So what IS allowed on airplanes these days?

A

alelser

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Feb 26, 2001
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This is really a 2 question post. First, with all the new regs, what exactly is allowed on airplanes these days? Are even Grandma's sewing scissors out?

Second, what would you use for defense if faced with a similar situation as seen in the sky on 9-11? I think 90% of us would certainly say today we would act against the terrorists (especially since it's no longer just a matter of being held hostage for the release of some political prisoner). But how?
 
I believe that teeth and fingernails (no more than 1/8" in length) are still permitted. Here in Canada, I understand that a cardboard cut-out of our fearsome justice minister, Annie-Get-Your-Gun McClellan, will be propped adjacent to the cockpits. If that doesn't scare the hell out of any would-be terrorist, I don't know what would. Oh, yeah, we will also have armed Mounties on some flights (such as those to US destinations where the US authorities won't let you land unbless you have an armed guard on board), but they will be in full uniform so that any would-be terrorist could immediately identify them. Great thinking, eh? Our government is more afraid of its citizens than terrorists.
 
Frankly, I'm not sure what is allowed on airplanes these days. I would think that pretty much anything with a blade is out. That leaves whatever you can think of. I would guess a mini-mag in a belt holster is okay, as is a metal Cross pen.
As to what I would do in the event of an attempted hijacking, I would rush the nearest hijacker and hope I got lucky. I doubt a boxcutter would prove an immediately fatal weapon, and I'd rather get cut and live, or at least go down swinging. Those passengers in PA might have died, but at least their loss was not in vain.
 
I guess it's your own wits and guts that you have to depend on. It worked for the brave souls on that flight in PA. on 9/11.
 
I would try and talk a few seatmates into rolling up magazines and using them as large yawara sticks. If you know a little short stick technique a rolled up magazine is pretty handy. Another trick is some loose change in the tightly knotted end of a sock.
 
A few ideas for defense:

* The aforementioned metal Cross pen makes a nifty jabber.

* You can use your belt wrapped around your knuckles for a loaded fist, or swing the buckle bolo style to send a POS bad guy for a loop. Also, a good choker if necessary.

* Don't forget, taking off a sock and loading it with something that has heft (keys and coins, for instance) makes a pretty sweet blackjack. :eek:

Don't ask how I learned this stuff. :cool:
 
1. About all you can take on an airplane these days is yourself.

2. I have very sharp, good teeth, and a couple of pretty hard fists.
 
The rolled up magazine or better yet, NEWSPAPER, makes an effective defensive club. Practice at home until you see how much it takes to get a hefty stick out of it. I have heard that in the right hands this weapon has the potential to kill someone.

Personally, if I travel by air, along with my newspaper I plan to bring one of a series of keychains out of titanium and mammoth ivory or wood that I'm currently making. These would be simple keyring fobs with no sharp edges but they would be a way to still enjoy my favorite materials even in places where edges tools are not allowed. I am also toying with the idea of making an overlay on the back side of the fob out of a piece of one of those cheap diamond coated nail files that you get at the drugstore. If it is screwed on tight the same as a knife scale I don't see how anyone could give you a hard time. I'll post pics when I get one made.
 
You should still me able to carry a mini-flashlight on board, although you will probably be detained until security determines that it IS a flashlight. A Surefire M2 or Z2 makes for a pretty solid (albeit short) blunt trauma weapon.
 
I work for one of the Airlines and can tell you that every station is different. The situation is very fluid and we get memo's daily about changes.

Since 9-11 I have had stolen out of my flight bag by security a screw driver that had 4 magnetic tips , also stolen was a pair of pliers. Mind you I have carried these with me in my bag for over 16 years. They were used to fix broken things on the airplane that made it nice for my passengers and co workers.

I can tell you that you are definately not safer because I no longer have them. They have also been used to remove a smoking radio panel years back, which the circuit breaker didn't pop. I cant imagine what would have happened if I didnt remove the panel and unplug the power source on the back. I now am not able to do these things. I hope that someone in Washington uses some common sense when the final rules come out. Almost all the pilots I know carried some sort of tools, leatherman etc. Not anymore!

Security also has stole a p6 can opener I had and took my finger nail clipper out of my bag and broke off the finger nail cleaner attached to it.

Mind you I have a 2 foot long crash axe in the cockpit with a hooked 5 inch spike on the end, plus my hands are on the flight controls everyday! This is where the common sense thing should kick in!

So I think a blade of any kind is definately out of the question unles you risk losing it since they won't let you mail the stuff back to yourself.

On a positive note I feel flying in the US is the safest its ever been. But we still have a ways to go. Be Safe! ;)
 
I would think a stinger or kerambit would be fine on keys or a jacket pocket. A hankercheif can be brutal with a roll of quarters in it. There are also many plastic and composite knives out there that would breeze right through around the neck or in a wrist sheath. If you have any grey hair, develop a bad leg and take on a cane! If you're young, lash a collapsable hiking pole to your North Face pack. They can turn into escrima sticks fairly easily by unscrewing the sections. Or take a short length of rope and coil it up on the bottom of your bag. You could also just happen to forget a bicycle chain and padlock in your carry on. Plastic rulers can be pre-scored to snap into nice pointy shapes, and newspaper can be rolled then weighted and closed to give it the same weight as a police baton. Just throw a roll of duct or electricians tape in with your toiletries. After you're done beating the bad guy, tape him up!
 
Pretty soon all of our carry on baggage will have to be see thru and pictures of a gun or knife will get you suspended from the airline. And what ever you do, if you get the chicken dinner, don't point one of the things at anybody.
 
Hook your keys to a belt loop via a carabiner. If your hands aren't too big, a carabiner makes a good emergency brass knuckle!
 
Try www.faa.gov (pretty sure) to get the official regulations. I went there about 2 weeks ago. Nail files are out, but they say you can carry fingernail clippers. I would assume the breaking of the file from the clippers was an overzealous security guy.

If you're planning on flying, you might want to print out the regs. Not that it would do much good. I say just don't fly.
 
Maybe carry a large spoon, and if you have to, sharpen it like they do in prison...on the floor.:D.
 
One suggestion I heard was to remove your seat cushion,
put your arm thru the straps on the underside and use
it as a shield as you rush the hijackers.

Also, apparently one can unclip the seat belt, wrap the
belt around your fist, and use the buckle as sort of
brass knuckles.

BTW, this is my first post here. I've just recently
become interested in knives and love this site.
I found a ton of good info here which helped me
decided on a BM880 and BM710 as my first purchases.
Thanks folks.
 
Ball point pen in/ thru the eye deters most hostility. Use the nose as a launch ramp.

Newspaper is better used in some cases as auxiliary to dumog (Filipino JuJistu-ey type stuff) and also makes a nasty implement to choke the bejesus out of someone (Had it done to me in demo last week, nearly passed out and Kevin played nice)

Belt is nice to choke and lock.

Toothbrush made into stabbing weapon instead of ruler...who the hell travels with a ruler?

Credit card or its alternatives available...

Beer bottle/ can?

Ever get clocked with a ful botle of Gatorade? it hurts like hell or stuns you bad!

Of course the usual array of flashlights, keychains, jujos, kubotans, etc. Make em decorative and maybe put something religious looking on it.

Parker
 
Nothing sharp is allowed at all. I've heard several stories of folks having safety razors confiscated our of their toilet kits.

I left PDX bright and early friday morning. Being who I am, I was hustled right past security, given a cursory inspection and escorted right onto the plane. Now, you might say, "come on chuck, being 'The Balisong Collector' might command a tiny bit of attention here, but how does that get you past airport security?" The answer is that it has nothing to do with balisongs and everything to do with the fact that I'm always late for everything. I was born two weeks late and I've been trying to catch up ever since. Anyway, I arrived at 6:30 for a 7:00 am departure. The line for the security check was at least a half hour long. I was so happy that the very nice fellow from Northwest Airlines just walked me right past it. Once we cleared our cursory security check, that young fellow looked at me and said, "Can you run?" I said, "I'll beat you," and off we went. Fortunately, the counter agent had called ahead and they were holding the plane for me.

Once aboard, the lead flight attendant announced, and I'm quoting as close as I can remember, "Once we reach our cruising altitude, we will be serving you our so-called breakfast. Each of you will receive a package of dry cereal, a bananna, and a bagel. You'll also receive a packet containing salt and pepper in case you'd like to season your bananna, a napkin, a spoon and a fork. You'll notice that the package is open since these packages were put together before recent regulation changes and used to include a plastic knife which has.... excuse me, I a now told that we now have new packages which are sealed and don't include a knife. Following the so-called breakfast will be our beverage service. Recently, several airlines have had to cancel flights and ground aircraft because passengers have found mysterious white powders. In all cases, these have turned out to be either non-dairy coffee creamer or non-sugar coffee sweetners apparently spilled by a previous passenger. Canceling flights and grounding planes is very expensive and very inconvenient both for the airlines and for passengers. So, we will not be offering non-dairy creamer or non-sugar sweetener today. Sorry."

Most of the planes I flew on were barely half full and all of the airline employees were very gloomy. The friendly skies are not very happy right now.
 
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