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Our Post 9/11 World, Friendly-Skies Style

Skip the airlines' Web sites. Go straight to the ENFORCERS. (Or my mother-in-law...she sent a detailed message about the ordeal she recently went through in order to get herself and her belongings out of and back into the country in one piece and without detainment.)

I found a boatloat -- or, in this case, a cargo-hold -- of information on the TSA Web site about what's OK and what's verboten. They seem to not be all that concerned with me and the assortment of little old ladies who enjoy needlecrafts.

FROM THE SITE:
-- Circular knitting needles are recommended to be less than 31 inches in total length
-- We recommend that the needles be made of bamboo or plastic (Not Metal)
-- Scissors must have blunt points
-- In case a Security Officer does not allow your knitting tools through security it is recommended that you carry a self addressed envelope so that you can mail your tools back to yourself as opposed to surrendering them at the security check point.
-- Most of the items needed to pursue a Needlepoint project are permitted in your carry-on baggage or checked baggage with the exception of circular thread cutters or any cutter with a blade contained inside. These items cannot be taken through a security checkpoint. They must go in your checked baggage.


So yay, looks like my sock and/or baby hat will be well on its way to completion by the end of my journey. On the other hand, I'm going to have to rethink the following, as they are no longer allowed in carry-ons on domestic flights:

Ice Axes/Ice Picks
Meat Cleavers
Sabers
Lacrosse Sticks
Spear Guns
Cattle Prods
Brass Knuckles
Billy Clubs


Luckily, though, they are all allowed in checked luggage! Sweet!! I'm all set!

A couple very strange notes. First, snow globes and similar decorations are not allowed in carry-ons, no matter the size or amount of liquid inside -- EVEN WITH DOCUMENTATION. Second, if you have those Dr. Scholls gel inserts, they will be confiscated if you try to get on the plane with them. Danger, danger. Those TSA agents are NOT gellin'.

Comments

AnneR said…
What I want to know is exactly what kind of documentation would a snow globe have anyway? Like, is there a UN Bureau of Snow Globes that can give you a letter of amnesty or something?
Amy said…
Apparently even if there WERE a UN Bureau of Snow Globes and it DID give you a letter, the documentation would not make a difference. Who'd've thunk it?!

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