After three months on the road, I was set to go back to Buffalo last Saturday….
Where the power’s been out five days & counting now.
The DW has been holding down the fort w/the two kids, doing a bang up job of it.
So, I go out to the store on the way to the airport, pick up a suitcase sized Honda generator…
Get the the airport, TSA says “no problem”
Southwest airlines says…NO WAY- IT”S FLAMMABLE
I get a supervisor, he doesn’t even bother to look at it, see that it’s brand new, no oil, no gas..
Guy has the nerve to tell me “well, they ran it at the factory” (YA, right!) “so now it’s flamable”
Guy could have done the wink & nod, had a customer for life, but he’s to worried about his rear end….makes me sick.
I had to run to the nearest Fed-Ex, shell out more $$$…but at least they got it there next day.
If you can afford it, I highly recommend getting a nice little Honda EU1000i (or 2000i)….and familiarize yourself with the ins & outs of backfeeding your panel safely…..I’m guessing outages will get worse in the years to come…..
Replies
I spent 20 years in aviation maintenance and quality assurance and saw some pretty crazy stuff cause severe mishaps. I am sure there is a set policy on hazardous materials and he was following it. Why should he risk his job for one "customer for life"? What is that anyway? What kind of numbers could you possibly generate that would motivate him to risk not only his job but an accident? Whatever the number is, it isn't anywhere near the numbers a lawsuit would generate if there was a mishap.
The problem really isn't that one guy, it's the policy.....
If it doesn't have any fuel or oil in it, what makes it any more hazardous than thousands of other things that get passed every day....e.g. a full aerosol can of hairspray...etc.