probably according to their SOP, should be applauded rather than scoffed at, IMHO
Among the countless things I have carried through security unharmed, before and thankfully also post 9/11, were 2 knives with rather large blades, handmade by my grandfather, polished lacquered hardwood, inlaid with gold, I carried them around because I had just sent a container with all my belongings to a new base, and only kept what I deemed irreplaceable, family hairlooms, without thinking that it were knives (yes I was stressed and really didn't think). The security guy at [insert asian airport here, the kind of people who strictly follow procedures, and only care about face and other evil things] laughed out loud, and kept laughing all the way while he accompanied me, to let me put them in the hold. Maybe he exercised discretion, and in my humble opinion, he was a good guy, and he/she should be empowered to exercise that discretion with passengers, whether they are children who accidentally bring their liquid cough syrup, or heads of state (discretion is encouraged for them on flag carriers usually), or pilots who bring some silly yoghurt their better half wants them to eat to combat flatulence (been there done that). I can't see any evil in exercising discretion and making a judgement. For me, it's the kind of thing that makes my day, when someone goes the extra mile, and thinks while applying SOPs. That never brought an aircraft down. I'm not applauding the arrest of a pilot who carried some knife for now, until I know more details.