By: Garin Flowers
March 6, 2013
Tallahassee, FL - TSA announced this month they're changing course, and allowing passengers to carry an item on board once prohibited, pocket knives.
"Quite frankly, I've seen too many get through anyway," Keith Calloway, airplane passenger, said.
"I'll feel just as safe as I do today with them allowing a small pocket knife," said Calloway.
TSA says this allows security officers to better focus their efforts on finding higher threat items such as explosives.
"It's a little interesting, especially from how all serious it's been getting," Hannah Yuhas, Airplane Passenger, said.
TSA doesn't want any confusion on what you can or cannot bring on to an plane."
"There's security all around so I mean for me it doesn't make me feel less safe," said Yuhas.
There's a whole host of other things you can carry on now. Like bats, golf clubs and hockey sticks, just to name a few.
Razor blades, box cutters and full-sized bats are still NOT allowed.
"The liquid thing still has me, I mean were talking about letting pocket knives through and yet I can't carry a tube of toothpaste through the process," said Calloway.
Don't go knife or golf club-wielding just yet; according to TSA, the policy doesn't take affect until April 25th of this year.
Press Release: Transportation Security Administration
TSA established a committee to review the prohibited items list based on an overall risk-based security approach. After the review, TSA Administrator John S. Pistole made the decision to start allowing the following items in carry-on bags beginning April 25th:
Small Pocket Knives – Small knives with non-locking blades smaller than 2.36 inches and less than 1/2 inch in width will be permitted
Small Novelty Bats and Toy Bats
Ski Poles
Hockey Sticks
Lacrosse Sticks
Billiard Cues
Golf Clubs (Limit Two)
This is part of an overall Risk-Based Security approach, which allows Transportation Security Officers to better focus their efforts on finding higher threat items such as explosives. This decision aligns TSA more closely with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
These similar items will still remain on the prohibited items list:
Razor blades and box cutters will remain prohibited in carry-on luggage.
Full-size baseball, softball and cricket bats are prohibited items in carry-on luggage.
Visit TSA.gov for more information on small knives permitted in carry-on luggage and sporting equipment permitted in carry-ons. Again, please note these changes are effective April 25, 2013.
