49 USC 46505 is written in rather broad terms.
(b) General Criminal Penalty. - An individual shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both, if the individual -
(1) when on, or attempting to get on, an aircraft in, or intended for operation in, air transportation or intrastate air transportation, has on or about the individual or the property of the individual a CONCEALED DANGEROUS WEAPON that is or would be accessible to the individual in flight;
(2) has placed, attempted to place, or attempted to have placed a loaded firearm on that aircraft in property not accessible to passengers in flight; or
(3) has on or about the individual, or has placed, attempted to place, or attempted to have placed on that aircraft, an explosive or incendiary device.
49 USC 44902 is more vague and gives more authority for airlines and/or airport security to set their own arbitrary rules, hence the current situation that obtains wherein a 3.25"-3.5" blade length limit would seem to be the accepted rule along with the no serrations rule. Searching through Title 14 and Title 49 one won't find specific references to blade length limits or declarations that serrations are a weapon.
(a) Mandatory Refusal. - The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall prescribe regulations requiring an air carrier, intrastate air carrier, or foreign air carrier to refuse to transport -
(1) a passenger who does not consent to a search under section 44901(a) of this title establishing whether the passenger is carrying unlawfully a dangerous weapon, explosive, or other destructive substance; or
(2) property of a passenger who does not consent to a search of the property establishing whether the property unlawfully contains a dangerous weapon, explosive, or other destructive substance.
(b) Permissive Refusal. - Subject to regulations of the Administrator, an air carrier, intrastate air carrier, or foreign air carrier MAY REFUSE TO TRANSPORT A PASSENGER OR PROPERTY THE CARRIER DECIDES IS, OR MIGHT BE, INIMICAL TO SAFETY.
FAA does outline a
Passenger's Rights that permits pocket knives with a blade length under 4 inches. However, this is not in agreement with actual application of these rules. The rules will vary depending upon where one goes and which airport one flies outta. When I flew from Seattle to L.A. in November, Seatac security only looked at my cell phone and pager. LAX security also checked the blade length of my Benchmade folder (2.9") and ensured the Mini Maglite I carry actually illuminated.
Methinks the more press coverage such an issue receives then the greater likelihood that some b*ttplug in Congress will get an amendment to a bill absolutely prohibiting blades of any sort on commercial flights.
Only thing I've ever found in USC about blade length is in
18 USC 930, and this is in reference to "dangerous weapons" in a federal facility including the Post Office.
(2) The term "dangerous weapon" means a weapon, device, instrument, material, or substance, animate or inanimate, that is used for, or is readily capable of, causing death or serious bodily injury, except that such term does not include a pocket knife with a blade of less than 2 1/2 inches in length.
As to speculation over non-magnetic knives, there is no specific exception for them so there's no reason to assume they are anything OTHER than a weapon. If anyone ever gets the urge to pack their Mad Dog Mirage X on a commercial airline flight simply because he or she can, if one is found out, losing the knife will be the least of one's worries.
Ken Grubb
Lacey, WA
If this had been actual legal advice, you would have been instructed where to send payment. Well, that and my parents are married, so I was denied entrance to law school.
