Caribiners, A prohibited Item??

[B Sousa]

I recently travelled from the states through the UK, and into Paris on my way to Africa via Air France.
While I was changing planes, not carriers in Paris I had to go through Security again. I hang Caribiners on my back pack to use for attaching equipment while flying Helicopters. In this case I had three of them. Security almost went ballistic. I was told it was a prohibited item for carry on.
So here I am after traveling halfway around the world with these dangerous things dangling on my pack. Im surprised I wasnt accused of terrorism.
Air France was most helpful and let me check them through in a small package.
I didnt argue with Security but when I asked them what was the threat they said they did not know, it was just a prohibited item and showed me a container full of all kinds of obvious threatning things such as finger nail clippers, caribiners etc. (things most terrorists carry)
So my question to fellow PPruners is what is the threat? I certainly have no clue. Are the French collecting these things for there mountain rescue teams??

[gearontheglide]

A pal had the same experience at Charles de Gaulle. he was told they could be used as a knuckle duster and was, therefore, prohibited.

[Farmer 1]

You don't think they misread their list of prohibited items, do you? And when they came to - carbines ?

In Uganda, during the time of Idi Amin, a journalist had to pass through a police checkpoint each morning on his way to work. Every day he was stopped, and asked to get out of the car and take his shoes off. Every day, the police would look carefully into the shoes, before returning them to him and allowing him on his way.

Not wishing to risk offending anyone, he held his peace, until eventually curiosity got the better of him, and he asked why he had to take his shoes off.

"Orders."

"Why? What are you looking for?"

"Weapons."

"What kind of weapons?"

"Any weapons. It's the orders - here." And the officer showed him his printed orders, pinned to the wall of the checkpoint.

The relevant sentence read something like, "All vehicles are to be stopped, and boots searched for weapons."


Just in case, a translation might help:
BOOT: a compartment in a motor car for luggage, etc;

The Chambers Dictionary. Copyright © 1994 by Chambers Harrap Publishers, Ltd. All rights reserved.

[B Sousa]

Knuckle Duster? Aluminum Knuckles. Thanks, I would have never thought of that. Crafty folks these mid-eastern martyrs........
Awfully hard on the hands though. It is something to look out for, someone with a caribiner and from the sand dunes where there is no rock climbing would now look very suspicious to me.......

[RatherBeFlying]

Next time just kick him in the shins with the crampons:E

[Foss]

Slightly off thread, but I walked through a security check at a Belfast railway station, complete with sniffer dogs and electronic detector thingers with a hold all containing two shotguns and about 800 rounds of ammunition. Could hardly carry it and there was a barely wrapped barrel sticking out the end of the bag.

Policeman pokes detector into bag, dog sniffs bag.
Policeman: Thankyou sir, ok.

(I did get stopped for having a ONE INCH Swiss army knife keyring at the airport)

[B Sousa]

Foss. Not to Worry. Those were Dogs trained to sniff drugs. They were looking for your stash of Mary-Ju-Wanna. Gun sniffing dogs were off that day. Something to do with a Police Dogs Union meeting.

[Dushan]

On the subject of prhibited items:
About 10 years ago I was going on a sailing trip and brought with me my safety harness/life jacket. It had a CO2 cartridge that was not allowed on the plane by security at YYZ. It was because it was comressed gas. Now doesn't every seat in a modern a/c have a life jacket with 2 CO2 cartridges? Where is the danger? I can se that in post 9/11 days it could contain some other substance etc. but in those days they were only concerned with compressed gas.
Can anyone comment?

[Farmer 1]

Dushan,

Compressed gases = dangerous goods = paperwork (lots thereof).

It would no doubt have been perfectly safe, and if you had had the correct paperwork, and given them notice of your intention, then the bottle would probably have been allowed on board.

I guess you have never looked into the subject of dangerous goods. The manual is about an inch thick in old money, and to understand the subject you need a degree in paperwork.

[no sig]

IATA permits CO2 cartridges such as those used in lifejackets, they are NOT considered dangerous goods and a passenger may carry 1 in the lifejacket and 1 spare, check exceptions in the DG Manual. However, divers bouyancy jacket (Pony tanks Ý think there are called) cylinders are much larger are not permitted.

Some airlines may not have updated their manuals for the above and if you have a problem get them to check the IATA DG Manual.

[Itswindyout]

I was permitted to carry a life jacket CO2 bottle, after checking it out at the ticket desk, and the check in desk....As hand baggage......
Expected problem at security.....no problem, not even asked what it was......
Luton has its good points.....Thank you Monarch...Windy