I work as a Screener for the airlines, here is the scoop!

[jmcbang]

OK, here is the deal, i see alot of people ask questions on airports. Since i work as a screener at Austin Bergstum International, i will inlighten all you lost souls. 1) you are alowed knives on the plane fixed or strait aslong as the cutting edge is under 4 inches.
2) You are alowed to ship almost anything. They do not alow boxcutter or razors of any length. The also do not alow mase or any kind of guns or bullets. That means no plastic waterguns, bullets on keychains or or any kind of replica guns. Ps. all cell phones, pagers palmpilots and computers are ok to go through the x-ray. THe rays used are very weak. HOpe this helps

 

[glockman99]

jmcbang,

What's the scoop on a serrated blade, under 4 inches...even the "Wicked-looking" ones?

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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663

 

[jmcbang]

Sorry, ment to put that in there, that is a real grey area. Everyone i know allows serated blades, but i dont think that is the case at every airport. For the most part, I'm pretty shure you are ok. If you ever have a problem with it, I would ask your airline represenitive. Most screeners back down when you get the airline rep in. LIke i said, i've heard both ways, but, your more than lickly to get it in with out a problem

 

[couteaux]

Offhand I'd have to say you've never been thru security at LAX!

Bob

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"The search is half the fun!"

 

[muzzleup]

If you try to pass through the portal with an all titanium knife, will the system pick it up? Not that I want to try it but was just curious from reading an article about titanium knives not haveing a magnetick signature.


------------------
Ron

 

[yitz]

There was a recent thread discussing whether titanium would be picked up by metal detectors. I think the answer was, "it depends." I've had good experiences with Dan Valois' titanium folders and belt buckle knives not being picked up.

 

[Feneris]

Walk through metal detectors do not care about the magnetic fields of an object.

They are large inductors connected to an opamp. The inductors are energized and an electro magnetic feild is generated. As a metal object of sufficent size passes through the core(the part you walk through) the inductance of the coil changes. This changes the impedince of the coil, which in turn change the voltage going to the opamp. If the change is sufficent to move past the reference voltage then the alarm will trigger.
******NOTE: The circut is a very simplified one. It will sufice for our purpose though*****

Different metals will change the inductance by differnt amounts, but all metals will do it. I have walked through detector so sensitive that I had to move the change form one pocket and the pack of Big Red chewing gum from the other one.


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Joshua, aka Feneris,'Destroyer of Whisky' of the Terrible Ironic Horde
But doom'd and devoted by vassal and lord.
MacGregor has still both his heart and his sword!
-MacGregor's Gathering, Sir Walter Scott

 

[Brian_Turner]

jmcbang -

Great to have a perspective from the other side of the checkpoint!

Is there a particular written regulation that you could point us to? I get the feeling that a lot of "enforcement" is simply the screeners using their own judgement rather than following the actual rules.

Thanks!

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AKTI Member #A000832

"Sometimes you eat the bear, and sometimes, the bear eats you."

 

[Pete Peterson]

I've got a mouth full of fillings that set the darn thing off every time. No keys, knife, belt, watch, ETC and it still goes off. Part of being an old fart I guess.

------------------
old pete

 

[e_utopia]

There are no written regulations. What can and cannot be carried on a plane is up to the discretion of hte airline in question, as the plane is private property. The FAA's guideline (ie, suggestion) is that folding, under 4", non-serrated would be a good choice, but the individual airline can allow/not allow whatever it feels like (of course, certain items are actually illegal in interstate flight, due to Federal laws).

Question, jmcbang: who said you can't ship boxcutters, razors, guns, and dummy ammo? All those things are perfectly legal to check in your luggage, and you can have those bullet keychains in the cabin (unless, of course, a specific airline doesn't want to allow them).

--JB

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e_utopia@hotmail.com

 

[Trevor Calder]

Hey, Pete, that mouthful of fillings could be useful.
All you have to do is figure out how big a knife will fit in with 'em

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"..it is foolishness and endless trouble to cast a
stone at every dog that barks at you.."

 

[Matches]

Being a "new guy on the block", could someone explain why there is a difference in regulations regarding serrated blades? Can they be that messy?

 

[glockman99]

jharden,

I think that the main "problem" that airlines have with serrated blades on knives is that they don't want anyone sawing through the airplane to escape.

.

------------------
Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663

 

[jmcbang]

Wording is wrong, I apologise. You have to ship all boxcutters mase, anykind of gun related article, and hammers under the plane, i ment you can not have them with you to get on the plane. Feneris, is right, it picks up metel but there has to be a certin amount before it goes off. Other things that make it go off are STeel toes, Boots with steel shanks, any kihnd of foil, belt buckles, Straw hats, and altoids. As to the bullet key chains every airliner i know of wont let you take them on bord. But as someone pointed out, most is just the screener's personal jugdment. If you knot think a call is just, i suggest you ask to talk to your airline represenitive, they usually try to back up the passanger. I will find out the page number and article at work tonight for the serrations.
Jmcbang