Many people believe that owning a pocket knife is a must. You ought to prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario. Because of that, they will consistently have a self-defense tool on them. However, there are many places where you can’t carry your pocket knife. Such as a plane. TSA is afraid that you might use these tools against other people. Thus you can’t bring these self-defense weapons on you while flying.
There are several exceptions regarding these tools. These exceptions will assist you in carrying your self-defense tools, even on a plane.
A pocket knife can come in many different shapes and sizes. Some are more lethal than others. Because of that, TSA had given us a list of rules and exceptions. Using these rules, we can bring a pocket knife on a plane, In checked baggage. In this post, we will be covering everything there is to know about pocket knives on a plane.
Can you bring a pocket knife on a plane?
In general, you can bring a pocket knife on checked baggage. However, you can’t carry a pocket knife in your carry-on bag.
When it comes to pocket knives, the rules are simple. If you wish to carry it on you on the flight, it will not be possible. On the other hand, if you want to bring the pocket knife on checked baggage, it will be possible. Now, it is essential to note that TSA does not regulate some knives. That means that you will not be able to bring some pocket knives even on checked baggage. Instead, it will stay at the airport, held by security.
After the events of 9/11, the TSA has started to function. Bush did not want another incident that’s correlated with planes. Thus they commenced working full time. From that point forward, it was clear that a change needed to happen. Throughout the years, changes indeed occur. Many items were banned from carrying them on planes, for example, sharp knives and other self-defense weapons.
As we have covered, you might show up at the airport to only end up having your pocket knife taken away from you. You might ask, what will happen in this case? A few scenarios may occur. You are allowed to store it in your car, deliver it through the security at the airport, give it to a friend to keep, or the TSA may keep it.
To summarize, you are allowed to bring a pocket knife with you on a plane on checked baggage. However, you are not allowed to keep the pocket knife on you in the flight itself.
Who is the TSA? And what are their responsibilities?
On the morning of 9/11, nearly 3000 people died. Many of them were innocent. From that day forward, America took matters into their hands. That’s when the TSA was born.
The TSA, or the transportation security administration, is an organization responsible for keeping transportation secure. Additionally, the TSA became part of the department of homeland security in March 2003.
After 9/11, many private security companies were in charge of transportation security. As a result, it was considerably weak. Then, TSA started to grow and became the source of transportation security.
“The TSA develops broad policies to protect the U.S. transportation system, including highways, railroads, buses, mass transit systems, ports, and pipelines.” (Wikipedia)
History of the TSA
Throughout the years, TSA countered many attempts for terrorism. People were starting to trust the organization, making it a source of protection. In December 2002, Richard Reid attempted to blow up a plane with a shoe full of explosives. He was known as the shoe bomber. The TSA eventually caught on to him. They saved hundreds of people from certain death.
As you probably know, the world is facing a pandemic known as covid-19. At its peak, many countries shut down their skies. Eventually, people were traveling by plane again. Thus it was clear that something needed to happen. TSA was there. It formed new rules so people can fly safely. The TSA created this page, explaining everything there is to know about the pandemic. This page made people feel comfortable with flying again. They were worried they might catch the virus. It was a fantastic page published at the right time.
To summarize, the Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S department for homeland security. They began as a response to the 9/11 incident. Their central mission is to allow freedom of movement through transportation security.
Types of pocket knives
There are three main types of pocket knives. The penknife, which is a small folding knife. There is the jackknife, which is also a folding knife with at least one blade. Finally, the multifunction is a knife with a few folding blades for many functions, such as a bottle opener blade.
Which types of pocket knives can i bring on a plane?
The following question you might ask is, which of these knives are you not allowed to bring on a plane? First, we will begin with the easiest one, the multifunction knife. The multifunction knife is a knife with multiple different blades. These blades assist in completing daily tasks. Most likely, you will not experience any problems bringing a multifunction pocket knife with you in checked baggage. However, you will not be allowed to carry it with you.
Secondly, there is the jackknife pocket knife. The jackknife is a knife with one or multiple blades. In contrast to the multifunction knife, its knives are not for daily functions. So, will you be able to bring it on a plane? The answer here is the same for the multifunction knife. You will be able to carry it on checked baggage. However, you can’t bring it in a carry-on bag.
Lastly, there is the penknife. That is the classic version of a pocket knife. It is simply a knife with a sharp folding blade. It also is the version that will cause you the most trouble. Because many terrorists use penknives as their weapon, you will likely get many checks on you in an airport. You might get background checks on you or even a complete body check. That is why you ought not to show up at an airport with a penknife. But, if everything checks out for you, you will be able to carry the pocket knife on you in checked baggage.
To summarize, there are three main types of pocketknives. First, there is the penknife, which is the classic one. The penknife is a folding knife with a single blade.
Second, the multifunctional knife is a knife with many tools that help you complete daily tasks. Third, the jackknife is a knife similar to the penknife. The difference is that it has multiple blades.
Can you bring a pocket knife in checked baggage internationally?
Generally speaking, you can bring pocket knives in checked baggage internationally. However, there are certain types of knives you won’t be able to. Some of these knives include a butter knife or a large sharp knife.
Bringing the pocket knife in checked baggage should not cause any trouble for you. Contrary to that, carrying a knife on a carry-on bag will cause concern. The TSA will take the fact that you want to take a knife onto the plane harshly. Thus you ought to be careful when handling situations like these.
Additionally, as we mentioned previously, they can do whatever they want with the pocket knife once they catch you. The TSA might never give the knife back to you. Or they may get you arrested if you crossed a line. Because of that, be careful when trying to bring a knife onto a plane.
Ultimately, you can bring a pocket knife on checked baggage internationally. But, taking a knife on a carry-on bag will cause trouble for you at the airport. As a result, you should watch out for situations like these.
Conclusion
Pocket knives can be dangerous. Many terrorists use knives to hurt people. Thus the Transportation Security Administration came up with rules to keep America safe. One of these rules is that you can’t take a pocket knife with you in a carry-on bag on a plane. However, you can bring a pocket knife onto a plane in checked baggage internationally.
Finally, when handling situations that involve self-defense tools at an airport is risky. You can get arrested fast when it comes to the TSA. As a result, you should always ask before doing anything. And don’t take any risks that might eventually hurt you.