I was under the impressions that Zippo/refillable lighters are banned under the DG regs for carriage onboard, has that changed?
Think you guys have it bad, try being crew going through MAN... I duly had all my liquids in the required baggie, however it broke in my bag and as I was going through the checkpoint I explained to them what had happened and could I please get a replacement. They handed it over, I put the stuff in, went through. Then had to wait while my bag sat on the side while all the others went through, only then did they bring my bag over and ask me if I had any liquids in it. Not that I can think of, I said, I put them in the bag. "What's this then?" (holding up a mini size clear nail polish) It had fallen out of the baggie when it broke and lodged itself inside my aircraft manual (ring binder) They way they reacted you'd think it was an IED!!!! Got frisked up, name taken down and email sent to my boss.
When I politely asked if they also record the names and details of passengers mistakely in breach of the rules I might as well have asked to eat their firstborn!!! They have no ability to distinguish between a genuine mistake. I get that someone could feign so to get something through, but mate, I have access to far more effective items than clear nail polish if I were someone that wanted to cause some fuss. They just don't seem to understand this.
And FYI I am still very ticked off that one of your staff felt the need to go up my dress during a 'search' without any warning whatsoever!!!!
No idea how to lodge a complaint and anyway since then lost the notebook which I wrote down said persons' details....