Me: The Superbad, Super Evil Security Threat

I'm pretty eager to finish off this scarf for Smee in time for the London winter. Before leaving London and with the long haul flight in mind, I figured knitting was a really good way to wile away the hours and be productive at the same time. I was a bit apprehensive about bringing my needles on the flight but after reading a few sites (this one being quite useful) and checking my international airline carrier's prohibited list, the general consensus was that knitting needles were okay. I packed my project along with the most innocuous needles - clear plastic, bendable, blunt ended, glittery - into my carry-on. They don't even appear on the security scanners. If I had to remove from my carry-on, oh well, I'd just buy another pair of needles later. They're not exactly expensive.

Anyway, I made it through the Heathrow security scanners without an issue. I managed to knit for a few good hours on the flight from London to Hong Kong and again during the Hong Kong-Oz leg. Woo-hoo! The flight attendants didn't give me a second look. Yay!

I figured if I can knit on an international flight, then I would have no probs on a domestic flight, right? BZZZZZZZ ..... WRONG!

The Melb-Syd flight is not a long one, but it's a decent amount of 'knitting time'. There I was happily knitting when the following occurred (the conversation was a little more extensive but you get the picture):

Male Flight Attendant: Excuse miss, but I'm going to have to ask you to put those away.
Moi: Huh? But they bend. *bends needle as proof* And they're more blunt than a pen.
MFA: I'm sorry, but it's because of these... *points to needle ends* Unfortunately, we don't make the rules.
Moi: Ok, fine. *finishes row and puts needles away*

Ten minutes later.....

Female Flight Attendant: Excuse miss, but because of your prohibited items, I'm going to have to ask you to remain on the plane when we land.
Moi: *raises eyebrow with an incredulous look* What? *I scoff*
FFA: We're going to need you wait behind while all the other passengers leave and security will need to guide you out of the terminal.

My face was a furrowed brow with wide-eyed absurdity. I nearly started laughing in her face. Smee sat there gaffawing in the window seat. What logic allows me to knit for HOURS on an international flight and yet it is intolerable on a 1 hour domestic flight?

I mean, I know I look super-dangerous and intimidating with my body builder frame, gold teeth, mean monobrow, scarred face and tattooed forearms but ...... really? My bendy, glittery knitting needles? Maybe they were more worried about my innate ninja skillz suddenly materialising.

So I sat waiting for 'security' to guide me out of the terminal. What I got was a female airline staff member (no older than me I assume) who happily tried to chat to me on our way out of the terminal. It was all just a bit ridiculous.

Annoyed as I was, I later reviewed the airline's prohibited items list and there is NOTHING ... NOTHING!! about knitting needles. I totally understand the importance of airport security but where do they draw the line between the necessary and the excessive?