A couple of EDC items legal again to carry again on board your flight?

Herlock

Herlock

Joined
May 13, 2015
Messages
841
Hi! Just to chat :), I have noticed with pleasure that airport security in and around EU (direct experience with Italy, Sweden, Germany and Turkey) has become more flexible towards some EDC items. After having at least two Victorinox Classic 58 mm (the only blade I dare to carry in cabin baggage) and several BIC lighter confiscated (I don’t smoke but one fire-starting basic gear is always in my Fatboy) during last years, I have noticed that these items now are yes investigated, but tolerated.

Starting traveling again after Christmas/New Year pause, I forgot to remove the Vic from my key-ring and the BIC lighter from the pouch. Went happily straight into the security in MXP and, by the second I realized this, the bags were already under the x-ray. The operator stopped me, searched my bags, took a good look at the Vic, the BIC lighter and my flashlight but let me go. Same for the other airports I went through! That’s good news! They re-introduced passport control in some EU countries (and that’s not bad), but, it seems, are more flexible about “innocent” EDC gear :thumbup:.

What’s your experience? How is it outside EU? Asia I know they are very intolerant about lighters, China especially.

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My understanding is that flights originating in the U.S. are stricter on this than anywhere else.

I've not heard they were allowing blades again but it's possible I guess.
 
The United States TSA still doesn't allow any sort of blade or fire producing item. There was a buzz about a year or so ago that there would be specific allowances for a safe-to-fly pocket knife...I think it was a sub-2", non-locking blade, but the airlines and the pilots union raised a stink and the plans got scuttled.

I have a big problem with inconsistencies. I've had TSA agents want to confiscate flashlights and blade less multitools like the the Leatherman Piranha. The level of consistent administering of the law is a little unsettling.
 
Depending on how grouchy your molestor, I mean TSA agent, is, you would probably be arrested and labeled a terrorist for trying to bring that little SAK on a US flight....
 
As far as I know, this is just a matter of individual screeners being lenient rather than any kind of policy shift. Depending on the airport, if your flight isn't departing from a terminal with any international flights, they might be a bit more lax.

I carry bladeless multitools when flying, and frequently get questioned about it, but it's totally inconsistent. I remember a screener in Milan finding a Gerber Dime Travel after his colleague flagged my bag; he was at a bit of a loss for what he was looking for and finally pointed to the pliers head. I just looked at him and asked "Really?" He finally shrugged and let me through.
 
I regularly fly in the US with a knifeless Leatherman Micra that I cut the blade off of with a Dremmel tool.

I found the secret has been to be intentionally professional with the TSA agents.

I put the Micra in a small tray by itself with all of the tools open. I get the screener's attention and say something like, "Just want to alert you that I'm sending my scissors through. There is no knife blade on the tool.[/b]

This is always responded to with a "Thanks for letting me know", often several of them.

I think these men and women get guff from people all day long, so a little professional respect goes a long way. I don't get schmary or sappy nice nor do give any hint of an implied challenge like "You clowns shouldn't need this explained to you." Just super straight-forward and professional.

In all the years I've done this, I got challenged once. A young agent said it wasn't allowed. I nodded and said, "I see. Would mind consulting with a supervisor to verify that? My understanding is that scissors are allowed." This did two things that avoided being a challenge. First, I gave the agent a graceful way out to avoid embarrassment by putting it as "to verify". Second, I asserted my position as "my understanding" which cues them I'm not telling them how to do their job.

I think with many overworked and hassled TSA agents I've dealt with, if I said "Really?", it would just be an invatation to confiscate the Micra just because they're now annoyed and they can. But when I treat them with professional respect, generally their entire posture changes to something like, "Oh, you're one of the people who gets that's we're just doing our job here - thanks for not being a jerk."
 
Slip n Snip scissors should be pretty acceptable. I love mine and carry it all the time.



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While there has been some discussion at TSA about easing the knife ban, it hasn't happened. Bic type lighters have been permissible for years. I always have a flashlight in my pocket, in my carryon, or both. That's never been an issue.
 
pinnah said:
I regularly fly in the US with a knifeless Leatherman Micra that I cut the blade off of with a Dremmel tool.

I found the secret has been to be intentionally professional with the TSA agents.

I put the Micra in a small tray by itself with all of the tools open..."
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Yes! I do this too with my bladeless Micra. Never had a problem, in maybe 20 flights, and I get a "thanks" about half the time. It saves TSA the time of finding it, opening it, and confirming that it's legal.
 
pinnah said:
I think with many overworked and hassled TSA agents I've dealt with, if I said "Really?", it would just be an invatation to confiscate the Micra just because they're now annoyed and they can. But when I treat them with professional respect, generally their entire posture changes to something like, "Oh, you're one of the people who gets that's we're just doing our job here - thanks for not being a jerk."
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First of all, let's be clear: I didn't start off with "Really?" I was courteous and accommodating at every step of the way, explaining everything more or less as you did. I've flown like this dozens of times and been questioned all over the world.

Second, this wasn't a TSA agent; it was a gate agent in Milan. It only got to "Really?" when he decided that the pliers were the issue, rather than the other various pointy bits. He simply didn't know what the problem was, himself, and apparently didn't want to ask his colleague what he was trying to point out. I was trying to illustrate the ways in which it can be inconsistent, and it's not at all limited to the U.S.
 
How about self defense type pens? I don't fly much at all, like once every 7 or 8 years, and have never tried to board with one on my person or in my carry on. I'd rather not have to deal with shipping the pen if they confiscate it or toss it in the trash. I'm getting ready to fly to Belize in a week and wouldnt mind keeping a nice pen with me on the flight. Brad
 
Nap said:
First of all, let's be clear: I didn't start off with "Really?" I was courteous and accommodating at every step of the way, explaining everything more or less as you did. I've flown like this dozens of times and been questioned all over the world.

Second, this wasn't a TSA agent; it was a gate agent in Milan. It only got to "Really?" when he decided that the pliers were the issue, rather than the other various pointy bits. He simply didn't know what the problem was, himself, and apparently didn't want to ask his colleague what he was trying to point out. I was trying to illustrate the ways in which it can be inconsistent, and it's not at all limited to the U.S.
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I hear you, and agree with you about the inconsistencies. I'm old enough as well to remember when flying was fun...
 
In the US;

You can bring a lighter thru TSA for carry-on.

Still no blades but other tools mostly OK. I bring a Leatherman PS style (no blade) and some EMT shears on every flight with no hassle.
 
I travel with a self defense pen. I make sure to clip it in a pen loop in a leather portfolio and I've never had a problem.

Being polite to TSA agents only goes so far when the core problem is they have high turnover and use "on the job" for training.
 
Bradass80 said:
How about self defense type pens? I don't fly much at all, like once every 7 or 8 years, and have never tried to board with one on my person or in my carry on. I'd rather not have to deal with shipping the pen if they confiscate it or toss it in the trash. I'm getting ready to fly to Belize in a week and wouldnt mind keeping a nice pen with me on the flight. Brad
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A nice fountain pen is sharper and pointer than most "tactical pens," if you want something stabby.
 
I have no idea what airports are like in EU but I stopped flying commercial as soon as the TSA goons were given complete authority to be total jerks here in the U.S. The TSA supposedly actually has a rule book but as far as I can tell NO ONE in the TSA has ever actually seen it (it's too secret to let anyone see it) and they are freely allowed to make up the rules as they go along.
 
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