The ban against metal knives was rescinded long ago (as long as they are not overly sharp/pointy, etc.). Indeed, most security experts will tell you that plastic knives can actually be significantly more dangerous than the metal variety which are permitted... just ask your local prison inmate population or jail warden.

AA has used the security threat as a "fig leaf" for masking its real reason for taking off the metal cutlery, cost savings.

I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but I can't understand why AA persists in being so deceptive in the way in which it deals with the public. I, for one, wouldn't have a problem if AA came out in public and said, "Hey, this is a "special period" (i.e. Cuba a few years ago), we're losing boat loads of money, and need to cut out virtually everything we can if we are to have a chance of surviving." They could publish a comprehensive list of all the cutbacks, implement them all at once, and tell pax that they hope to reinstitute some modicum of service once the industry returns to normal.

As it stands, the message is uncoordinated and incoherent.... resulting in the AA board becoming a place where everyone speculates on what the devil AA is doing, all the while enduring a "Chinese water torture" method of service reduction implementation.