US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT1482

UNCLAS KUWAIT 001482 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS FOR TSA ATTACHE NOURI LARBI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, PTER, KU 
SUBJECT: FOLLOW UP ON LIGHTER BAN DEMARCHE 
REF: A.SECSTATE 41383 
 
     B. SECSTATE 66181 
 
1.  (U) Reftel A points were delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affai 
rs by diplomatic note on March 13, 2005.  During 
a follow up conversation on April 12, 2005, Econoff spoke 
with Fawaz al-Farah, Deputy Director General of Civil 
Aviation for Aviation Security and Air Transport Affairs, to 
confirm MFA's delivery of the diplomatic note.  Al-Farah had 
received the note and accompanying fact sheet and said that 
he would send a formal memo that day to Kuwait Airways (KA), 
instructing them to comply with the new ban on lighters. 
 
2.  (U) Econoff also spoke with Bassam Al-Gharabally, Kuwait 
Airway's Duty Manager, Operation Control Center, on April 12 
to discuss the actions KA would be taking in response to the 
new ban.  Al-Gharabally confirmed that KA was aware of the 
new ban and had already starting making plans to implement it 
starting April 14, 2005.  Passengers with lighters, he said, 
would be allowed to store them in their checked luggage 
during check-in.  Any lighters that are found after check-in 
would be confiscated, he confirmed.  Al-Gharabally also 
explained that a system was being developed to keep 
confiscated lighters of significant value in lock-boxes at 
the airport for customers who objected to their lighters 
being thrown away. 
 
3.  (U)  Finally, Al-Gharabally said that all lighters would 
be removed from the gift and duty-free shops at the Kuwait 
City International Airport beginning April 14, 2005. 
LEBARON