For the first time since the 9/11 terror attacks, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will allow small knives and some previously prohibited sports equipment onto airplanes as carry-on items.
According to the TSA, passengers will be able to carry-on knives that are less than 2.36 inches long and less than 1/2 inch wide. Larger knives, and those with locking blades and molding handles, will continue to be prohibited, as will razor blades and box cutters.
TSA will also permit sports equipment such as billiard cues, ski poles, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks and two golf clubs. Souvenir, novelty and toy baseball bats--such as wiffle-ball bats--will also be allowed.
The relaxed rules take effect April 25.
TSA said the new regulations will allow its officers to better focus efforts on finding "higher threat items such as explosives," and was made as part of the agency's overall risk-based security approach.
TSA believes the items are “unlikely to result in catastrophic destruction of an aircraft,” and policies already put in place -- hardened cockpit doors, federal air marshals, crewmembers with self-defense training -- reduce the likelihood of passengers breaching the cockpit.
While small knives are permitted, pitchforks, grenades, swords, nunchucks, stun guns, ammo and spears remain on the no-fly list.
