The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has devised new restrictions on carry-on baggage, not only to expedite the screening process but also to prevent potential weapons from passing through airport security. Passengers are now limited to bringing just one carry-on bag and one personal item onto the aircraft (previous regulations allowed two carry-on bags and one personal item, like a briefcase, laptop, small backpack or a purse). For more information, go to the FAA's Web site www.faa.gov. The agency has released a new list of items passengers are not allowed to carry onto an aircraft:
Not permitted: knives and box cutters, corkscrews, straight razors, metal scissors, metal nail files, golf clubs, baseball bats, pool cues, hockey sticks, ski poles, ice picks. The old list of pre-September 11 no-no's is still in effect, too, with items such as weapons, ammunition, flammable material, etc., absolutely prohibited.
Permitted: nail clippers (without built-in nail files), tweezers, eyelash curlers, safety razors (including disposable razors), syringes (with documented proof of medical need), walking canes and umbrellas (must be inspected first).
The airline you fly may have additional restrictions on items you can and cannot carry on board. Call ahead to avoid problems.