WASHINGTON, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Travelers will be allowed to bring small knives and some other once-prohibited sporting equipment in their carry-on baggage for the first time since 2001, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced in a statement on Tuesday.
The change will take effect on April 25, in order to "align more closely" with international rules, said the statement. The decision marks the first loosening of restrictions for carry-on baggage since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
According to the new guideline, knives allowed include those that do not lock, and have blades that are 6 cm or less in length and are less than 0.5 inch in width. Other items include novelty- size and toy bats, billiard cues, ski poles, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks and two golf clubs.
"This is part of an overall Risk-Based Security approach, which allows Transportation Security Officers to better focus their efforts on finding higher threat items such as explosives," said the statement.
However, the Flight Attendants Union Coalition, representing nearly 90,000 flight attendants at carriers nationwide, blasted the change in policy for endangering passengers and crew members outside the cockpit.
"Today's announcement to permit knives back into the aircraft cabin is a poor and shortsighted decision by the TSA," the group said in a statement. "As the last line of defense in the cabin and key aviation partners, we believe that these proposed changes will further endanger the lives of all flight attendants and the passengers we work so hard to keep safe and secure."
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