TSA allowing small knives, sports equipment on planes
Reporter: Liz Kotalik
Web Producer: Rikki Mitchell
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - What could be next to you when you're flying on a plane? Hopefully not a taser, TSA says it's a banned item.
A gun? Not happening. TSA has banned that too.
But pocket knives and other items will be making a comeback. Starting April 25th, TSA says they're going to focus on threats like bombs and explosives, allowing novelty-sized and toy bats, billiard cues, ski poles, hockey, lacrosse sticks and golf clubs onto the plane.
But what really has people worried are those knives. They can come on if they don't lock, and if the blades are less than 2.36 inches or have a width of a half an inch or less.
Richard Zwibel owns Blade Runner Knives, and he says these could be less harmful than something your kids use every day.
"In the hands of a trained individual, or a terrorist, I could inflict infinitely more damage with a sharpened pencil than I could with a small pocket knife," he says.
But Jean Bannon just got off of a plane at Tucson International, and she says she's not buying these changes.
"I actually think it makes it easier for TSA, but not necessarily safer on the plane," she said.
She's willing to wait in longer lines to make sure any danger stays off her flight, but traveler Kim Weidner says the wait isn't worth it.
"Anything that makes my line go faster at security, I will be happy to do," she says.
And if TSA has it their way, Kim's wishes will come true. They say lines could be shorter, travelers could be happier, but safety? Well, that's still up in the air.
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