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TSA Decides Against Allowing Small Knives On Aircraft

Posted by Soulskill on from the rally-to-restore-insanity dept.

New submitter lemur3 writes "After multiple months of discussing possible changes to the prohibited items list, the Transportation Security Administration in the United States has determined that it is best to go ahead without any changes to the list of items passengers may have in their carry-on baggage when traveling by air. Under the proposed change (discussed previously on Slashdot) pocket knives and other items, such as hockey sticks and ski poles, would have been allowed."

17 of 298 comments (clear)

  1. There goes another Swiss Army knife by cusco · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I've carried a pocket knife since my dad bought me one for my 8th birthday, not having that weight in that pocket doesn't feel right. Since this foolishness started I've lost at least six to the TSA, since I tend to catch flights too early to be properly awake.. Going on vacation again in a couple of weeks, and I'll probably lose another either on the way there or the way back.

    --
    "Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
    1. Re:There goes another Swiss Army knife by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      While i think the TSA sucks bozack.. you'd think after the 2nd or 3rd time you'd learn how to avoid losing things to them

    2. Re:There goes another Swiss Army knife by Dahamma · · Score: 3, Insightful

      this also ends my plans for Ackthpt's Small Knives And Pointy Objects Emporium in airports from coast to coast.

      Yeah, now you know why the TSA rescinded the order - they didn't want you to compete with their current side business selling pocket knives. (I think my uncle bought a box of corkscrews by the pound).

    3. Re:There goes another Swiss Army knife by Jockle · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The problem isn't the TSA

      Just because you've had different experiences doesn't mean the problem isn't the TSA.

    4. Re:There goes another Swiss Army knife by jcr · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Post 911, nobody can take over a plane with a few knives.

      Post 9/11, nobody's ever going to take over a plane again, period. Someone might be able to destroy one, but the days of "just do what the bad man says" are over.

      -jcr

      --
      The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
    5. Re:There goes another Swiss Army knife by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The problem isn't the TSA

      The problem isn't the TSA either way. The TSA realizes that the restrictions on small knives and tools are silly and a waste of resources. They wanted to make the change. But they got too much push back from politicians and "think of the children" citizens. So they caved in.

    6. Re:There goes another Swiss Army knife by mosb1000 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The problem isn't the TSA

      That's the stupidest thing I've read on /. today. Of course the TSA is the problem. Taking peoples pocket knives is a pointless knee-jerk reaction.

      the problem is the grandparent is an idiot who won't take responsibility for his own actions.

      That's a pretty big problem too, but then no one said there was only one problem.

    7. Re:There goes another Swiss Army knife by Lumpy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The TSA only exists because of Low IQ citizens and Politicians. the TSA is not needed at all and is a huge waste of money.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
    8. Re:There goes another Swiss Army knife by mjwx · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The problem isn't the TSA

      That's the stupidest thing I've read on /. today. Of course the TSA is the problem. Taking peoples pocket knives is a pointless knee-jerk reaction.

      Given all the excesses of the TSA, is not being allowed a small knife onto a plane really your biggest concern?

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    9. Re:There goes another Swiss Army knife by mysidia · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Why do people keep saying this? There have been hijackings since 9/11 in which the plane was not destroyed and the hijackers took control of the plane.

      Which one of those was a flight originating from inside the US on a US airline?

    10. Re:There goes another Swiss Army knife by ShakaUVM · · Score: 3, Insightful

      In this case, the TSA was responding to flight attendants who were reportedly up in arms about people being able to carry swiss army knives on planes again.

      So put blame where it is due - the TSA was trying to do the right thing here, but got shouted down by the masses.

    11. Re:There goes another Swiss Army knife by WorkingDead · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The TSA is a government jobs program. It employs over 55,000 people with little to no marketable skills or training. It's obvious to everyone that the TSA is a waste but its not going away because it would spike the unemployment rate and hurt our economic recovery.

    12. Re:There goes another Swiss Army knife by WorkingDead · · Score: 1, Insightful

      The TSA only exists because of Low IQ citizens and Politicians. the TSA is not needed at all and is a huge waste of money.

  2. No surprise really by dkleinsc · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If they allowed knives back on, and any kind of terrorist attack occurred with knives, then someone would be held responsible for that decision, no matter how wise it seemed at the time. If they disallow knives, people will kick and scream, but won't actually change their flying behavior much, and everyone's job will be safe.

    --
    I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
    1. Re:No surprise really by Jockle · · Score: 3, Insightful

      IMO they should allow anything that won't endanger the integrity of the cabin.

      Actually, the TSA should just be eliminated outright. Problem solved.

  3. Whew! TSA flew much too close to sane policy ... by pissoncutler · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Instead of making folks discard completely non-threatening items, TSA should look into *actual* security.

    The airport should have a series of series of checkpoints. Every vehicle that pulls onto the property goes past a guard that asks you how your day is going (screen #1). At the ticket counter, a friendly agent asks if you are enjoying the weather (screen #2). Drop off your bags, some other random, friendly question (screen #3). Lastly, at the x-ray / metal detector / body scanner, the attending agent looks you in the eye and chats with you again (screen #4). Every station should be manned by trained security personel empowered to flag you for greater scrutiny. Add to that randomized patrols and searches.

    The staged checkpoints also reduce the likelihood of an attacker targeting that massive line to get through security. (In the TSA system, no one waiting in that line has been through any prior screen.)

    Stagger the checks and ensure redundancy. It's not cheap, it would require TSA to hire/pay much better than they do now, but it would get you better security. Banning Swiss Army Knives and hockey sticks doesn't make anyone safer.

  4. Re: Whew! TSA flew much too close to sane policy . by Mr.+Freeman · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is a very widely understood phenomenon. In countries where terrorism is actually a problem, terrorists bomb the checkpoints because of the lines. Security thus staggers the checkpoints and streamlines procedures in order to prevent any kind of lines from forming. This means that terrorists can't kill more than a few people regardless of the size of any bomb they might be carrying.

    Here in the USA, these procedures are not used and checkpoints are not bombed because, as all sane people know, terrorism is not a problem in this country.

    --
    -1 disagree is not a modifier for a reason. -1 troll, flaimbait, redundant, overrated are NOT acceptable substitutes.