The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation has authorized Zippo to sell and distribute two different containers for placing lighters in checked luggage. These authorizations, known within PHMSA, as SPECIAL PERMITS, allow regular liquid fuel windproof lighters to be placed in the tackle type box manufactured by Otter Box, and all approved lighters (liquid fuel and butane gas fuel lighters) to be placed in the new Zippo Air Container (ZAC). Both of these travel containers will ultimately be available through Zippo or its distributors. I believe that an earlier comment that only the Otter Box is currently available is correct. If you are having difficulty purchasing one, please let me know and I will try and help you out. Another concern here is that even though the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is aware of these Special Permits, and has noted them on their Prohibited Items List on their website, you may find that an individual screener at a particular airport may NOT be familiar with the special permits. If that occurs, we urge you to calmly explain to the screener that up to two lighters are allowed in these special travel containers per passenger. You may want to refer the screener to the the Prohibited Items List. If all else fails, you may have to "voluntarily surrender" the lighters to the TSA. If that happens, please contact the Aviation Security Department at TSA upon your return and let them know what happened. They may be able to help you. I hope this posting is helpful to you and I am sorry that you are inconvenienced by these new post 9-11 restrictions. However, it is the world we live in today. General Counsel, Lighter Association, Inc.
