The only 8 inch weapon I take with me on an aeroplane is one which remains in a dormant state unless a particularly lovely stewardess happens to smile at me...
Oops, sorry for lowering the tone of the thread. Danny is absolutely right; I wonder whether the reported confiscation of plastic swords from a couple of little lads at Paris today (part of their Peter Pan costumes) was a spin-off from this?
There are so many things which can be used as improvised weapons on aeroplanes that these sensation-seeking journos will continue to peddle their chip-wrappers with such daft 'shock horror' exposes for years to come. Unless, that is, passengers are required to fly nude with no carry-on luggage.
Hope that doesn't give a certain Irish person any ideas!