NZ airline passengers must wait to knit

The New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority may relax security rules for airline passengers after Britain said that travellers will be permitted to carry a limited number of sharp objects aboard British flights.

From April 25, travellers on British flights will be allowed to keep items such as small scissors and knitting needles in their carry-on luggage and use steel cutlery to eat in-flight meals.

Items such as corkscrews and penknives will remain banned. New Zealand CAA aviation security manager Chris Ford said yesterday that regulations might be relaxed after consultation with airlines, in light of moves overseas to ease measures made stringent after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Terrorists used box-cutter knives to threaten staff and passengers on the planes they hijacked for the attacks on New York and Washington.

All sharp objects are banned on board New Zealand domestic and international flights.

Mr Ford said the CAA would not "rush into" easing the restrictions. "We've been aware of the British moves," he said. "We are in consultations with international airlines and their partners, taking on board what's happening round the world, and looking at other security measures.

"There's a possibility regulations might be relaxed, but it might take months and it's not a situation we want to rush into."

Any new measures would also be consistent on domestic and international flights.

"There's less confusion for the travelling public if measures are consistent," Mr Ford said.

But Australia is sticking by its ban on metal cutlery and sharp objects. The rules also ban straight razors, umbrellas with metal points, screwdrivers, hammers, knitting and crochet needles, pointed metal scissors, cricket bats, tennis racquets, golf clubs and toy guns.

British authorities said their rules had been relaxed because of other improvements in airline security, such as sealed cockpits, closed-circuit TV cameras and sky marshals.

Mr Ford said in-flight security officers were not deployed on New Zealand-based aircraft.

- NZPA