A couple of weeks ago, the TSA announced that as of April 25th, 2013, it would be permitting small knives in carryon bags on US flights, as long as they complied with certain criteria.
As of yesterday, the TSA announced that these changes will NOT be put into effect starting April 25th. The new changes are being delayed, in order to give the TSA time to weigh input from the airline industry, passenger advocates, and other affected parties.
Following are the original proposed guidelines.
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Permitted Knives
- Must be no more than 2.36 inches (6 cm) in length, from tip to where blade meets the handle or hilt
- Blade must be no more than 1/2″ in width
Forbidden Knives
- Utility knives, box cutters, and razor blades
- Fixed-blade knives
- Locking folding knives
- Knives with molded grips
Small Knife Guidelines
This graphic basically sums it up. Small keychain-sized Swiss Army Knives with non-locking blades less than 2.36″ long and 0.5″ wide are okay, most other folding knife styles are not.
My feeling is that the proposed changes are reasonable, but they’re probably not going to save anyone time at airport security. The changes will likely prevent a couple of hundred of small keychain-sized Swiss Army Knives from being confiscated each year, but there’s probably going to be plenty of hold ups at security.
Every time I fly I worry about whether a TSA agent will use their discretion to wrongfully judge whether an item is allowed in my carryon bag or not. It looks like the only permitted knives will be small SAKs with nail nicks and non-locking blades, but there are so many varietiations that inspection will probably be necessary.
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I had a Craftsman bottle opener confiscated once, with the TSA agent saying it would be melted down, because it was 1/8″ longer than permitted for carried “tools.” If or when these proposed changes pass, expect for TSA agents to inspect each and every knife with rulers. I suppose this is better than having all manners of small knife and multi-tool keychains confiscated without exception.
The point of this post is let you know that it’s still not okay to bring small knives to the airport as carryon items. Despite the TSA previously saying changes will be implemented on April 25th, that date is being pushed back until further notice. So continue leaving your small keychain-sized SAKs at home or in your checked baggage, for now.
Your opinions about the proposed guidelines and rules are welcome!
New Small Knife Guidelines (PDF via TSA)
Dennis
If their goal was to save time, they would have been better off just passing knives that met the criteria through, and never issuing a press release that they were going to allow it. 99% of the traveling public and news media would have never noticed it, and there never would have been any outcry. The delay is a shame, it’s been years since I’ve had a Swiss Army Knife and I was thinking about buying one for travel.
Smith
This makes sense with knives, but I sincerely wish some of the TSA agents would not automatically assume anyone that has tools on them is a terrorist. I managed to luck out and buy a Petersen locking pliers and I swear the agent I dealt with thought I was some manic killer.
I am a college educated man with no criminal background and never even once in my life ever purposely injured anyone. I was dressed in very clean clothing and despite being perceived as a threat, I was very civil to TSA.
Just wish TSA would realize those who bring tools and buy tools aren’t all psychotic slaughters. I imagine this hard for TSA to believe not everyone that walks into a airport is out to kill others, but this is the case with people such as myself.
Chuchundra
Given the way that the current rules are enforced, or not enforced, even if these proposed changes went into effect, you’d still have a pretty good chance of losing your nice, keychain tool to some under trained, overzealous TSA inspector.
Don’t worry, though. Thanks to the competence and professionalism of the TSA, you could put a Bowie Knife or a hand grenade in your carry on and have a better than even chance of it making it on to the plane with you.
Javier
I know everyone here is a toolguy including myself but I am against bringing any sort of weapon onboard a plane including small knives like those in swiss army knives. It just isnt fair for the flight attendants and passengers. Its too much of a risk if it falls in the wrong hands.
Stuart
That’s a very reasonable concern. I agree that the main objection to the changes is how unruly passengers might pose an increased threat to flight attendants and fellow passengers. But on the other hand, an unruly passenger can use any number of ordinary everyday objects as weapons if they were really intent to cause harm.