Should Knives Be Allowed on a Plane?

Beginning April 25, several items that are prohibited on planes will be allowed, including small pocket knives, announced TSA Administrator John S. Pistole. The TSA said the change would align them more closely with International Civil Aviation Organization standards.

The decision to allow knives has raised many eyebrows including those of Delta Air Lines’ CEO Richard Anderson, who said it would increase safety risks, according to ABC news. 

New items that would be allowed on planes:

• Small Pocket Knives – Small knives with non-locking blades smaller than 2.36 inches and less than 1/2 inch in width will be permitted
• Small Novelty Bats and Toy Bats
• Ski Poles
• Hockey Sticks
• Lacrosse Sticks
• Billiard Cues
• Golf Clubs (Limit Two)

These similar items will still remain on the prohibited items list:

• Razor blades and box cutters will remain prohibited in carry-on luggage.
• Full-size baseball, softball and cricket bats are prohibited items in carry-on luggage.

We asked our Coventry Patch Facebook fans what they thought of the changes:

Cher Pryor: I have never been on a plane n now I don't think I ever will.

Linda Waleryszak Langevin: I don't think there is any reason to have to carry a knife on a plane. Put it in your checked luggage!!

Andrew Beaulieu: If knives are okay I would like my ruger LCP....like they say "never bring a knife to a gunfight

Christine Berard Ongano: I've been on a plane several times. I agree that there r certain objects u do NOT need on a plane...I can't carry a bottle of moisturizer unless it's less than 3 ozs or a nail clipper but someone can carry a knife? Whatever...I'd like to understand exactly what goes thru the heads of the decision makers!

Maryjane Izzo: Makes me think they don't know what the heck they are doing!!Knifes come on,then I had shampoo bottles taken from me and ladies razor.

Christopher Maynard: Crazy. I got an idea. Let's allow the same small weapons on the plane that allowed the 911 hijackers to takeovers the planes AND spearheaded the creation of the TSA. Then the TSA can frisk kid's in wheelchairs and take way our shampoo with more efficiency.

What do you think? Should pocket knives be allowed on planes?