What is the first thing that pops into your head when you hear the words airport security or TSA? The full body scanners that see under clothes, taking shoes off, shuffling along in a long line half an hour before your flight only to be stuck behind a family with little kids, a pat down or keeping the skies safe? The TSA, or transportation security administration, was created in response to the September eleventh terrorist attacks with the aim to make air transportation more secure and hopefully keep the tragedy that rocked the nation from happening again. Now the TSA has announced that it will allow passengers to carry on small pocket knives and baseball bats and pool cues, a measure that is meant to comply with international air transportation standards yet still somehow manage to keep passengers, flight attendants and pilots safe.
Carrying pocket knives is common place and almost expected in Wyoming. Even as someone who has never hunted I have a knife in my purse. It is always a pain to remember to leave certain items at home but the ones I have the hardest time parting with are liquids like shampoo and not my knife. A knife can easily be used as a weapon and in the close quarters of an airplane it is somewhat comforting to know that the stranger next to you is unarmed. Just about anything, even a gun with the proper licensing can be checked under the plane but what can be carried on has been much more limited, and with good reason.
Air marshals exist with the aim of protecting passengers in case of an emergency but not every flight has an armed air marshal on board. On a plane the biggest fear factor should be whether your bag will make it to the same destination as you, not potentially getting stabbed by the person sitting next to you. Knives, especially small ones with a non-locking blade, are safe in the hands of ninety percent of people but it is that small percentage that makes airport security needed.
No one likes to wait in line at security and with the new regulations TSA could spend more time measuring knife blade lengths and less time looking out for bigger potential threats. Security is never anyone’s favorite part of their trip, but once through the check points it is nice to know that the journey will be as safe as possible. The puzzling new TSA regulations will question just that.
