Scissor and Screwdriver Carriers Rejoice!

No more having to leave that favorite pair of cuticle scissors or that handy dandy screwdriver out of your carry on bag. Alas those of you who have Swiss Army type knives will still be forced to either check your bag or leave your implement of choice behind.

It doesn't seem to make alot of sense as to the reasoning, the original ban on scissors and just about everything else came after 9/11. Now the TSA is saying:

"I am convinced, that the time now spent searching bags for small scissors and tools can be better utilized to focus on the far more dangerous threat of explosives," said TSA Director Kip Hawley.

Granted I thought the ban on such small items served no purpose anyway but there were no explosives use during 9/11. Nor am I aware of any incidents with explosives in recent US airtravel.

The pilots union agrees with this change:

Bob Hesselbein, the union's national security committee chairman, said pilots think it's more important to focus on passengers' intent rather than what they're carrying.

"A Swiss army knife in the briefcase of a frequent flyer we know very well is a tool," Hesselbein said. "A ballpoint pen in the hands of a terrorist is a weapon." (However Swiss Army knives and other small knives are still banned)


Some don't agree with restoring these items to a carry on status:

"I have not spoken to a flight attendant at any airline that isn't outraged by this," said Thom McDaniel, president of Southwest Airlines flight attendants' union, Transport Workers Local 556. "They want to focus more on explosives, but they're not even mentioning that the biggest threat to commercial aviation right now is still the fact that most cargo is not screened."

While I don't see scissors under 4 inches as a huge threat, Mr. McDaniel makes an excellent point. You can screen every passenger, yet if they are not screening cargo it is really a "let's make this publicly look like we are doing something to make flying safer".

Congress is of course going to get involved in this, some of them don't believe you can be trusted with scissors or tools under 7 inches.

Reps. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., said Thursday they intend to introduce a bill to preserve the current list of items barred from the cabin.

"The Bush administration proposal is just asking the next Mohamed Atta to move from box cutters to scissors as the weapon that's used in the passenger cabin of planes," Markey said, referring to the leader of the Sept. 11 hijackers.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson, R-Texas, said allowing sharp-pointed scissors and similar objects on planes "could undermine the progress we have made in securing our skies since the 9/11 attacks."

"The change in policy would do little to alleviate screening delays, since screeners would need to stop the conveyor belt to check whether the scissors in question fell within the new limits," she said in a letter to Hawley, urging him to drop the idea.

I just can't wait for the hearings on this issue. Congressional time spent on the danger of cuticle scissors and small tools could very well be a huge turning point in the safety and direction of our nation....

Sharing my sharp point at:

Third World County (Make sure you turn your speakers up when you visit)

Bloggin' Out Loud (One of the few people I would shave a Yeti for)

Stray Dog (Smarter than your average Slimy Mollusc)