27.02.2006
Only one lighter per person

Each year, thousands of lighters are handed over to the security staff at Copenhagen Airport. In 2005, almost three tonnes of lighters from airline passengers carrying more than one lighter through security checkpoints were handed over to the security staff and destroyed.   For security reasons, passengers are only allowed to carry one lighter on flights. It is the responsibility of the airlines to ensure that they do not carry more dangerous goods than they are allowed to.

However, in practice, the airport’s Security Department is enforcing the requirement.

“Last year, lighters accounted for most of the dangerous goods handed over for destruction at the airport. Almost three tonnes of lighters is a lot, and it must mean that there are still very many people who either do not know or forget that they are only allowed to carry one lighter. On behalf of the airlines, we therefore have to ask passengers either to hand over their lighters to people they are travelling with or to hand them over to us for destruction. If it is an expensive lighter, it may be stored at the Left Luggage Department or be sent separately if the passenger contacts his/her airline,” said Vice President Mogens Kornbo of Copenhagen Airports.

For the benefit of all passengers

“Many passengers are not always aware that there are rules on what they are allowed to carry on their flight. Unfortunately, some passengers become very unsatisfied when they learn that they are not allowed to carry several lighters. Of course, it is annoying having to hand over nice, expensive lighters for destruction, but most people fortunately understand that they have to do so for their own and their fellow passengers’ safety. And passengers do have other options,” commented Kornbo.

Last year, lighters accounted for 69% of the dangerous goods handed over and destroyed at the airport. Twenty kilos is equivalent to approximately 1000 lighters. This means that almost three tonnes of lighters is equivalent to around 150,000 lighters – which was the number handed over and destroyed at Copenhagen Airport in 2005.

In addition to the almost three tonnes of lighters, a little more than one tonne of other dangerous goods were handed over and destroyed. Most of the remaining dangerous goods were household articles, sparklers and fireworks.