Crochet hooks and Airports

[CLLinda]

I only had the one hook in the carry-on bag and a duplicate in my checked bag, just in case.

 

I wouldn't bring a whole bunch of hooks or anything, because you never know. And think about how many projects you want to work on. Maybe one in carry-on and a couple in your checked luggage.

 

You wouldn't want to lose your whole collection. Bring just your minimum in carrry-on. Those TSA people can take away whatever they want to. They are trying to protect everyone.

 

And yes, it is a pain to have your stuff searched, but after 9/11, everyone just has to be careful.

 

[jonsey]

I asked when I went through security if I could bring a metal cook. The attendent said if knitting needles were allowed, hooks should be, too.

 

Just to be on the safe side I bought a plastic hook. No one questioned it. I tiik a pattern I knew would take me long enough so I wouldn't need sissors.

[CLLinda]

Just bring your basics with you. Not your entire stash of hooks. A small pair of kid scissors and you should be fine. And only bring the scissors if you know you will need to cut.

 

Just some common sense ideas now for traveling. You just want to do what's necessary and to keep you and the TSA happy.

 

We just want everyone to be safe in the skies and that includes watching what you carry on board the planes.

 

Safe travels to all.

 

[Nikkidear]

Hooks are fine but only blunt children's scissors on overseas flights (getting back into the US) are good. I flew all over this month and never had a problem with my mini scissors until I went on a flight from Nassau, Bahamas to the US. Then they confiscated them. As someone else posted it is all at the Discretion of the TSA.

[LadyBeBop]

DON'T RISK it with one you can't replace!!! - I just met a lady that lost every - ALL! - her steel hooks and knitting needles from her carry on and got grief besides from TSA - they were NOT nice and stated she should know that even though it says YES on their site to having them in your carry-on that reading further or calling them she would have been told wood or plastic and also under a certain length on the knitting needles - she said she was upset and embarassed! Poor lady! She was at the craft store stocking up on plastic ones.

 

 

Ouch. Seems as if she got a TSA employee on a power trip. I've flown over 20,000 miles in the past year without a lick of trouble regarding my hooks. If she had time, I would have asked to talk to a supervisor. Because I rechecked the TSA website, and it states that both knitting and crochet needles are allowed as carry-on items. It mentioned nothing about them having to be wood or plastic, nor did it mention anything about the items being a certain length.

 

However, it did mention that (from the website):

 

To ensure traveler’s security, transportation security officers (TSOs)

may determine that an item not on the prohibited items chart

is prohibited. In addition, the TSO may also determine that

an item on the permitted chart is dangerous and therefore

may not be brought through the security checkpoint.

 

Meaning, it's under the discretion of the TSA employee.

 

Common sense is the rule here. Don't take your entire hook collection on a two hour flight. Just take a hook that you won't mind losing. I flew to and from Atlanta this week. All I took were an I and a J aluminum hook. Even though I now crochet exclusively with my Clover lighted hooks, I'd rather lose a $2.00 hook I can buy at Wal Mart than an $8.00 hook that I can only find online.

 

If you're going away for a fairly long time, want to take your entire hook collection but you're afraid your luggage will be lost, you can try taking your collection through security. Chances are, you will get through (I did get through with my entire collection when I went to Chain Link last summer...that was before I spent over $40 on the lighted hooks). If you don't get through, you can always go back and check the hooks through. Make sure to allow enough time to check the hooks and go through security again...get to the airport early.

 

Shuttlebuggy, I feel bad for your friend. She either stumbled upon either an examiner on a power trip, or one that didn't know the rules. Or possibly the examiner was tipped off of a possible plot, and she got caught in the middle of it.

[MadeJust4You]

I asked basically the same question and didn't get but about 3 - 5 answers. I am flying for the first time and even though I am just going from TN to LA (which don't know why we are flying) I hope I can take my hooks and I purchased a quickie cutter.

[Kimblee]

I would take something other than scissors for cutting... I know that a crochet hook will normally be considered harmless, but scissors change day to day.

 

I have a lovely thread cutter pendant, its very convient, and just about impossible to use as a violent weapon.

[Feederofthepack]

Last time I flew the yarn cutter was a no-no. Hidden blade. Fingernail clippers were ok. I took plastic hooks. I had heard also that it is up to the inspector of the day to make the call anyway.