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Airline passengers will once again be dining
with metal cutlery, knitting jumpers and
manicuring their nails aboard flights from
British airports following a relaxation of
anti-terrorist rules. Ministers have changed
security guidelines because they believe some
sharp household objects no longer pose a threat
should they fall into the hands of a would-be
hijacker.
Bladed and pointed items were banned from
cabins after the September 11 attacks in which
hijackers caused thousands of deaths with the
help of sharpened box-cutters they had smuggled
onto flights.
But transport chiefs now claim that security
improvements such as sealed cockpits, closed
circuit television and sky marshals have removed
the need for prohibition.
"Airline security is an ongoing issue which
is under constant review," said a spokesman for
the Department of Transport.
"We are now of the view that there are enough
security measures in place to allow passengers
to bring these items back on to planes.
"Air marshals have been deployed. Cockpit
doors are now locked. Access to the cockpit is
now impossible for a passenger, and we can now
relax the rules on certain items."
From April 25, passengers will be permitted
to carry knitting needles and scissors with
blades shorter than 3cm in their hand luggage.
British Airways managers said ministers had
taken a "sensible" course by allowing their
passengers to once again eat with steel knives
and forks. |
