TSA: Change to prohibited items list delayed

WASHINGTON, April 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. Transportation Security Administration Tuesday delayed proposed changes to the prohibited items list following an outcry against allowing small knives.

"In order to accommodate further input from the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from the aviation community, passenger advocates, law enforcement experts and other stakeholders, TSA will temporarily delay implementation of changes to the prohibited items list, originally scheduled to go into effect April 25," the TSA said in a statement. "This timing will enable TSA to incorporate the ASAC's feedback about the changes to the Prohibited Items List and continue workforce training."

Opponents of allowing knives on planes said TSA chief John Pistole reversed the proposed change after backlash from flight attendants, airline executives, lawmakers and the families of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Under the rule change that had been set to go into effect Thursday, passengers would have been allowed to carry small knives, no longer than 2.36 inches long and less than a half-inch wide, as well as pool cues, ski poles, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, golf clubs and novelty-size bats.

"The United States has banned all knives from commercial flights since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks for good reason: Knives were the terrorists' weapons of choice in bringing down four jetliners and murdering thousands of Americans," a coalition of flight attendants said in a statement.