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June 29, 2005
Why is an Audi key like a switchblade?
A. You can't bring either on board a plane.
Nathan Rau, a 31–year–old Minneapolis lawyer, was flying out of Dallas recently when he approached the security checkpoint.
He emptied his pockets on the table and the TSA inspector picked up his car key and asked, "what's this?"
Rau answered that it was his car key but it was "game over" as far as the security person was concerned.
Long story short: Rau's car is an Audi, which now comes with a super–stylish ignition key inside a protective holder (above and below): you push a button and the key slides out.
Just like a switchblade.
Which is what the security guard visualized as he confiscated the $300 key.
But that's not all: Rau had to produce his driver's license and other I.D. to be photocopied.
Lucky for him he keeps a spare in a magnetized box under his car.
And of course now he's on all the TSA lists and will be scrutinized closely forever, assuming he's even allowed to fly again.
But wait — there's more.
To replace one of these fancy–shmancy keys you can't simply call the dealer and have them mail you a replacement; no, you have to go there — with the vehicle — so that the new key can be programmed to match the vehicle.
What if you don't have a spare key?
You have to pay to have your own car towed from your home or airport or wherever to your dealer.
I am not making this up.
Read Joe Sharkey's story about the unfortunate case of the man with the tricked–out key: it appeared in the June 21 New York Times.
June 29, 2005 at 10:01 AM | Permalink
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Comments
You may not be making this up, but just posting rumours and illogical jibberish isn't any better.
I categorize your post in the same bin as these forward to 100 people or receive bad luck emails.
First, it's not the switch in switch blade that's prohibited; it's the blade.
A 'switch' key is not a blade. Yes most TSA personnel are monkeys with uniforms; many of which do not have higher education and IQs of a rock. That still doesn't mean mean they can confiscate a key and you can do nothing about it. They still have supervisors you can ask for and complain to on scene.
Second, and this is what really annoyed me about your post and made me waste some of my time to write this, you do NOT have to take your car, or tow your car, to the dealership to get a new key programmed. Many cars now come with chipped keys. If you loose the key, you go to the dealership with your ownership which has 1 key piece of information; YOUR VIN. The dealer can program a new key based on your VIN.
Please research stories more before purblishing; or use common sense.
Posted by: TA | Nov 16, 2008 2:21:51 PM
The question is not why the audi key open like switchblade (my 98 A4 had one). The question is why bleach drinking moron are in charge of the TSA. And how long will we have to hear about amuricun fighting for freedom by turning into the worst stalinist wet dream.
Posted by: Coligny | Nov 3, 2008 2:34:29 AM
If Nathan Rau had a pair he could have told the TSA guy to **ck off. He did not have a prohibited item. Full Stop.
Stand up for yourselves. TSA guys are minimum wage monkeys in uniforms. What they say is NOT final.
Posted by: Good God | Oct 30, 2007 9:17:49 AM
"Why is an Audi key like a switchblade?"
Duh! So you can fold it in when you don't use it.
There are signs for people like that TSA employee in the story. The signs read "You are stupid".
I use a razor blade in my job and keep it in my wallet. I've gone on planes and forgot about it, with the wallet screened, undetected. But a harmless fold-out key gets confiscated? Here's your sign!
Posted by: Nuvolari | Dec 28, 2005 2:04:22 AM
Those keys are actually quite common. My friend's 2000 New Beetle has one, and it doesn't have any luxury packages or anything. I've seen them on other German makes other than VW-Porsche-Audi. They must be ubiquitous on German cars.
I can't imagine how someone could be a screener without seeing these all the time.
Posted by: Wolf Harper | Nov 17, 2005 9:52:05 PM
so why wasnt there anyone else on duty that day that had any common sense at all? surely there was someone that knew that it was simply just a key? apparently the brains of america continue to hit all time lows in several different aspects. sometimes i am just to embarassed to go outside and witness my own kinds stupidity. hopefully this topic has been surfaced for all TSA employees so that they are aware of this fact from now on. i sure dont want to loose my car key....
Posted by: euro emperial | Nov 17, 2005 9:17:49 PM
i'm the editor of european car magazine. we cover european car exclusively. we have an audi a3 with the aforementioned key. i'm going to the frankfurt autoshow an a week or so. it'll be interesting if mine gets snatched.
for the record, i'm not real secure with tsa's screening procedures. my last trip to germany, i had a handful of.22 and 9mm shells from a recent plinking/photo shoot in the calif, desert. i used my fanny pack as an ammo pouch. i sent the pack through x-ray not knowing i had left the bullets in it. it made it through all the way to germany. it really scared the shit outta me that it wasn't discovered.
Posted by: les bidrawn | Sep 1, 2005 4:10:52 PM
Hi,
I read this article and it was very interesting. I like to ask how prevelant is this issue: people running into this kind of security issues b/c of carrying an audi car key. Do you happen to have any idea? I'm just surprised that, if that particular security guard was not simply in a bad mood at that moment when he/she screwed over Rau, then how come all the people around US who carry audi car keys with them don't run into this problem more often?
thanks
elbert
Posted by: Elbert | Aug 31, 2005 12:49:17 PM
It pretty much looks like a key in the open knife position. Getting through Dallas, I plan to keep my key open. They'll probably take my knitting needles though since all of their actions are discretionary.
Posted by: LaValle | Jun 29, 2005 11:35:00 AM
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