Rocco works in the rough and tumble building industry and found he was coming home with a lot of unspent adrenaline that was stopping him from getting to sleep. His doctor recommended he take up knitting. As he prepares for his once-in-a-lifetime world trip, Rocco wonders if he can take his knitting needles and woolly yarns with him on the plane in his carry-on luggage.
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Q. Rocco
I am one of the older workers on most construction sites and some days I become so frustrated at the way young blokes go about their jobs compared to the good old days. I was coming home and still fuming about it so much that it would stop me from relaxing enough to get to sleep easily. My doctor said I should take up knitting as it’s a soothing pastime that would take my mind off things. As crazy as it sounded, I went along to learn how to knit and nowadays, whenever I feel like I am tensing up after work, I reach for my yarns and knitting needles and it really helps to calm my mind. I am going on a holiday around the world soon and really want to be able to take my needles with me. Do you know if they are allowed in my hand luggage?
A. Unlike you, Rocco, I am quite fumble-fingered and never learned to knit as a result. I did dabble in a bit of crochet, though, and I agree with you, it’s a great way to stay in the moment and let all the worries of the day fly by. The good news is that you can carry your knitting needles with you on many airlines. There are restrictions on what type of scissors you can take, however, in case you need them to snip the yarn.
You can carry knitting and crochet needles on domestic flights, and blunt-ended or round-ended scissors with blades less than 6cm long, according to the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development. However, security officers working at airports actually have the final say on whether they will permit certain items to be carried onto an airline, so you may need to be prepared to hand your knitting needles over if they ask you to. If you opt for wooden or plastic needles rather than metal ones, it may be easier to get them past security.
It is also wise to check with the airlines you will be using during your globe-trotting adventures, as different companies have different rules about what can and cannot be placed in your hand luggage.
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