Canada Eases Flight Restrictions

Some tools that were banned in the wake of the 9-11 attacks will now be permitted aboard airplanes.

Good news if you love tiny screwdrivers. The Canadian Air Transport Security Agency has announced that tools with shafts shorter than six centimetres and scissors with blades of less than six centimetres will now be allowed on all flights. CATSA will also introduce new screening procedures designed to speed up the flow of passengers at checkpoints by 30 per cent, including a new baggage system that will automatically separate out suspicious luggage, and dedicated lanes for families and passengers with special needs. Transport Minister Chuck Strahl said the new regulations will not compromise security, but the union representing Canada’s flight attendants has spoken out against easing the rules, arguing that a six-centimetre blade could still be used as a weapon.