Airline Rules Will Soon Be Relaxed
by Cynthia Bercowetz
Naples, FL  34104   December 22 2005
 
Good news! The Federal Government has reversed its decision for airline passengers to carry various items on the plane and checked luggage. Actually, it is relaxing the rules for sharp objects.

 

Airline passengers will be allowed to carry small scissors and tools on planes, reversing a rule that led to confiscation of many thousands of sharp objects at airports since the Sept. 11 terror attacks, a Homeland Security Department official said recently.

According to Homeland Security Department officials, they are reportedly less concerned about sharp objects on planes and want to focus more on finding explosives.

With federal air marshals on planes, bulletproof cockpit doors, armed pilots, and 100 percent screening of checked baggage, the threat of a terrorist taking over an airplane has lessened since the 2001 attacks, the official siad. The biggest concern now is explosives.

Though the new list of prohibited items hasn't been finalized, certain sharp objects will not be prohibited, the official said, including scissors less than four inches long and wrenches and screwdrivers less than 7 inches long. Here is a tentative list released by the government.

Can I take it: Carry On Checked
Cigar Cutters Yes Yes
Corkscrews Yes Yes
Cuticle Cutters Yes Yes
Eyeglass repair tools Yes Yes
Knitting & Crochet needles Yes Yes
Knives, round bladed Yes Yes
Nail clippers Yes Yes
Nail files Yes Yes
Personal care toiletries with aerosols, in limited quantities Yes Yes
Safety razors Yes Yes
Scissors--plastic or metal with blunt top Yes Yes
Scissors metal with painted tip Yes Yes
Scissors with pointed tips No Yes
Toy transfer Robots Yes Yes
Toy Weapons Yes Yes
Tweezers Yes Yes
Umbrellas (allowed in carry-on luggage once inspected to insure prohibited items are not concealed in the umbrellas. Yes Yes
Walking canes (do not conceal prohibited items) Yes Yes
Medications: Yes Yes
Braille Slate and stylus Yes Yes
Diabetes-Related
Supplies, equipment
Yes Yes
Nitroglycerine pills or spray for medical use
(if properly marked with professionally label identifying medication or manufacturer's name.)
Yes Yes
Prosthetic Device Tools including drill if carried by the individual with the prosthetic device or his/her companion. Yes Yes

For more information, telephone 1-866-289-9673 or visit the Homeland Security website at www.dhs.gov

 
Cynthia Bercowetz (consumreye@aol.com)
Author/Consumer Advocate
738 Landover Circle, C 102
Naples, CT   34104
Phone : 239-455-1694

 

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