It seems like taking photography gear on airplanes is a tricky business. Not only you take a chance of your things getting lost, but also, you can be suspected of carrying a deadly weapon.
Canon Rumors reader Surapon shares a story on how he was coming back from Greece with his full kit, which among other things contained a Giottos Rocket Air Blower. It is a cushion-like pump that blows air on lenses to push dust away.
And yes – it has fins.
Airport security forced Surapon to throw away the blower because it could be filled with gun powder and be used like a missile.
Here is the account of things from Surapon:
“[Security] just open my back pack, full with 2 Cameras and Lenses, and He pick up The Black Rocket “Big Giottos Blower” and ask me that What is it …
… I told the security staff that, just the Lens Blower, and I grab from his hand and blow the stream air to my face, and tell him that just for clean the dirty lenses…
… [Security] just tell me that I must throw this Rocket away, before he let me out of the terminal …
… His Supervisor explain to him that , If some one put the Gun powder in side if this Rocket Blower, It can fly like the Missile”#
On the other hand, there are more than enough ways to get a weapon in an airport.
Surapon’s solution? Cut the fins of his next blower.
[My New and Improve GIOTTOS Blower-for safety via chakalakasp] (illustration cc by the The U.S. Army)
P.S. Some people think it is a good idea to place a Gun In Your Luggage to make it travel safely. Just saying.
holy sh** did not expect that kind of power
The rules are so random. I had an A-Clamp confiscated last time I flew, funnily enough the allen keys were fine. I know which one would do more damage in a fight….
I was once told I couldn’t take mine on a plane because with the tail fins it RESEMBLED something dangerous. I was then told that I could take it on with me if I cut the tail fins off.
TSA: very expensive government-sponsored marketing disguised as “safety”
This was in Greece, not the US.