Does anyone know if a swiss army knife is allowed as carry on in Europe? I searched some of the airline websites and I couldn't find anything specific about pocket knives or multitools. Would appreciate a link to any official airline or transportation websites.

Cheers

Who will you be flying with Carlo?

That's an interesting response. I'm flying with my wife, are you suggesting she carry it? ;)

Funny man! LOL!! Maybe she could smuggle it through security for you. ;-)
Perhaps I also should have asked which airport(s) are you using?
How badly do you need to take your knife?

Swiss Army knives are a no go for carry-on in Europe and North America, If a metal nail file is taboo then a Swiss Army knife would definitely be confiscated.
Airport security regulations will tell you what you can carry through, for example, London's Gatwick Airport states:

Most European countries and Russia
Hand baggage
Prohibited items

Travelling with liquids

Heightened security measures remain in place at all UK airports. We're doing everything we can to minimise any delays caused by these measures, which are designed for your protection.
You are advised to arrive early at the airport and allow plenty of time for security screening. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Hand baggage
If your airline allows it, you may take more than one item of hand baggage through security control.

Cabin baggage must be no larger than:

• 56cm (22in) tall
• 45cm (17.7in) wide
• 25cm (10in) deep.

However, please check with your airline – some operate further limits on the number and size of bags.

Laptop computers and large electrical items must be removed from baggage and placed in trays separately.

• Smaller items (eg cameras or mobile phones) can remain in your bag for screening.
• Pushchairs and walking aids will be X-ray screened.
• Wheelchairs will be thoroughly searched.
To save time, we advise you to place only valuables and items you need for the flight into your hand baggage.
[Back to top]
Travelling with liquids – 100ml rule
Only limited quantities of liquids may be carried through security control as hand baggage.

This includes bottled drinks, suntan lotion, fragrances, cosmetics and toiletries.

The following restrictions apply to all liquids, creams, gels, pastes and aerosols taken through security control.

• Liquid items may only be carried in containers holding up to 100ml.
• They must be carried separately in a single transparent, resealable plastic bag.
• The bag must be no larger than 20cm x 20cm (8in x 8in) and all items must fit inside so that it closes properly.
• At security control the bag must be placed separately on the conveyor belt for screening.
• Liquid items larger than 100ml should be packed in your hold luggage – otherwise they will be confiscated.

Exceptions to the 100ml rule can be made for baby food or milk. However, you should only carry what you need for the flight, and you may be asked to taste these items at security control.
Exceptions may also be made for medicines. However, you may be asked to taste any liquid medicines, or to provide evidence (such as a doctor's letter) that you need them for your journey.
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Prohibited items
Sharp or pointed items must not be carried in hand baggage and will be confiscated at security control.

This includes knives, razor blades, cutlery, tools, hiking poles, hypodermic needles (unless medical necessity can be proved), catapults, corkscrews, toy or replica guns, sporting bats or cues and darts.

Scissors
Scissors with rounded blades are permitted. Scissors with pointed blades up to 3cm are also permitted.
Lighters etc
Christmas crackers, party poppers, cigarette lighters and non-safety matches may not be carried in either cabin or hold baggage.
Passengers may carry a single lighter about their person. Any additional lighters discovered during security screening cannot be taken into the restricted zone.
Umbrellas
Large, golfing type umbrellas are not permitted as they exceed the baggage size set by the DfT. Folding or collapsable umberellas that can fit within hand baggage can of course be carried. These items will be X-rayed.
In addition to the regulations set out by the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Gatwick Airport may restrict any item considered to pose a security or safety risk from passing through to the departure lounge.

Carlo, yes you can take a Swiss knife or scissors with blade length up to 6cm in your hand luggage on board in the cabin. No problem in good ole' Europe. Hurrah!

You can check the European rules in this link:
http://www.airportcity-frankfurt.de/cms/default/dokbin/282/282309.erlaubte_gegenstaendestand_maerz_2008.pdf

It's in German but you can trust me on the reading comprehension because I am German and the kind with good reading comprehension, too. :)

Besides this list, I recently (mid February) asked two German security agents in Berlin and Stuttgart about exactly the Swiss knife case. They both said I could take it.

They did warn me though, that some airports and countries might not have gotten the memo so to say.
Hope this helps.

Hm, seems the link doesn't work. Perhaps because of Safari?

Google:
Liste der verbotenen Gegenstände nach EU-VO

or "List of Prohibited Items according to EU Regulations "

That will give you the result even in English on the FRA airport website.

If you are flying to England and do not want to part company with your Swiss Army Knife, do not chance it.

I flew out of Heathrow yesterday and the signs definitely said no multi tool type implements are allowed. Luton, Gatwick and Stansted all had the same advice when I last flew from them.

I would love to hear if anyone does fly with a multitool into & out of the UK because I do miss mine when abroad.

Regards,
Scott

I used to carry a pen knife as a pipe tool before knives were banned. Now I pack a church key bottle opener and a cork screw, and have quit smoking. Recently I bought a cheap pocket knife in an Amsterdam harware store, carried it on my trip and gave it to one of the hotel employees when I left. It is not worth losing a good good knife by trying to smuggle it through. I recently purchased a Wenger Clipper AT which resembles a knife but has no knife blade. Its tools are a nail file and cleaner, an eye glass screw driver, scissors, and a nail clipper. My experience shows it will go through TSA check points, but I had to open all the tools to prove its ineffectiveness as a weapon. Wenger model number is 16918. Monte

There is also the SwissTech Utili-key 6-in-1 Tool. It looks like a key and resides among your keys on the key chain. They never found mine. Knock on wood. It's blade is short but sharp. The right thing to open a package, a letter or cut a zip tie. No carving or killing with this blade. It also has a capsule opener and a Philips as well as an eye glass screwdriver. I use it all the time.

Till, I read the information on "List of Prohibited Items according to EU Regulations" and my understanding is that NO knives of any kind are allowed as carry on however most knives are allowed in checked luggage. If you carefully read the "Pointed/edged weapon and sharp objects" section, none of the long list of sharp objects are permitted in the cabin. I think it would be a losing argument anyway to debate with a security official as they seem to have complete discretion.

On a side note, I can't believe they don't allow catapults - come one people! ;)

Looks like I'll be leaving the multitool at home for now as it just isn't worth it to have it confiscated.

Carlo, I am sure that up tp 6cm blade length you are good to go. The document even includes scalpels up to 6cm.

Now, what is funny is that you probably looked at the document in English. I looked at the document in German. They are a bit different. I attribute that to translation error. The document is most likely originally made in German. This I deduct from the footnotes and the more precise wording in German.

Where the English document says that those items "are generally allowed in checked baggage", the German document says "Taschenmesser bis 6 cm
Klingenlänge müssen
grundsätzlich nicht vom
Fluggast getrennt befördert
werden."

This enumerates the same items as the English one finishing with pocket knives and then says those items generally do not need to be transported separate from the passenger. That means they need not be checked and can be taken in the cabin.

There are several mentions of the 6cm length limit. One can take along even larger knives as long they are in checked bags. It makes no sense to have a 6cm limit if this limit doesn't apply to the separation of cabin and checked luggage. In other words, up to 6cm cabin is ok, over 6cm must be checked.

Even though the two documents are different, this is emanating from both of them.

The way to read this diagram is to first read the very left item column. The YES/NO in the second and third column refers to the general prohibited item list in the leftmost column. In the same box as the Y/N you will find exceptions and add-ons if applicable. The way the English document is translated makes no sense but the German original is very clear and does make sense.

The thing is, that the multi-tool blade might be longer than 6cm. The ordinary Swiss Army knife blade isn't, though.

Get the Utili-key, it may well be all you need.

Another option is to take along a self-addressed padded envelope. If they do give you trouble mail the thing back to yourself.

Link the UK Government web-site:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/TravellingAbroad/AirTravel/DG_176922

It reads to me a typical Swiss Army knife would be OK but I haven't carried one for years unless I had checked baggage. Airport Security are pretty zealous about confiscating anything that could be even remotely considered as a weapon so you won't get chance to mail it to yourself if they decide they don't like it.

Have just had my Swiss Army 'Butlers' knife confiscated at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. It had a corkscrew, blade and can opener. Even through I had filed the blade down to 5.75cm as I had been previously been told by the Security guys in Holland that it was OK if it was less than 6cm, they confiscated it. I was very angry. Particulary as I had made an effort to comply with their regulations and I had no problem on 6 previous occassions when going through security in Amsterdam. The last time was only 3 weeks ago. I questioned two of their supervisors who insisted that it was now illegal for me to take it on board in my hand luggage.
Are there new regualtions in force? Can anyone advise?

So sorry to hear this. You were probably the victim of arbitrary enforcement of non-existing rules. :( Did you print out the stuff I linked to? I actually carry the print-outs in my hand luggage. I never needed them, though. Explaining orally was usually enough; sad enough, too, that the passenger has to explain the regulations to the enforcer.

You also shouldn't have needed to file it down. I just measured my standard victorinox army knife. Probably the same model you have. The blade (cutting edge) is exactly 60 mm long. That is what the blade length refers to. The piece of metal below it, where Victorinox is stamped into, is 7.5 mm long. This shouldn't count.

Or did they take offense with the corkscrew instead of the blade? One thing I do, is to carry a self-addressed stamped envelope with me. If anything happens, I step out of line and send it back home.

Till

Thanks Till for your excellent reply. I didn't print out the stuff you recommended, but will certainly do so now and carry it with me. Your point about that the corkscrew is an important one. In the case I mentioned, the Amsterdam Security guys were only focussed on the blade of the knife and not the corkscrew. However, I once took one of those self assembly corkscrews you get in Christmas crackers through Bristol Airport and they took it off me. Interesting! The many times I have successfully taken my Swiss Army Butlers knive, together with corkscrew and can opener, through security, I have never had a problem with the corkscrew, I'm returning to Amsterdam shortly and will let you know how I get on armed with the vital documents and a self addressed envelope.

Thanks for your reply, Charlie. It is important to battle on, so to speak. I would also ask them to show you the document in writing, where the opposite of what you show them is written. Obviously, the question then is why there are two different rules, if there are two different rules.

In one case, I had a bottle of olive oil (0.5l) that I had bought in a duty free in Switzerland. It was ok on the transatlantic flight, but it wasn't allowed from EWR to DFW. The screeners were actually very helpful. She organized a box plus stuffing material for me and we checked it (free). This was after my other luggage had already been checked, so I couldn't have just put the bottle in the main luggage. The reason I am saying that is that possibly, as last resort. You could check a small package with the knife in it. You know those flat foldable cardboard packages you can buy, the size of a video tape. The SASE should do the trick, too, though.

Please do report your findings.

Thanks everyone for such thoroughly posted info. Great thread, wonderfully useful site.

Enforcement is often arbitrary, and I'm not the first to suspect that, human nature being what it is, many an airport security employee nets a handy second income off re-selling 'confiscated' trinkets.

European rules are officially less stringent than TSA about blades and length, but there again if you do have a problem you're in an impossible argument that you are pre-positioned to lose.

I like Till's SASE idea, but unfortunately many major US airports (such as Washington Dulles recently) have either removed mailboxes from the terminals altogether (bomb prevention) or relocated them to locations far from security checkpoints.

For Americans, picking up a cheap, 'expendable' knife or multi-tool once in Europe seems the way to go, and making a gift of it to someone before you leave for the airport is a nice thought.

Blunt-nosed children's scissors seem to be 'legal' everywhere. I always carry a pair and they work fine for 95% of what I would have used my stay-at-home Swiss Army Knife for (Euro milk and juice cartons, plastic tie straps, loose threads etc).

I'll keep an eye out for the Wenger bladeless multi-tool, thanks. Surprised that multi-tool manufacturers haven't moved into the airline-travel TSA-compliant niche market. Pretty large 'niche'.

Andrew, Smokey Moutnain Knifeworks sells the Wenger bladeless tool, but right now I don't know the part number. I buy the Slip-n-snip scissors from them also. The have the best prices for these items I have seen.

Monte, great tip, thank you. I just visited their website, www.smkw.com, huge selection, good prices.
I couldn't find the Wenger bladeless multitool, so if you should find the model name or number I'd be obliged.

WalMart sells a $5 keychain mini-microtool in stainless, in Leatherman folding style, with small but useful scissors, etc and a very short blade that is legal for EU carry-on. At their sporting goods counter; some are generic no-name, some are branded 'Winchester', all are the same model.Very handy.Cheap enough to scatter several around wherever they might come in handy: toolbox, glove compartment, desk drawer.
US TSA allowed mine on in a carryon bag to Europe a number of times, then on the fifth or sixth round trip it was confiscated, so I replaced it for $5. No stress.
I notice its blade is held in with a Phillips screw, but don't have a screwdriver quite fine enough to remove it. That would make it completely TSA-compliant.
But your Wenger bladeless tool would be better yet.

Andrew, The Wenger item no. is W16912 and the cost is $14.99. this is a real bargain, the last two I bought were $19.99.

Just for fun, the Slip-N-Snip item no. is SI1090. That is S capital I one----. Cost is $4.99.

Buy lots. Let me know if I can help.

<<Wenger item no. is W16912 >>

Interesting, but the Slip-N-Snip seems to be a better scissors. One of these, plus a plastic butter knife, might be adequate for a lot of travel. Almost all of the "mini-tools" do have a blade, putting them at risk to be confisticated by TSA, alas, or at any security-critical area. My wife lost a Leatherman Micra at her local courthouse, tried to hide it outside in a bush, came back out...gone.

Smokey Mountain Knifeworks does carry a LOT of items! Besides the one bladeless tool noted above, I find just THREE that are also bladeless:

Leatherman Fuse...not cheap, not compact:

http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerce/products/Multi-Tools/Leatherman%C2%AE+Fuse%C2%AE+Knifeless+with+Leather+Sheath/LM830597.html

Columbia River Extrik; nice to have handy in the case of a car crash or the like. If I were an EMT, likely something similar is already standard service issue, otherwise doesn't do that much:

http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerce/products/Multi-Tools/Columbia+River%C2%AE+McGowan+Extrik+8-R%26%23153%3B/CR2051.html

Swiss-Tech Screwzall; I already have one of their tools that is screwdriver tips only, but this one is so cheap and small, it would be worthwhile for one bag travel. As the shipping is likely more than the tool, getting several and giving them as gifts might work:

http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerce/products/screwdrivers/Swiss-Tech%26%23153%3B+Screwzall%26%23153%3B+Screwdriver+Tool/ST10.html

"SwissTech Utili-key 6-in-1 Tool. It looks like a key and resides among your keys on the key chain."

I just realized that I carry one as well, works great for opening all the stuff I order over the Internet! But, I did leave it at home last trip by air.

I have been carrying this Swiss-tech for years ...it has come in handy many times and the TSA only messed with me once. Then when he finally found it just said "cool".
http://www.swisstechtools.com/productdetail.aspx?PID=Dj4v2vu2iwgA

Monte and Alan, thanks for the Tool Tips. I'm browsing with interest (guys and tool catalogs).

As noted, a pair of blunt nosed dollar kiddie scissors and a plastic serrated 'bread' knife will answer for the majority of uses while traveling.

(REI has individual lexan knives & also spoons & forks for a dollar apiece. WalMart at last check had a 12-piece set for $6; or just swing by your favorite fast food outlet & pick up a few free.)