TSA Keeps Knife Ban

The TSA recently decided to back out of their plan to reverse the rule regarding the ban on passengers carrying knives on planes. This new rule was to go into effect on April 25, 2013 but was put on hold when many airlines executives, unions and lawmakers protested the reversal.

This new rule was suppose to align with similar rules in Europe. Items including knives less than 2.36″ in length, hockey sticks and golf clubs were to be allowed on planes once again.

“The U.S. Transportation Security Administration, under pressure from airline executives, unions, lawmakers and its own employees, reversed a plan to end a decade-long ban on carrying pocket knives onto U.S. airliners.

Administrator John Pistole is backing off his proposal to ease the rule blocking knives after a month of meetings with industry stakeholders, some of whom have cited the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers’ use of box cutters as weapons.

The decision to retain the knife ban was confirmed in a TSA statement e-mailed today by spokesman David Castelveter.”

Many people were relieved when this rule was reversed on May 22nd. Over 90,000 airline employees that opposed the rule sent thousands of emails to Congress expressing their concern.  Many airline and security screening employees believe this was a good call for their safety and the safety of the passengers.

Related articles

• TSA Keeps Knife Ban After Protests From Airline CEOs (bloomberg.com)
• TSA drops plan to allow small knives on planes (cnn.com)
• TSA drops plan to allow small knives on planes (pix11.com)
• TSA drops effort to allow small knives on planes (usatoday.com)