Does anyone else think the no knitting needle rule on airlines is stupid

I find it strange that knitting needles are allowed on board, what I find weird is that make up items like lipstick, foundation and face cream are still classed as liquids. I know they can be taken on board in a separate plastic bag but it's still a nuisance. When I transited through Singapore I binned all my chewing gums and codeine tablets as I was told they were illegal!

You can take knitting needles of any material from London to the USA and back in hand luggage, I did it this week. Not sure if you are allowed to use them on the plane though, not very easy anyway with limited arm space.

It would be nice if you could see a friendly face on a security guard occasionally.
Surely it can't be too hard to be professional with a smile on your face. I almost feel like a criminal just by going through the gate. I always smile and say good morning or what ever but rarely get a good reaction.

Hi Gracesmum. I heard a similar story about a Ghurka kukri some years ago. The military passenger/owner didn't class it as a weapon but as an ornament. The story of the kukri being every time it is drawn out of its sheath it must draw blood. Everyone in the Army knew the legend and this particular passenger had no wish to cut himself each time he unsheathed his kukri. He also actually convinced the security at Heathrow after an hour or so. But this was long before the current restrictions.

Hi Joan. I should have qualified the thread (pardon the pun) more. I stopped taking knitting needles due to the hassle on the plane. So take crochet instead to while away the hours. Always male trolley dolly who gets uppity, too. Females have no problem as they are crafters themselves or their relatives are and they are used to seeing needles and hooks whizzing away. I always declared them and they always passed through passport control no problem - unlike the flour I took for baking whilst on holiday. That was quite funny when the Waitrose shopping bag with 5 kilos of flour was detoured to the examination area. You live and learn. You can take flour but you have to seal it in either a zip plastic pouch or wrap it in cling film and place it in the tray so that it can be seen. You can take cheese too. Until this moment, I have never thought about Snow White and the Poisoned Apple. But I suppose the air crew are told not to accept food from passengers - just in case! Having said that. I might bake a cake and offer it to the crew just to see.

Years ago my FIL and MIL flew to Israel at the invitation of the Israeli government where my FILwas due to present a ceremonial Commando knife to the President(?)?Prime Minister on behalf of the Commando association. They were in the same party as a group form St Dunstans (blind ex-servicemen) and check in was at least 2 hours more than usual. We were fulsome in the praise of El AL security until......unfortunately my FIL had the knife in his hand luggage (too risky to trust to hold luggage, might get left behind) and said so. It nearly caused a diplomatic incident as not only were they not prepared to let him take it on board, they nearly banned him from flying at all. It was resolved, but after a long "conversation".

Only just seen this thread. I reckon a knitting needle ban is a dastardly plot by militant crochet advocates, to ban their main rival, and keep all wool craft women hooked.

Ah I know one where they do. OUr local hospice shop. Maybe they haven't heard.

Seems they're not allowed in our local charity shops either ...they cannot sell potential weapons!

Knitting needles are definitely not allowed on planes in France btw.

Well I am one for sure who hopes there are no knitting needles on my flight on Tuesday. It would be so easy for someone to take said needles from the knitter to threaten staff or others. You can profile the original user, but not others who could take them and misuse. Put your knitting and needles in your case- surely you can wait for a few hours?

The cabinet attendant was wrongly informed and over zealous. Knitting needles are allowed on planes. It used to just be plastic ones but that has now been relaxed. Excellent occupation for flights.

Do you remember when, at the height of mainland bombing by the IRA, department stores, theatres, cinemas, museums, etc. all had security staff to search handbags as you entered? I have no idea how many times my bag was searched but I never saw anyone check the cigarette packets that I inevitably had with me in those days. Equally, I never saw anyone unzip and look inside my fairly sizeable make-up bag. I have also inadvertently boarded a plane with a cigarette lighter in my pocket – no one noticed it until I did and handed it over to a stewardess. They had, however, already taken away my nail scissors.

All this inspecting is only as good as the inspectors and I would guess that they quickly grow bored.

Did you know that you can buy a ceramic knife with a razor-sharp blade. Of course, it doesn't show up on X-rays.

I've just thought of another one - paper clips! Especially those large ones. Unbent, one of those could certainly so some damage....

We are sorting out the possible potential weapons from biros to belt buckles to heeled shoes to the travel bags on wheels with metal handles, etc. I think we should give a prize for the best one. Knitting needles and crochet hooks are too obvious. The penknife disguised as a keyring is leading at the moment, but, wait a minute.... straighten out the key ring itself and, guess what, another potential weapon.

I was watching Grey's Anatomy for the first time a few months ago and one of the patients was a prisoner from the local "pen" who came for life saving treatment at SGH. One of the other prisoners had sharpened the end of a toothbrush to use it as a weapon - very effective, too. The patient died having been stabbed in a very tender spot. You can purchase a toothbrush from Boots at Stansted.

Actually, border control lets me through every time with the wooden knitting needles and crochet hooks. It was the Turkish male, trolley dolly (Turkish airline) who had the problem even though his female colleagues argued in my favour - so I was allowed to carry on crocheting. Who, in their right mind, would learn to do Aran knitting and lace crochet in order to have a potential weapon. See above posts for ideas for possible weapons from handbag handles to duty free bottles.

Now that I have made you all neurotic .... I'll just wander off to another forum.

Damned if they do and damned if they don't then stansgran
Who or what would you profile?
Suspect knitting needles would rightly be deemed a potential offensive weapon and confiscated at the Olympics.

About time they started profiling. Infuriates me that at Manchester 2 weeks ago they dug out my very small amount of makeup -everything under 60ml-made me buy a nasty plastic ball with 2 plastic bags for £1-a nice little earner. Avoid the woman who looks like an aging Goth-white face dyed black hair in the xray area who seems to be enjoying holding people back. At Geneva airport they had people gazing intently at the xray machine and querying intelligently
and I would trust them far more. They totally missed a penknife on a key ring and a metal phial with perfume in it in my handbag in Manchester.

I don't count watching the world go by when I'm travelling as being idle.

Most scary thing I ever saw in duty free was a giant bottle of brandy in the shape of an equestrian statue of Napoleon. (they like this kind of thing in China)
Most original item - in Dubai - a book of poems, in Arabic, by one of the government ministers.

Wonder if knitting needles and crochet hooks are allowed at the Olympics. I once went to Wimbledon and took my knitting in anticipation of rain - which it did. Actually, there were other ladies with the same notion.

Which reminds me, FlicketyB. I bet if you were coming back into the UK from France...! You could well have been carrying extra passengers without even being aware. Weren't these "border controls" turning a blind eye to II's? Wonder if these illegals also had knitting needles with them.

SuzieB. Good one. Another to post to the CAA. Also, you can purchase aerosol sprays with shaving cream. And then we should mention spray perfume. And aerosol toothpaste. Just imagine, NanaChrissy, what would happen first - being blinded by a spray of perfume or shaving cream or being stabbed with a wooden knitting needle? As I have said before - we will soon be travelling in orange all in one's, secured to the seats by hand and foot.

I remember landing off the Irish ferry in Fishguard once, child in tow. I was obviously dressed like a terrorist in my leather biker jacket and mirror shades cos I got pulled over by special branch. I think they have got a bit more sophisticated since then and a good thing too. It is hard for them to know where to draw sensible lines. I was also at Luton the first day they brought in the "no liquids" rule, with no prior notice. People arguing about having to put their lipsticks in the bin.
I hope the Olympic park security will be slick - it will be very much like airline security with some extra rules (I mugged up) : no excessive amounts of food and no T shirts with political messages, or large letters of the alphabet!
You'd have to go some wouldn't you, to actually get enough seats with your friends to mount an effective T shirt demonstration from the stands.
I have a very old T shirt somewhere with RELAX on it. Must make sure I don't dig it out, although it would be an appropriate message for the athletes.
Well actually I hope that the other spectators will read the info in advance and not slow things down. Getting 10s of thousands of people through the turnstiles quickly is going to be a real challenge.

FlicketyB. ROFL ( ROFL - rolling on floor laughing )

From one to another, NanaChrissy. Wouldn't know about addiction - I don't smoke. Come to think, the only time I knit or crochet is when travelling. Usually winding down and looking forward to holiday. I just cannot be idle for one thing and I do enough reading at work. I also envy people who can sleep on an aeroplane or train. I have no problem on a boat or in a car, strangely enough.