The TSA currently has a list of prohibited items which cannot be carried onto planes from which it was planning to drop the above-mentioned items, though dropping this plan, which would have undoubtedly presented significant security concerns, allows them to focus on other priorities.
Last month 145 House members signed a letter to TSA Administrator, John Pistole, asking him to keep in place the current policy. Flight attendant unions, and Airlines for America, which represents major U.S. airlines, as well as top executives from some of the nation's largest airlines, came out against the plan.
In commenting on the move to abandon the plan, Pistole said: "After getting the input from all these different constituents, I realized there was not across-the-board support that would serve us well in moving forward."
While there is no question that the planned change would open the door to allow the TSA to focus on stricter worries such as screening for explosives, such objects present a possible danger in the hands of a mad-man, so the move to abandon the change will no doubt be positively received.
But what does this tell us about the TSA in general? While they're not the most popular Homeland Security Department anyway, the fact that they were considering something like this indicates that they may be struggling with the current situation. Current screening means that around 2,000 folding knives are confiscated daily, which is a lot for them to manage on top of the other duties.
What do you think about the abandoning of the potential change in policy? Were you a supporter of the change or dead against it? Sound off in the comments below.
