I only see it on a few Japan-based English language news sites so far, but if it’s true, then – BRILLIANT! ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! THANKS, TSA! I’ll confine my Christmas gifts to family back home to paper napkins and pencil shavings, that’s what they would have wanted anyway!
According to this:
Debate: How can this be true? How can this be sane? If even a portion of it is true, does this show a bloody-minded determination to destroy the US economy, or what?
In Cyprus right now there is NO mail allowed to the USA and many places in Europe have a 40 gram limit. The whole thing is just ridiculous.
Al Qaeda doesn’t need to destroy America… they only need to get America to destroy itself.
Sad to say, there was a time I would have regarded that as hyperbole.
Just for entertainment value, can we have a link to an actaul US government source before we start lambasting the USPS over this?
Who’s blaming the USPS? We’re blaming the TSA.
I did a cursory Google, but couldn’t find anything beyond discussion of the Japanese article and a few “The TSA is planning to ban heavy airmail” articles from a while back.
I stand corrected. Any links to actual statements or policies from official TSA sources?
Not to worry… if they get really busy they’ll just shut down the procedure.
You’re a little late on this one. Japan Post resumed air shipments of 453g+ packages on the 1st.
Australia Post is still slapping a $9 “security surcharge” on all packages over 453g, though.
The closest I can find as to official word on this is:
No specifics about what “high risk cargo” is.
Japan Post claims that the new regulations require it to make arrangements to use cargo aircraft for heavy packages rather than passenger aircraft.
As long as that pound of C4 I planned to mail my close enemies can still fly at normal rates, I’m happy…
Keep it to 450 grams or under, and don’t re-use a toner box and you should be fine.
And meanwhile, a flake in Californnia has a house so full of home-made explosives, that the authorities gotta burn down the house, 'cause its too risky to move em.:smack:
And where did the two of you get the idea that the government has a sense of humor?
Are you including the weight of the detonator? It’s a common newbie mistake to forget about the detonator weight.
CITE? Not that I don’t believe you I’m just curious.
Current thread with links.
They have won…
My in-laws llive in Cyprus, and were told as of last week when they tried to mail Christmas gifts to their kids that packages up to 400 grams were allowed. The Post Office lady kindly helped my MIL break up her larger packages into multiple smaller ones that met the weight limit, each requiring separate Customs declarations, etc.
I still think this whole thing is completely boneheaded. Are they not screening packages anyway? If they are, then why the ridiculous weight limit? Heck, one good-sized book would be over the limit!
Waahh???
“Akbar, get in here!.. So, Akbar, did you get the bomb on the plane, or what?”
“Nah, man… No.”
“…Well, what? Why not?”
“There was, like, a $9 surcharge, man.”
“A what?”
“Like a $9 surcharge. A security surcharge. $9.”
“…And???”
“Well…$9… I mean, COME ON…$9? NINE-FREAKING-DOLLARS!!!”
"HOLY %##, ARE YOU SERIOUS?? YOU DIDN’T PAY IT???
“Well, no, I didn’t… I mean, $9. Come on, that’s just ridiculous. That’s a lot of money.”
“…All right, well, listen. Let me tell you something, Akbar. We are Al-Qaeda. Al-Freaking-Qaeda. We’ve got the dough. And I mean A LOT of dough. It is embarrassing how much money we have, understand? $9 is not a lot of money.”
“…”
“…Look, grabs wallet Here’s $9. Get to the post office.”
“…Well…”
“GET TO THE POST OFFICE!”
“ALRIGHT, sheesh… You don’t have to yell.”
Sorry, I’m tired.
It looks like I may have jumped the gun on the putative 453 gram rule, but I think there’s still an interesting debate about the TSA’s (apparently) evolving policy regarding packages. If a mod would consider changing the title if deemed appropriate, I wouldn’t mind.