Items you can take with you on board the plane, which must be checked in as baggage, and which cannot be transported by air at all. Will they even be allowed on a plane with a knife? And, although the answers to these questions are most often provided by information from the airlines themselves, we will still discuss the main points, because no one would like to find themselves in a situation where your favorite knife remains in airport special storage facility, and you will receive negative impressions at the very beginning of the trip.
In general, until 2001, the rules for carrying baggage and personal luggage on air transport were quite humane and allowed a lot, but after the events September 11, 2001 in the USA, as well as some other incidents on board airliners, the requirements for the carriage of baggage and hand luggage were significantly tightened.
For example, "Transport Security Organization" - "TSA" (Transportation Security Administration), carriage in hand luggage is completely prohibited any knives, baseball bats, golf clubs and many other items. Even a toothpick (!) can be easily removed, since it can be used as a stabbing weapon. Excessive demands, you say, are possible, but in this case the administration is simply playing it safe. Almost all countries in the world prohibit folding knives from being carried in hand luggage. Airlines in their activities are guided by various lists and instructions, which are published, as a rule, by the intelligence services of states, as reference materials for items that pose a public danger.
Prohibited knives 
Permitted knives
The US FBI went even further and in 2003 released a whole guide with a list of items that can be used as weapons, as well as things that are difficult to imagine as an attack weapon, but at the same time pose a possible danger in flight. This list has been used widely in many countries around the world. For your reference, I will give below its contents and some excerpts:
Remote control and knife Knife in the belt buckle Another option for the key
Coin with knives Belt knife A seemingly trinket
Kubotan with a knife Keychain with a knife Beauty and only
Spike knives Small and dangerous Key knife
Keychain knife Classic - handle knife Cross with knife
Blade-knife FBI Directory Key with a knife
Knife in a pendant Not a simple pen Knife pen
Today, air safety organizations have slightly specified their requirements for dangerous items, which has led to some easing of restrictions on carrying knives and sports paraphernalia in carry-on and luggage.
So what is forbidden to take on board an airplane?
Below is a list of the main prohibitions that apply to sharps and other dangerous items in hand luggage when traveling by air:
- Knives are prohibited from being carried with blade length over 6 cm
- Knives with blade width exceeding 12.7 mm
- Completely prohibited fixed blade knives
- Folding ones are prohibited knives with rigid blade fixation in working position
- Knives with l single figured handle or finger grooves
In general, based on the above, board the plane in hand luggage or with you Can have small pocket knife (knife-spoon-fork type) with blade length up to 6 cm And without a blade lock in open position. The rest of the knives are folding or fixed - it is better to immediately check them in as luggage. If you have a knife that, according to the law, falls into the category of edged weapons, then you must have the knife specification with you (optional, but it won’t hurt), and the knife itself must be in a sheath and securely packaged.
Plastic knives 
Ceramic knives
By following these simple rules, you will prevent yourself from unnecessary problems, being late for your flight, as well as having a knife or objects similar to a weapon confiscated from you.
But what in reality?
Regularly traveling by plane around our country, I almost always carry knives with me. You can often bring a lot on board an airplane, too. For example, you can often safely carry a folding knife with a small blade and a lock, like a Kershaw Cinder or Shuffle. They are small and people don’t pay much attention to them.
Knife card Multitool card Knife token
In addition, you can safely transport card knives, multi-tools as plastic cards, as well as knives and kubotan- a typical example is tactical pens and knives in belts, crosses and other small things. I’m generally silent about all sorts of plastic and ceramic knives. Such items can only be identified through a thorough personal search, which most likely will not affect you. But in general, I don’t see any particular need for a knife on board an airplane, so I often check all piercing and cutting equipment in my luggage, and I try to avoid hand luggage - I only have documents and a phone with me, and a card... with a knife))) joke. Card with money.
I advise everyone to comply with the safety and luggage requirements when moving in any transport and not create conflict situations where there is no need for it. I would like to address the same to the security staff of carriers - do not go to extremes, such as confiscating toothpicks - on board the plane, each passenger will still be given a new toothpick at lunch.
Thank you for your attention, I hope I answered many of your questions. For everything else, welcome to the comments.
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Carrying a knife on an airplane
Anyone who uses airline services can, if necessary, quite freely carry with them a product such as a knife. The reason for transportation may be the desire to diversify your household utensils or make an unusual gift for a loved one.
Many people think that such an action would be extremely difficult. But as practice shows, if the passenger adheres to all the specified rules for transporting piercing and cutting products, there will simply be no problems.
Requirements for transporting knives on an airplane
Most airlines prohibit their passengers from carrying sharp objects in the form of hand luggage. All these bans were taken to protect airline passengers. The list of prohibited items includes: various types of scissors, injection needles, pen needles, etc.
What kind of knife can you carry on a plane?
Based on the requirements imposed by the administration of almost every airport, the following types of knives are allowed for transportation as hand luggage:
- that have a folding shape, but do not have a lock, the blade length of which is less than 6 cm;
- penknives with a blade size of up to 6 cm. To avoid claims during security checks, any knives you have with you should be checked in as luggage.
What knives can be carried in luggage?
Without consideration, the following are immediately sent to the luggage compartment:
- intended for hunting;
- any knives for household needs, the blade of which exceeds 6 cm.
If you want to transport a knife, for example, with a blade length greater than 10 cm, you will need to prepare a special certificate about the intended purpose of the knife for household use.
If the administration of such a document is not enough, and the transported knife is compared with a bladed weapon, it has the right to request additional examination. In this case, it will be confiscated and sent for storage. If the knife or blade is a souvenir or part of national clothing, it may be sent for transportation as luggage or given to crew members for storage.
What type of knife requires a special permit?
Any knife that can be classified as a bladed weapon can only be included in luggage if special documentation is provided for it. When evaluating a knife as a bladed weapon, a member of the expert commission will take into account the material of manufacture, strength and length of the blade.
If you need to transfer a knife that belongs to a bladed weapon, you need to comply with several basic requirements. Any bladed weapon, including hunting knives, must be in a case. Even if you have all the necessary documentation for edged weapons, you should notify the airline that was chosen for the flight several days before departure. It is advisable to arrive several hours earlier than your scheduled flight.
In many countries, there is a ban on the export of knives that are of historical or artistic value. Before departure, you should familiarize yourself with the rules for importing knives into another country. For example, double-edged objects and folding knives that have a locking mechanism cannot be imported into Cyprus.
Secrets during examination
Although there are formalities when transporting knives by a passenger in the cabin, you can always have one with you. Anyone who wants can take it with them. Such a device is not capable of harming others and is perfect for cutting food.
You can always bring it on board; it does not have metal elements and can only be detected during a personal search. Another option that the metal detector will not respond to is the SwissCard, which is popular nowadays. Outwardly, it is quite ordinary, which can be placed in without any problems. But literally in an instant such a card can become a knife, and it can also be quickly folded back.
For lovers of great originality, we can recommend a small knife that is built into a ballpoint pen or lipstick case. No metal detector can detect such a trick. Problems can only arise with a thorough personal search.
If you want to carry a knife with you on a plane, problems can arise only in the most blatant case of violations of the described rules. You should always remember about additional documents when transporting bladed weapons, and never get into a conflict over transporting penknives and kitchen knives in the luggage compartment.
And of course, you should never take a knife with you into the cabin of an airplane, no matter what its design.
Usually, if the requirements for transporting knives, as well as other cutting and piercing objects are met, problems and difficulties with transporting edged weapons do not arise. When a person is going on a flight, the list of useful things to take with him may include a knife, manicure accessories or a razor. Due to the strict rules for transporting such things, most airlines, when answering the question of whether it is possible to carry a knife in airplane luggage, give a negative answer. But this applies only to those cases where the object poses a threat of harm to the life and health of passengers.
Important! The airport administration allows pocket knives without a locking mechanism to be transported in folded hand luggage if the blade is no more than 6 centimeters long.
What can't be carried on an airplane?
There is a list of items and substances that cannot be taken in either hand luggage or checked luggage, or their transportation is subject to strict restrictions. They are dangerous, so they will not be allowed on the flight with them. These include:
- any type of weapon (size does not matter);
- any type of explosives (quantity does not matter);
- easily flammable liquids;
- gases of any kind (compressed, liquefied);
- flammable solids;
- substances that pose a threat of radiation contamination, as well as other toxic materials;
- chemicals (poisonous, corrosive, caustic and corrosive);
- piercing, as well as cutting objects that can be used to cause physical wounds (any scissors, knitting tools, manicure accessories).
From this list it is clear that there is no exact answer to the question of whether it is possible to carry a knife in airplane luggage. It all depends on what type of knife you are carrying with you.
What items are classified as edged weapons?
Carrying knives is permitted if they have a peaceful purpose. For example: a person goes hunting or on an expedition, transports antique products, or is involved in a certain sport and flies to a competition. These things must be officially confirmed in the form of a document that you need to take with you on the flight. These documents are obtained from where the person bought the sharp-piercing object. If it is received as a gift, then the donor is obliged to take care of the necessary papers for it. It is allowed to carry a knife on an airplane if it is part of national clothing, but on the condition that it will be with the crew during the entire flight.
Not every knife with a blade larger than 10 centimeters is a bladed weapon. There are differences between weapons and household and utility knives according to special criteria: blade length, thickness, lock, stop. The list of bladed weapons includes:
- dagger;
- Finnish knife;
- hunting knife;
- dirk (officer);
- bayonet;
- sword;
- saber;
- sword;
- scimitar.
This is not the entire list, there are others that are similar to the above. This type of knives is placed in airline luggage.
Rules for the transportation of edged weapons
In order for airline and airport employees to allow the owner of a bladed weapon onto an airplane flight, there are strict rules that must be followed:
- Possession of a weapons permit. It determines its purpose (permission to store or carry).
- Special export permit (if the owner is going to fly to another country).
- Documents of the owner of the weapon, which confirm participation in sports competitions, hunting, artistic performance, exhibition.
- During the ticket booking procedure, you must be warned about carrying bladed weapons on the plane.
- Upon arrival at the airport, you must notify the security service and police about the import of bladed weapons.
- When a weapon is transferred for storage, it is imperative to monitor the paperwork and check the data on the weapons permit.
- The drawn up act, which indicates the transfer and acceptance of weapons for storage, must be signed in triplicate. Keep one copy for yourself.
- To receive special cargo, documents and a certificate of storage of weapons must be presented to airport employees.
- If a passenger’s flight has a transfer, then it is impossible to register special cargo to the final destination. When a person leaves the plane, a weapon is given to him at the transfer airport. That is why registration and delivery of special cargo for storage takes place before each boarding of the plane.
- The weapon must be in a case.
What can you bring onto the plane?
There are rules and restrictions imposed by some countries on the export and import of various items. Therefore, in order to carry a knife in airplane luggage, you need to know about them. According to the law of the Russian Federation, it is prohibited to export knives that have a certain value (artistic and historical) from the territory of the country. They also require certain permits that are certified at the state level. The best option would be to first familiarize yourself with the prohibitions on this topic established by the state.
If you still need a knife, then take a plastic one with you. They can cut food, but cannot damage any hard surface or cause certain injuries to a person.
A ceramic knife is suitable only because it cannot be detected when searching a suitcase using a detector. It can be confiscated during a personal search.
Folding – plastic card, prohibited in the aircraft cabin. They put it in a wallet, keeping it with them, but during a personal search it can also be confiscated.
A pocket knife is not prohibited from being carried in airplane luggage. It is placed in a suitcase and checked in before boarding. If the blade is no more than 6 centimeters, then you can try to take it to the salon, but questions may arise.
The rules of passenger air transportation allow the transportation of edged weapons. When it is purchased in the host country as a gift, transportation is not limited in any way. It is worth considering what type of knife you are taking in order to prepare special documents for the permit.
Placing a knife in luggage when traveling on an airplane is permitted if the requirements are met. But when bladed weapons are brought into the cabin of an aircraft, problems may arise, so you need to prepare in advance and check the information with the carrier on the website or by calling the help desk.
When going on a trip with only hand luggage, you want to take with you those useful little things that we use every day. This could be a penknife, manicure accessories or, for example, a razor. Everyone knows how strict the rules for transporting such devices at customs control are.
You will learn how to avoid confiscation of piercing objects and what legal alternative there is to them.
Here are the main factors that influence whether you can get something spicy through customs:
- The rigor and level of qualification of the security screening service of a particular airport in a particular country;
- Type of equipment for baggage inspection (metal detector, x-ray, etc.);
- Your personal luck.
Below is a list of what passengers most often want to take on board but are unsure.
Knives
Can knives be carried in hand luggage?
Officially, all airports in the world prohibit the carriage of folding knives in hand luggage. Is it possible to somehow get around this rule and is there any alternative solution to the issue? Below are possible options:
You and he will go through the inspection once or twice. True, if you want to cut something hard, you are unlikely to succeed, but such a knife can handle sausage or bread with ease.
Quite functional and reliable, holds an edge for a long time. If possible, purchase a ceramic knife without steel elements (for example, an axial screw), this will allow you to freely carry it in your bag through a metal detector, unless, of course, it is found on you during a personal search. Can be bought for about 7 €.
See the list of all items prohibited for transportation.
The device is the size of a credit card and easily fits in a wallet along with other cards. Usually there are no problems during inspection. If your wallet “rings” on the detector, it will become clear that it is most likely small money and it is unlikely that anyone will start scrupulously looking through every compartment of your wallet.
Of course, such a contraption has its drawbacks: it has a small cutting edge area, and due to the thickness and sharpening angle, the device stabs more than it cuts. You can cut quite a lot of different products, but it’s still not very convenient. The price of the device is absolutely ridiculous – 1-2 €.
A very popular device recently. Plastic card with a blade inside. With one movement of the hand it turns into a small folding knife with a grippy handle. It can also be stored in a wallet with small change, but the carriage of such a device is officially prohibited. We advise you to purchase the original, it is more durable and has good quality compared to analogues. Original price - 20 €.
Unnecessary plastic card, sharpened on one side
Essentially the same thing, but even less effective. We believe that this option will do as a last resort.
And don’t forget that you can always be original
Manicure scissors, tweezers, files and tweezers
Is it possible to carry a manicure set in hand luggage?
At most airports, the carriage of nail scissors up to 5 cm long is allowed, and there are usually no problems with tweezers.
Is it possible to carry a razor in hand luggage?
Difficulties can only arise with a straight razor; you can easily carry a regular razor, and even more so an electric razor, in your hand luggage.
Everywhere has its own rules
Know that in every country there is a set of rules and laws regarding the wearing and use of piercing and cutting objects, it is called “Legal reason”. And it doesn't matter whether your steel gadget falls under the category of "edged weapons" or not, these laws can vary greatly depending on the country.
In Finland, for example, there are no restrictions on this matter at all, but in the UK it’s the opposite: the police can fine you or even open a case if they find an item that could potentially be used as a weapon.
Where to look for low-cost airline tickets?
To find tickets for flights of most airlines in the world, you can use the search form posted
