Safety on board

The rules haven’t been loosened that much here in the US, metal knives are still out of the question.

The basic changes that have been made since September 11th seem to have changed back now anyway. Immediately after the attacks in New York, you would never have seen a metal knife for example, on an aircraft. Two years on and they are very common.

On a similar note I don’t know why everyone wants to be able to use their cell phones inflight. I’ve tried numerous times to get a signal inflight and never been able to do so even in densely populated areas. I think if the ruling changes on this a lot of people are going to be disappointed that they don’t work.

I’d have to agree that most changes in security that have been made after 9/11 are simply for appearance sake. My favourite story comes from a friend’s dad who purchased a bagel at a coffee shop in a secure section of the airport. When he asked for a knife to butter it with he was told that the shop was no longer allowed to give out the plastic knifes because they represented a security risk. He ended up having to improvise with a coffee stir stick instead. He didn’t really give a second thought to it until he was on the airplane and was served his first class meal: filet mignion, complete with a rather large, metal steak knife. I would think that that would be pretty deadly if someone were to use it as a weapon. And yet, to this day, they continue to used as cutlery on airlines. Go figure.

Originally posted by wysiwyg
For example, if a mobile phone is in use in the cabin the flightcrew will get an occasional pulsing type sound through their headsets.

The same thing happens to cameramen if someone in the gallery has a mobile phone in close proximity. It’s a real pain in the a*se!

I don’t think governments and airlines are being completely serious with regard to safety on board. Banning manicure sets is one very small step. But Duty Free goods and drinks from the drinks trolley are all served from glass bottles. My Thai flights saw drinks being served in glasses and some airlines have now even reverted back to metal cutlery (including knives). But it will never be perfect. I’m sure if you stroll around an aircraft, you’ll find something which could do some damage.

And unless the law changes so that duty free purchases cannot be collected on board the aircraft, drinks are served in plastic beakers and cutlery is plastic, safety on board cannot really be guaranteed.

Should be but there not.Also some small bottles of wine are glass too and then there is all the aftershave and perfume bottles.

But aren’t all bottles, bar the duty free ones, made of plastic?

T5 i totally agree with you on that.A broken glass or bottle could do a hell of a lot more damage than a set of tweezers.Only my opinion but i think a lot of things after Sept 11th have been brought in to make it look like things are being done but not if it will loose the company money.For me the locked flight deck door is a classic example,ok it might reduce the risk but if someone wants to get in there then they might be able to.As posted on other topics at some time the pilots have to come out or the cabin crew have to go in.The setup is not ideal at the best of times.

Originally posted by steve rowell
Tweezers and clippers are regarded as deadly weapons after 9/11

Yeah, I understand that the new laws have been introduced as a result of September 11th, but it makes me laugh how a member of my family had a pair of small scissors confiscated in Bangkok. Once on board though, we were being served wine out of a glass bottles. Smash the end off of the bottle and hey presto, you’ve got a deadly weapon… and it’s legal, too.

The official answer is that all forms of electrical equipment generate magnetic fields, etc to some degreewhich can either directly or indirectly by harmonics, etc cause interference with onboard systems. For example, if a mobile phone is in use in the cabin the flightcrew will get an occasional pulsing type sound through their headsets.

The reality which applies more to what you are asking is ‘if we can’t control it we’ll just apply a blanket ban on it’! The reality being that the airline considers the peace of mind of the other 399 passengers not worrying about what you may be doing to the aircraft systems more than your need to listen in on what’s going on!

Nail clippers and tweezers – well I’ve got to agree with you on that one! It’s amazing how security concious an airline can be until it gets to the lucrative subject of duty free!

Originally posted by T5
And why do airlines prohibit tweezers and nail clippers on board when they are carrying 750ml or 1 litre bottles on board? Slightly more lethal I’d say?

Tweezers and clippers are regarded as deadly weapons after 9/11

And why do airlines prohibit tweezers and nail clippers on board when they are carrying 750ml or 1 litre bottles on board? Slightly more lethal I’d say?

Any kind of electronics might transmit parasitic frequencies.