 |
|
FAA tightens carry-on rules
10/09/2001
• Knives of any length, composition or description. • Cutting instruments of any kind and composition, including carpet knives and box cutters (and spare blades), any device with a folding or retractable blade, ice picks, straight razors, metal scissors and metal nail files. • Corkscrews. • Baseball/softball bats. • Golf clubs. • Pool cues. • Ski poles. • Hockey sticks. Permitted items: • Walking canes and umbrellas (once inspected to ensure prohibited items are not concealed). • Nail clippers. • Safety razors (including disposable razors). • Syringes (with documented proof of medical need). • Tweezers. • Eyelash curlers. |
By Jim Morris
The Dallas Morning News
WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that travelers will be limited to one carry-on bag and one personal item – such as a purse or a laptop computer – on all flights, effective immediately.
The new limitations were recommended by a Department of Transportation task force as a means of making security screeners' jobs easier. "Overall," the task force said, "a more thorough and less time-pressured screening will increase effectiveness."
Initial reaction to the announcement was mixed.
"Realistically, it shouldn't hurt us in the way we do our operation," said Ed Stewart, a spokesman for Dallas-based Southwest Airlines. American Airlines spokesman John Hotard said the airline would comply with the new directive immediately.
Paul Hudson, a security adviser to the FAA and executive director of the Aviation Consumer Action Project, called it a step in the right direction. "It would cut the amount of [carry-on] luggage that has to be screened by one-third to one-half."
. Asked if he believed passengers might rebel against such a restriction, he said, "I don't think it matters at this point. What we're dealing with is national security."
Davis Stempler, president of the Air Travelers Association, warned that some passengers may stop flying if the baggage check-in process is lengthened by the new rule.
"At a time when they're trying to get more people on airplanes, this is going to create another impediment," Mr. Stempler said. "It may add another half an hour or more to the process."
That could make short flights – from 250 to 500 miles – impractical because of the added waiting time, he said.
Many passengers in Terminal C at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on Monday afternoon carried just one piece of baggage off and on their flights.
Kelly Lester of Lewisville said she had heard that the one-bag limitation might be imposed, so she was prepared, although she had a rolling carry-on bag, a purse and a smaller bag. She said she was prepared to put the smaller bag in her purse, if necessary.
Peggy Smyers of Keller said that on her trip to Washington she had carried one bag, a camera bag and a purse, but on the return trip she had carried more, including a stuffed animal.
"One bag is plenty. I think we have decided that we took far too much to begin with," Mrs. Smyers said of her family.
Staff writers Terri Langford in Washington and Frank Trejo in Dallas contributed to this report.