Flight attendant fury over knife ruling
Flight attendants in the US have slammed a decision allowing passengers to bring knives on to aircraft.
The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has relaxed a 10-year ban on certain items, which was first put in place after the 9/11 attacks, and will now allow passengers to board domestic flights with small pocket knives. But the Flight Attendants Union Coalition, which represents nearly 90,000 US cabin crew, said the decision would put lives at risk.
“Today’s announcement to permit knives back into the aircraft cabin is a poor and shortsighted decision by the TSA. Continued prohibition of these items is an integral layer in making our aviation system secure and must remain in place,” the union said in a statement.
“We believe that these proposed changes will further endanger the lives of all flight attendants and the passengers we work so hard to keep safe and secure,” it added.
The new regulations allow passengers to carry knives with blades less than 6cm long, along with hockey sticks, snooker cues, golf clubs and ski poles.