Federal air marshals and
flight attendants are angry about the Transportation Security Administration's
decision to allow small pocketknives back in aircraft cabins.
"It's going to create
passenger confusion," said Veda Shook, International President of the
Association of Flight Attendants. "It's also going to bring a weapon onboard
and we're there to protect passengers each and every day. It doesn't make
any sense to allow knives aboard aircraft."
Air travelers will
also be allowed to bring billiard cues, ski poles, hockey and lacrosse sticks
and golf clubs into aircraft cabins as carry-on baggage.
TSA says it is all about risk assessment. Every month at the 20
largest airports four tons of knives are confiscated.
The head of the TSA told
airline officials he wants to concentrate on what really worries him -
explosives - especially the liquid explosives which are difficult to detect.
Both the federal air marshals and flight
attendants say they will ask the agency to reconsider the policy.
