Nail clippers have actually been OK as far as the FAA is concerned for a couple weeks. However each airport security differs. It does not matter what the FAA says is OK because the airlines make their own rules.

I agree with R&R. Are you guys gone from home that long that you need nail clippers. My nails must grow really slow and I wish they would grow a little faster. ;-)

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The world is a book, and for those who do not travel, read only a page.
-Saint Augustine

At DTW, US Air was calling out a small number who had their carry-ons hand searched at the gate, as well. This happened for each flight.

Tweezers that are blunt end and not pointy are o.k., as security at PHL confirmed to me.
I brought an emery board to take care of hang nails and clipped mine ahead of time.

I just put anything metal in a ziplock bag with my business card and put it in the security bucket.

This was actually one of the few plusses of the heightened security. In any crowd there is always someone who clips, clips, clips: in meetings, in First Class, you name it.

I'd gladly never carry nail clippers again so long as I don't hear the clip, clip, clip.

The point is that you were not being allowed to bring an object on the plane that has zero impact on safety.

I realize that JS. My point is some airlines are still asking if you are carrying them and confiscating them if you are. Sunday a girl in front of me in security went back to the counter to check her bag because her nail clippers had sentimental value.

Just warning everyone if they carry their "sentimental" nail clippers be prepared to give them up. The extra "security" measures are up to the individual airline.

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The world is a book, and for those who do not travel, read only a page.
-Saint Augustine

[This message has been edited by ChanelCinq (edited 10-24-2001).]

By the way, tweezers are also OK but the airlines are also confiscating them. Nail clippers I can go with out but I do need to tweeze my eyebrows after a few days.

From faa.gov:

The following are prohibited from being carried beyond the checkpoint:

Knives of any length, composition or description

Cutting instruments of any composition or description, including carpet and box cutters,
(and spare blades)

Any device with a folding or retractable blade

Ice picks

Straight razors

Metal scissors

Metal nail files

Corkscrews

Baseball bats

Golf clubs

Ski poles

Hockey sticks

Items which may be transported:

Walking canes

Umbrellas

Nail clippers

Safety razors

Syringes (with documentation of medical need)

Tweezers and eye lash curlers.

This info can be found at:
http://cas.faa.gov/faq.html

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The world is a book, and for those who do not travel, read only a page.
-Saint Augustine

Now THAT is scarier to me than many of the other things that seem to be frightening some passengers these days (book covers, prayers, Sweet N' Low, etc.).

My 5 inch nail file has gone thru Dulles; Love Field, Austin, and LAX wihtout being picked up on the xray; they picked it up in Brisbane and made me give it up. Then boarded Qantas flight that had meal service with metal silverware, including a metal knife that was the size of hotel silverware. Earlier Qantas flight had plastic silverware. Strange.

I am a professional violinist. When my left-hand fingernails are about 1/4 mm longer than optimal, I notice it. When they are 1 mm too long, it is highly annoying. 2 mm and I simply can't play. Cheap nail clippers are easy to find; good ones are more difficult to replace. Furthermore, old nail clippers, with their duller edges, do not pinch the fingernail edge off like new nail clippers do, and are thus preferable. Having someone else, like a manicurist, do the clipping, is simply unthinkable; I cut them a certain way in order to do my job well, and not to look nice, as a manicurist would be trained to do. I should not have to check bags and add twenty minutes to each trip because I happen to be in a profession in which nail clippers are near the top of the essential-items list for an overnight bag.

My point is that given the occupational diversity of FTers, stupid rules may seem like a triviality to the majority but will be a major and legitimate hinderance to a minority. I am sure that some occupation exists (surgeon?) in which tweezer-like tools, which are expensive and difficult to replace, need to go on board. To people like these, what seem to be "just" tweezers and nail clippers can be more valuable to them than, say, a laptop. And I doubt that people would be encouraging others to "just check your stupid laptop" if another dumb rule were made in the future for laptops.

Common sense was the first item banned.