The Transportation Security Administration has announced a change in policy that would allow passengers to bring small knives, golf clubs, ski poles, small baseball bats and other items that have been banned since shortly after Sept. 11, 2001 with them onto airplanes. The changes will not take effect until April 25, but they were immediately met with a negative reaction from passenger rights groups and flight attendant unions.
“While we agree that a passenger wielding a small knife or swinging a golf club or hockey stick poses less of a threat to the pilot locked in the cockpit, these are real threats to passengers and flight attendants in the passenger cabin,” said Stacy K. Martin, president of Southwest Airlines’ flight attendants union.
“The APFA and our colleagues at other flight attendant unions have enjoyed a close working relationship with TSA since its inception. That’s why I’m a little puzzled that such a momentous decision would be made without consulting us,” Association of Professional Flight Attendants president Laura Glading said.
The TSA released a statement saying that the move was intended to help cut back on wait times at security screenings and make the policy more in line with international policy.
“This change allows TSA to focus on the threats that can cause catastrophic damage to an aircraft,” the TSA said.
