Knitting needles in carry-on international flights

[ortho85]

We will soon be going through Brisbane and Hong Kong airports, on Qantas and Cathay. Not going near the USA!

Does anyone know if there are any current problems taking plastic knitting needles in carry-on?

We have done this in previous years, but recently noticed they were listed on the board on the way in to domestic at Brisbane, so we're wondering if anything's changed. Searching has found zilch, so I'm hoping it's still OK.

 

[sinophile888]

We will soon be going through Brisbane and Hong Kong airports, on Qantas and Cathay. Not going near the USA!

Does anyone know if there are any current problems taking plastic knitting needles in carry-on?

We have done this in previous years, but recently noticed they were listed on the board on the way in to domestic at Brisbane, so we're wondering if anything's changed. Searching has found zilch, so I'm hoping it's still OK.

I always knit on both domestic and international flights. We have flown in and out of HKG, SIN, KUL, BJS, CKG and BKK numerous times. As I use circular needles, the security staff like to see the actual needles. I try to put my knitting in a see through bag at the top of my carry-on, for easy access. I have never had any problems. I have read one suggestion if you are worried. Insert a life-line so that if your knitting needles are confiscated, it is not a disaster. I understand that the ban on knitting needles on planes was lifted about 10 years ago.

 

[ortho85]

Many thanks. My wife plans to use circular needles, too.

 

[henrus]

You've got many more responses on whirlpool...

Knitting needles in carry-on international flights - Air Travel - Travel - Whirlpool Forums

But for the sake of AFF viewers, the offical advice is located here:

Items you cannot take on plane

See towards the bottom of the page under "Items permitted".

 

[ortho85]

You've got many more responses on whirlpool...

Thanks, henrus. The sensible replies on Whingepool were contradictory, so I thought I'd go to higher authority.

Looks like your link helps - although it has weasel words "may be permitted".

 

[Princess Fiona]

I’m on a big Facebook group full of Docs and one of them is a regular knitter inflight (posts pics) so I don’t think it’s an issue at all.
I stick to knitting at home

 

[Katie]

As others have said, circulars or even regular knitting needles will be fine. I even have a teeny pair of scissors (maybe 1cm blade, found near the checkouts at Spotlight) that have not yet been detected. I also carry a dental floss container if I need to cut yarn, or the scissors are confiscated.

I almost had an issue with all of my circular needle ends, which I was carrying in a wrapped pouch, in BNE or SYD last month. They thought I had a large number of pens in my carryon, as there were probably some pens near the needle ends. But the security guys just said "You have a lot of pens in there". I told them they were knitting needle ends.

 

[Katie]

Oh, over Christmas/New Year's, we did BNE-SYD-HKG-SYD-BNE with my then knitting project in my bag, no issues anywhere. Have been through LAX, DCA, DFW, DEN, HND, HEL, CDG, NRT, BKK, and more with circular needles, and some of those place with regular "metal" needles. I do carry spare circular cables just in case some security person at some point decides the needle points are dangerous.