not sure about any other welding paraphernalia) was intercepted by a baggage handler who also happened to be a welder & recognised the smell. The bag was not loaded on to the aircraft.

 

[JessicaTam]

<snip>
looking like they've just rolled out of a hedge and ask about free upgrades to business class.
<snip>

What a delightful turn of phrase.

 

[amaroo]

I remember some AJ's flying to GOV for some exercise.

You must be a born & bred QLD'r using the AJ term.......haven't heard it since the late 80,s

 

[FlyboyAl]

We left on time!
I was watching in the departure lounge at LA and he was not there. Would have been easy to see by the loud shorts he was wearing. Can only assume he was on another flight, or he just didn't make it to the flight.
Either way, I did feel better!

 

[Shelf]

You must be a born & bred QLD'r using the AJ term.......haven't heard it since the late 80,s

What is an AJ?

 

[Katie]

What is an AJ?

IIRC, army jerk

 

[amaroo]

What is an AJ?

Katie is correct.

 

[horseman]

Unreal! I got pulled up a while back when putting my toolbox through the fragile baggage check at akl, with a can of inox (like wd40 but better) it had gone through plenty of check ins before without concern, I never thought anything of it as it would be less volatile than most hair sprays I would imagine. No worries though it was almost empty and they just trashed it

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Unreal! I got pulled up a while back when putting my toolbox through the fragile baggage check at akl, with a can of inox (like wd40 but better) it had gone through plenty of check ins before without concern, I never thought anything of it as it would be less volatile than most hair sprays I would imagine. No worries though it was almost empty and they just trashed it

Any can that has a ball bearing in it that rattles when you shake the can is a no no. The flammable symbol on the side of the can is a giveaway as well.

If in doubt ask the staff who can ring their DG's people.

 

[JessicaTam]

Any can that has a ball bearing in it that rattles when you shake the can is a no no. The flammable symbol on the side of the can is a giveaway as well.

If in doubt ask the staff who can ring their DG's people.

With respect, how does having a ball bearing inside change things? The butane canisters in the OP wouldn't have had them inside, but the contents would be worse than inox IMHO.

 

[horseman]

This is true, the ball in the can is there to aid in mixing the contents.

 

[AVC]

IIRC, army jerk

Hehe, yeah. They're not all Js of course.

Well, maybe infantry mostly are, IME.