The Flight Attendants Union Coalition, representing nearly 90,000 flight attendants at airlines across the county, on March 7 announced a nationwide legislative and public campaign to reverse the March 5 announcement from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that effective April 25, knives would be allowed in the aircraft cabin for the first time since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. 

The Coalition says it will use a series of tactics to apply pressure, starting with an online petition to the White House.  The Coalition issued a statement, which read: “Flight Attendants are outraged. We are the last line of defense in aviation security and time does not change the fact that we were among the first to die in a war we didn’t know we were fighting on September 11, 2001.  At great cost, we know better today. There is no excuse for this.

“Since yesterday’s announcement, our unions have received an overwhelming response of outrage from members and passengers across the country. This policy reversal is against the best interest of the security of crew and passengers in the aircraft cabin and we will stop at nothing to fight it.” The Coalition is encouraging those who agree with its position and wish to join to sign the petition, which is available by clicking on Flight Attendants Union Coalition Petition.

“Our nation’s aviation system is the safest in the world thanks to multi-layered security measures that include prohibition on many items that could pose a threat to the integrity of the aircraft cabin,” the Coalition said. “The continued ban on dangerous objects is an integral layer in aviation security and must remain in place. We will continue to oppose this dangerous approach to aviation security until the TSA reverses the decision and keeps knives and other dangerous objects out of the aircraft cabin and on the ground where they belong.”