Knitting?

[57mm]

On the LHR-IAD flight on Tuesday, the lady in the row in front was knitting for most of the journey. Bearing in mind that knitting needles are sharp and could be used as offensive weapons, how did she get through security with them?

[SimonPaddo]

Knit one, slip one through security?

[davidjohnson6]

On a previous flight, I've had a biro taken off me at airport security because it could be used as an offensive weapon to stab a person. When I protested, was told I would not be allowed to go through security to the aircraft.
Didn't stop cabin crew handing out biros on the plane to complete a survey though

At some point, we have to decide what risks we will accept in life
https://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/personal-items

[Nimmer]

I used to work at a very busy single runway airport in the South East of England, the tower was airside. Just after 9/11 and all the increased security measures, a member of airport security came into the rest room and started to remove all the metal knives and forks from the kitchen area.

I politely asked him what he was doing”Tower is airside mate, no sharp items allowed airside, it’s a security risk”

ok I replied”However if said terrorist manages to run across the two live taxiways, and gets through the security doors, I think he may just bring his own weapons, and not request to borrow one from our kitchen.

security man left!

[SpringHeeledJack]

It is always confusing as to what is/isn't allowed in the cabin, but on looking at the list in the link above, knitting needles would't be such a good weapon to most people simply by the way you'd have to hold it. I've heard of hikers travelling light having their telescopic walking sticks confiscated from their hand-baggage. You are allowed bring a lighter into the cabin as long as it's in a clear plastic jiffy bag.....

[Saintsman]

And of course the glass bottles from duty free…

[easyflyer83]

Knitting needles are allowed, which always seems a strange one but actually they aren’t ‘that’ sharp in the grand scheme of things.

[DogTailRed2]

A manager I used to work with told me the following story.
He was sent to America on a buisiness trip whereby awards were handed out. Best manager, best employee that sort of thing.
He won an award which was a Handgrenade mounted on a wooden plinth.
When he was comming home through customs the airport security man pulled out the handgrenade on it's plinth and asked what it was?
Manager explained it was an award to which the security man asked "How do we know the grenade is safe?"
Manager replied, dunno, lets see and duly pulled out the pin. Both stared at the grenade in silence. After a suitable time had passed the security man said,
"Guess it's safe". Placed the grenade back in his luggage and waved him through.
This was before 9/11 but kindof ammusing.

[visibility3miles]

Sort of like Alec Baldwin shooting someone dead on a movie set with a prop gun that he was told was safe?

[Herod]

Hand grenades are simple "Just pull the pin out, and throw it".

[BlankBox]

Yabbut I need more than 100ml of Pepto-Bismal to handle the grot they're gonna serve on my 18 hour flight.

[Del Prado]

I always remember a story on here about an airport policeman going airside, putting his handcuffs, truncheon, CS spray, taser, gun and lunch through the x-Ray machine and afterwards they gave him back the handcuffs, truncheon, CS spray, taser and gun back but confiscated his yoghurt because it was dangerous.

[Anilv]

Sad to say most security personnel do not have any 'discretion', their instructions are clear.. no sharp objects and this includes knitting needles. What I find ridiculous is not allowing kids to bring their toy guns. I understand that there are some replica guns that look almost like the real thing and could be used as a threat but a bright green toy gun? This was common in KUL where I worked for a while.

[wiggy]

Might do in some parts of the world but the OP was on a flight out of LHR and the instructions issued by UK Gov are quite clear: knitting needles are allowed in hand luggage……

https://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/personal-items

[deja vu]

I recall having nail clippers confiscated not long after 9/11. 10 minutes later I checked out the security of the vicious fire axe in the cockpit

[Asturias56]

Security is boring, very badly paid work

Like policing in general the staff often over-react as it's the only thing of interest that may happen all day - and if they can start a row its even more interesting for them.

[jolihokistix]

A friend had her small gold brooch stopped ‘because it was gun-shaped’.
Perhaps the machine does not recognize size?

Things I have carried for years in my hand baggage can be called out quite suddenly and seemingly randomly.
I guess staff get tired of being judge and jury all day long and the lines turn fuzzy.

[Gargleblaster]

Once went through CPH security with my daughter who had a whole arsenal of knitting needles with her. All fine, we even asked the friendly staff about it and were told knitting needles are allowed. She then forgot her phone there, which we then called and they were kind to answer it and tell us in which lane it was.

Once got caught in the domestic terminal there with a potato peeler in the pocket of my jacket. Had used it to peel carrots at lunch and had forgotten all about it. He confiscated it and told me that in the US I would have been detained for that. I said ok, took it away from him, walked back through the metal detector, out to my car where I deposited it and came back ! You should have seen the gaping look on his face. Hilarious ! Well, it had a slightly pointy tip, but I think the crew would have wet themselves from laughter if I had attempted a highjack using it.

[FUMR]

I think several volumes could be written about security staff. The morons are a minority but unfortunately they are the ones which remain in your mind. To be honest, on the whole I find the majority to be professional, polite and cheerful. There's always the odd one at almost every airport who will let the side down with their ignorance and attitude. They are the ones we remember!

[DaveReidUK]

wiggy

Certainly nothing they should get crochety about. :O

[S.o.S.]

DRUK Any more talk like that and you'll get stitched up ...:E

[Avionker]

Del Prado

I quite believe it. I was going airside at Aberdeen, my yoghurt caused a bit of consternation and resulted in a stern warning that next time they would confiscate it. It was a particularity dangerous 110ml strawberry one if I recall correctly.

I apologized for placing airside security in jeopardy, then picked up the leather scabbard containing my surgical scalpel, put it back in my pocket along with the 6 inch long screwdriver and went on my merry way in a van containing about 50 liters of various fluids and multiple stabby type items…

It should also be noted that this was in 2010 and thanks to Eyjafjallajökull the only things flying in or out of the airport were birds.

[Pugilistic Animus]

Not fair, they let her through with the knitting needle but won't let me practice my hobby making Fireworks :}

[stevef]

I'm not exposing a security loophole, because it's obvious to anyone to anyone with half a brain, but what's the point of imposing a 100ml maximum limit on liquids per person in cabin baggage when ten bad guys can obey the restrictions but still make a plan to accumulate a litre between them once they're on board. :confused:
And what about taking cutlery from the airside restaurants...
I'm so glad that I'm not actively involved in aviation any more, when the programmed drones question why engineers are taking tools and essential servicing liquids airside. I've met some really spiteful security staff in the past including one who rushed over to a cabin attendant I was talking to and loudly berated her for not having the Velcro on her hi-vis fastened. They're not all like that but it does reflect on the attitude of some employees whose new-found position allows them to vent their inadequacies in the same way as some traffic wardens enjoy their job.
I remember reading of a passenger who was pulled up for having a small-scale model soldier holding a rifle.

[IBMJunkman]

If John Wick could kill a man with a pencil imagine what could be done with a knitting needle. :)

[B2N2]

She must not have put them next to a water bottle in her carry on.

[PAXboy]

I agree with an earlier poster who said that a bottle of alcohol bought on board would make a fine weapon. Also, a full sized laptop can weigh up to 2Kg. I have not tried it but I reckon that hitting someone on the head with the flat side - or using the thin edge swung with force into their neck would give the receiver pause for thought.

I have had an item with a very small dimension removed because, I think, they were too busy to inspect in detail and just binned it. As well as allowing through something that could certainly puncture a jugular vein. I also had a time to return to the main terminal. Many moons ago at LTN, the X-ray of my shoulder bag turned up a pair of small wire cutters that had got lost inside a padded liner and could not be felt. The actual blades were less than 2cm but the item was decreed unacceptable. I went back downstairs and bought a padded envelope and stamps, and posted it to myself as it was very good pair!

The staff did not appreciate my thanking them for finding them for me.

[Dunhovrin]

Isn’t it about tools that may allow access to the flight deck rather than weapons per se? Anyone can go on the rampage with a crochet hook in Economy, as long as they can’t get through the front door.

[krismiler]

I had a roll of tape confiscated on the basis that it could be used to restrain someone.

As stated earlier, this sort of work is boring and poorly paid, the job you take if you really can't find anything else. There is always the possibility of disciplinary action if you fail to notice something whilst being checked by an examiner posing as a passenger. Screeners are then given a high degree of authority, which they would not have in the type of low level jobs that they would normally be employed in. In some cases it goes to their heads when they find they can get away with talking to people in ways they couldn't get away with in their previous employment.
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[CoodaShooda]

I was pulled up at Perth WA airport a few years ago with a suspect item in my briefcase.

After progressively removing items and re-exraying three times we found a 6 inch hunting knife stuck right down the bottom. Security gave me a zip bag to use to go back and put the knife in as hold luggage. No dramas whatsoever and I collected it off the carousel at my destination.

It was only later that I recalled when I’d put the knife in the bag. I’d been through security at six other terminals with it before being pulled up.

[esa-aardvark]

I was pulled up at Sydney. Carry-on searched & x-rayed repeatedly.
The guys (by then several) would not say what they were looking for.
Turned out to be the flat blade of the plug on my electric razer, maybe
1.5cm max.