I took a look at Air France's site again and there it is - no camp stoves. It has nothing to do with TSA. It seems that
I made a mistake in not looking at the fine print. Flying another airline would have been fine - as others have told me from their own experience. It is like some airlines charge heaps for taking a bicycle (XS baggage charges) and others don't.
Next time I will just look at the fine print closer before I book - never mind the cost/convenience
My bad this time. Not next time.
No presumptions.. I want my fellow passengers and my sons to be as safe as anyone else, without bureaucratic nonsense. I don't think TSA had anything to do with it, it was just AF policy (as shown by their fine print). Some airlines are just "friendlier" towards campers/bicyclists than other airlines. It seems AF isn't. Time to move on to another airline.