In a rare, welcome moment of sanity, the TSA has announced that it will allow small knives, golf clubs, hockey sticks, wiffle bats, and similar items on planes. Given that you are allowed to bring on canes — that is, clubs — and 40-oz duty-free liquor bottles — that is, long glass knives, this represents no new risk to flight crews. However, aviation employees are beefing and saying that this represents the TSA’s convenience, not theirs. Gee, thanks.
On the other hand, they still ban box-cutters — small knives of a specific, but not particularly lethal form — because “there’s just too much emotion associated with them, particularly the box cutters.” That’s from John Pistole, head of the TSA, and apparent believer in sympathetic magic.
The agency will permit knives with retractable blades shorter than 6 centimeters (2.36 inches) and narrower than 1/2 inch, TSA Administrator John Pistole said today at an aviation security conference in Brooklyn. The change, to conform with international rules, takes effect April 25.
Passengers will also be allowed to board flights with some other items that are currently prohibited, including sticks used to play lacrosse, billiards and hockey, ski poles and as many as two golf clubs, Pistole said.
TSA Will Permit Knives, Golf Clubs on U.S. Planes [Jeff Plungis/Bloomberg]
(Thanks, Brian!)