New Zealand airlines relax knife regulations

Saturday, October 1, 2005

New Zealand has relaxed the safety rules imposed on internal airlines in 2002, once more allowing passengers to carry pocket knives with blades less than 60mm long and knitting needles.

Other larger items remain banned, including ice-skates, pool cues, hockey sticks, skateboards, cricket bats and harpoons.

Other countries more at risk from terrorism such as the United States of America and Australia will maintain their stricter rules and continue to ban a range of small, sharp objects from their internal flights.

The airlines have also agreed to help return items seized from passengers before boarding.