[Scan-DC] Fw: United Airlines confiscated my scanner.

[Bruce Harper]

On Mon, Mar 28, 2016 at 7:04 AM, Andrew wrote:

I know that airlines forbid _using_ scanners or ham equipment on board
> (they have for decades), but I have never heard of them forbidding you from
> having them in carry-on luggage. I cannot find anywhere on the United Web
> site where they state this. The only restrictions for carry-ons seems to be
> hazardous/flammable materials. Something seems very wrong with this
> incident.
>

This seems to be the key part:

"On the flight the stewardess asked me about the ham radio & I told her
what it was, and showed her my Federal FCC Amateur Radio license. She had a
hard time finding it but showed me the United list of what may or may not
be carried in carry on. Scanners & two-way radios are on the list. So she
took them [I was very nice but steamed] and then had three customer service
people escort me and my wife from the aircraft at Denver [not TSA.... just
United folks]."

It sounds like he must have had the radio out of the bag (and perhaps using
it to listen to ATC) for a flight attendant to notice it. This would then
fit into the "forbid using scanners" rule, which should get attention
(granted, the myth of electronics disrupting avionic equipment has been
laid to rest). Depending on the reaction to "please turn it off and put it
away" the confiscation and escort may have been required.

What we need is "the rest of the story."

Bruce in Blacksburg