Fines Against Passengers Draw Fire

FOX NEWS ^ | March 12, 2004 | Kelley Beaucar Vlahos

[BulletBobCo]

WASHINGTON

[RightOnline]

I don't care. Try carrying a pair of stupid nail clippers on a flight. Go ahead. Then come quote "rules" to me.

[Henrietta]

"I don't care. Try carrying a pair of stupid nail clippers on a flight. Go ahead. Then come quote "rules" to me."

I have. I've also carried knitting needles and crochet hooks, with 'nary a peep from the TSA.

Why don't you just admit that you are wrong instead of continuing to assert things that aren't true? A little too much ego, perhaps?

[Henrietta]

"Last time I was at the airport, they were permitted if and only if they did not have any sort of attached nail file. Since most clipper I've seen do have such an attached file, they would be prohibited unless such file was broken off."

It seems the rules have changed. Nail files are now expressly permitted; see the link.

[RightOnline]

How about the fact that I personally know several people who had them taken away? Does that count? How about the fact that if you got onboard with knitting needles, count yourself lucky and the rest of us unlucky..........you had some moron for a "security guard" who was asleep at the switch. If I have to explain why, then ego isnt' your problem.

[Henrietta]

Sounds like the people who had their stuff wrongly confiscated had idiot TSA people (the norm) who don't know the rules that their own agency is telling people.

I travel with a recent copy of the rules. So far, I've not had a problem.

The rules are there, posted for all to see on the TSA's own website. If you don't believe in them, that's your issue, not mine, and not everyone else's.

[RightOnline]

Didn't say I didn't "believe" in anything (well, except for the concept of redistribution of wealth.......but that's another discussion). I made an observation, you objected, I gave you real-world evidence (don't have photos or video to prove it, so you'll have to take my word for it). I also don't think you understand why it disturbs me that these same idiots wouldn't confiscate your knitting needles.

To wit............with nail clippers, the worst I could do is give you sore fingers by clipping too closely. I could absolutely kill you .....and quite easily........ with those knitting needles of yours. Good thing I'm just a pussycat; terrorists aren't.

[Geritol]

So why is a "gun lighter" (I assume a lighter in the shape of a gun) not even allowed in checked baggage while both guns and lighters are?

[Geritol]

Never mind, my goof. Lighters can only be carried on, not checked. Guns and gun replicas can only be checked. A replica gun lighter can not be checked because of the flamability, can not be carried because of what it looks like, thus can not be personally transported by air.

[Henrietta]

Yeah, I have to admit that I was a bit confused that knitting needles were allowed. Once a stewardess in the boarding area asked me, "Wow, how'd you get through security with those?" and was surprised when I showed her the list of permitted items, with knitting needles listed.

The concept of "Homeland Security" isn't really to make us more secure, it's just to mollify the masses. But hey, if we ever get hijacked, I'll be glad I have those knitting needles, right?