Travel No-No: Packing Fireworks In Your Luggage

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

25 Jun 2007 06:45 PM

Sounds like a no brainer, right? You'd be surprised--not all travelers think alike. Some actually rationalize that there is nothing wrong about packing pounds of illegal fireworks in their airline luggage. And here's the kicker: most of them are flying to or from Hawaii.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, more than a third of all fireworks found in airline luggage nationwide last year involved flights departing to or arriving from Hawaii. Honestly, I can't say that I am shocked by the news. (Having been born and raised in Hawaii I know the role fireworks play in the state.) However, what does surprise me is the amount of illegal fireworks collected from travelers' bags. We're talking hundreds of pounds of fireworks. According to the FAA, inspectors found fireworks stashed in luggage 89 times in the last eight months at the Honolulu International Airport. (A total haul of more than 300 pounds.)

With the Fourth of July holiday rapidly approaching perhaps it would be prudent to review why you shouldn't be carrying fireworks in your luggage. I know this may seem like common sense, but humor me here. Look at the numbers; there are obviously some travelers who don't realize the dangers involved in transporting fireworks on an airplane. So, yes, if you have a bunch of fireworks in a confined space, they can become a fully explosive material and can cause injury or death. Let me repeat that: It is incredibly dangerous to stash fireworks in your luggage because even with the slightest amount of friction, two sparklers can rub together and ignite, and as one airport official astutely pointed out: "That's definitely not a good thing at 35,000 feet."

The Transportation Security Administration is warning all of its employees to be especially watchful for both legal and illegal fireworks in the days leading up to the Fourth of July holiday. Screeners are on the look out for everything from sparklers to firecrackers.

And just in case you aren't a frequent flier, according to the FAA, the transportation of fireworks on domestic and international flights is strictly prohibited. Penalties range from a warning letter to a federal prison sentence of up to five years and a $500,000 fine.

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Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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