No knives on passenger aircraft in the U.S.

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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has abandoned, for now, its proposal to allow travelers to carry small knives on airplanes owing to significant opposition from lawmakers, air marshals, law enforcement officials, and flight attendants.

I-HLS brought the opposition of Israeli aviation security experts to the propose move.

Knives have not been allowed on flights since the 9/11 attacks, when hijackers used box-cutting blades to take over four U.S. flights.

Earlier this year the TSA announced that it would begin to allow small knives on flights as part of a risk-based security initiative which would give screeners more time to search for high impact weapons, such as bombs.

The risk-based initiatives has its supporters, but the plan to allow small knives back on planes upset many, including lawmakers, and 133 House members sign a letter to TSA administrator John Pistole asking him to keep small knives on the agency’s prohibited list.

According to Hls NewsWire lawmakers also introduced legislation to force the TSA not to implement the new policy. The Association of Professional Flight Attendants(APFA) is happy with the decision but is still pushing for the TSA to drop the plan completely.

“Knives were the terrorists’ weapons of choice in bringing down four jetliners and murdering thousands of Americans. All knives should be banned from planes permanently,” the APFA said in a statement.