Metal cutlery allowed back on flights from Britain

LONDON - Passengers on flights from Britain will be able to dine with metal cutlery again from Monday as anti-terrorism laws are relaxed.

The government banned sharp metal objects on board after Islamic radicals used box-cutters to hijack planes in the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

That meant plastic knives and forks for all inflight meals.

Now, passengers flying from British airports will be able to carry on board knitting needles and scissors, with blades shorter than 3 cm, while airlines will be able to provide metal cutlery.

Other items like penknives remain banned.

"There have been improvements made in in-flight security, such as strengthening cockpit doors, that are locked at all times," a spokesman for the Department of Transport told Reuters explaining why the guidelines had been relaxed.

"We want to strike a balance between robust protection and convenience for the travelling public," he added. "Airlines still have the discretion to ban potentially dangerous items."

Security at Britain's three busiest airports - Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted - confiscated 15,000 sharp objects from passengers in the first 12 months of the ban, said BAA, the UK's main airport operator.

- REUTERS