Blunt Tipped Scissors Confiscated - YYZ
 

There are differences between TSA carryon allowables and Canadian rules. I had my blunt tipped scissors confiscated at the Toronto airport. Are there other differences in the rules?

Corkscrews - TSA-allowed; not permitted in Canada.
It also appears that the "personal toiletries" exemption clause in the US DOT regs re: hazardous liquids may not have an equivalent in Canadian regs.

Here's the Canadian list:
http://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/english...voyage/bag.htm

Here's the US list:
http://www.tsa.gov/interweb/assetlib..._7_24_2003.pdf

Clearly the CATSA screener at YYZ was a bit overzealous. The restriction applies to "penetrating objects (such as scissors with pointed tips...)". Your blunt tip scissors should not have been confiscated.

Not true, up here we're specifically told to stop blunt-tipped scissors because of the blade. The CATSA prohibited items list we get doesn't differentiate between blunt and pointy scissors. I KNOW this isn't necessarily enforced this way at many Canadian airports but that's how they intend to have it enforced. If there is a miscommunication, it's between CATSA and Transport Canada. CATSA testers have put the fear of god into many screeners lately by being super picky on even the smallest BS items so it's going to get worse, not better. At least back when Transport Canada inspectors were doing the tests they used at least semi plausible weapons as test items. We had one new screener fail a CATSA practical test because she didn't find a tiny pair of folding scissors in a breast pocket of a tester.

[This message has been edited by CATSA Screener (edited 08-11-2003).]

You're absolutely right...my apologies. The baggage checklist here refers to pointy scissors, while the carry-on baggage tips here simple says that "scissors" are prohibited from carry-ons. Do you blame people for being confused? http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

The same thing happened to my mother in May in LHR....she brought some blunt-tipped scissors which she uses on her Maltese to trim it's eyebrows. The scissors are about 2 inches long (including the handle), very tiny, yet some overzealous agent in LHR security confiscated them. When she complained, the security agent got a second opinion and was told by the supervisor that "scissors are scissors".

[This message has been edited by captainstubing (edited 08-11-2003).]

I was completely taken aback when security told me that my jewelry pliers could not be allowed through (fortunately, I had a carry-on with me that could be checked with the offending items in it.)

What did they think I was going to do, decorate someone to death? (For someone who has never seen jewelry tools, these are teeny eeeny pliers with innocent pink handles.)

But sure enough, pliers are on the prohibited list. Sewing or beading needles are not, though I meekly gave one up a few months ago when an overbearing flight attendant started to hyperventilate at the sight of me doing beadwork. (An unusual reaction - more frequently, I have sold whatever piece I'm working on to an FA or a seatmate.)

If you want the scissors for thread-nipping, check out the cool bronze Japanese thread-cutter pendants that look NOTHING like scissors (and are completely safe.) They are good for anything up to a medium-weight yarn.

scissors are scissors, so why bother carrying tiny ones, blunt ones, micro ones or even and Action Man pair of scissors.

Everyone knows the reasons the rules are in place yet it seems a lot of FF's just love to take a chance and get into a major debate about it.

IMHO, the reason most of us take issue with the TSA and their *safety regulations* is because many of them are just for show, don't make flying safer, and are not uniformly enforced. If a person doesn't beep, why bother wanding them? To the TSA everything is a potential weapon, and common sense does not apply.

I am an article clipper. I love to clip interesting articles from newpapers and mags. I also love gadgets that fit in my pockets with the change: pocket knives, sebertools etc. The climate of "no tools, no sharps, no scissors" has severely tested me during my travels.

I was determined to fight back. I bought a pair of plastic "kidi kut" scissors from Walmart for 65 cents. I left the packaging on: "3+" and "security" and "only cuts paper" are prominent on the packaging. They don't show up on xray - they're plastic!

Five flights so far in my carry on and I've still got them! I've yet to undergo a hand search though. If I'm challenged, it's not even worth the postage and packaging to mail them back home!

Jim

This is what I mean, yu are simply looking to create trouble and no wonder these monkey's like to give you a hard time, you are your own worst enemy

You tell em Ewan!

Easy now! There are no personal attacks permitted on this board.

--richard, moderator

Ewan, I agree with you that items that are on the list should NOT be carried on. I am very sensitive to the idea that prohibited items should not be carried on, as much for the fear that they cause as any danger they may represent. I also realize that they can't write a list that would include all intrinsically dangerous items and exclude safe ones ... which is why pliers are generally banned. I just didn't realize it, though in retrospect I should have. Fortunately, it was easily resolved (one of the benefits of flying from a small, user-friendly airport.)

It should be noted, however, that round-tipped and plastic scissors are specifically allowed.

The thread-cutter pendant, on the other hand, is NOT scissors, and women who have given up needlework on planes should really check it out - it's amazingly clever, 100 percent safe, and pretty enough to wear as a decorative piece.