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Can I carry a penknife or nail scissors on Ryanair?

vjs1957

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Sarria to Santiago (2018)
Flying from London with (hopefully) just cabin baggage - can't find a definitive answer as to whether nail scissors or a penknife (regular Swiss army knife) would be allowed. Can anyone advise? Thank you!
 
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Hi there,

According to the Ryanair website... “Pointed/edged Weapons & Sharp Objects” are banned from cabin baggage or in airport security restricted areas in the airport. That would suggest the knife is barred but nail scissors? Hmm....
 
Flying from London with (hopefully) just cabin baggage - can't find a definitive answer as to whether nail scissors or a penknife (regular Swiss army knife) would be allowed. Can anyone advise? Thank you!

Don’t even think about taking the Swiss Army Knife through security. I have lost at least two corkscrews I mean Swiss Army Knives, on separate occasions, because I forgot they were in my handbag. As for the nail scissors, depends on how long the blades are . . .
 
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Flying from London with (hopefully) just cabin baggage - can't find a definitive answer as to whether nail scissors or a penknife (regular Swiss army knife) would be allowed. Can anyone advise? Thank you!
From what I understand,the blades must not be longer than 5cm.

I have taken this scissors through security on numerous occasions......from the UK and abroad and it's never been a problem

I always place the scissors in the plastic bag with my liquids so as the security can see it and examine it if necessary

Maybe the same applies to a knife if the blade is also less than 5cm, but I can't be sure on this one
Best wishes
Annette image.jpeg
 
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Definitely NOT the knife but scissors, yes...as long as they are under a certain size. Can’t remember but I think @Annette london ’s got it right. When I took mine (after measuring them) on a flight to Spain (not the Camino) they still said No so I asked them to go and check. They did and I was allowed to carry them.
 
Airport Security, and not the airlines, are the arbiters of what is or isn't permitted in an aircraft cabin. The rules are clear and clearly stated on websites, airline advisories and displayed on posters in every airport.

Individuals on the gate-line are trained to be vigilant and to make sensible decisions based on a proper interpretation of the applicable rules. That said I have witnessed a bunch of trainees being set this question: Just consider how you might feel knowing that there is a total stranger, life and motivations completely unknown to you, in possession of a nasty, sharp pointy object in the same aircraft cabin as you.

These days I buy a knife / corkscrew in France or Spain or where-ever and give it away or drop it in a bin on my way home.
 
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Can you change to an Easyjet flight instead? They say they allow

  • knives with blades of more than 6 cm
  • scissors with blades of more than 6 cm as measured from the fulcrum,

But if you don't want to lose that diamond studded Gucci inspired SAK best follow Tincatinker's advice instead.
 
Blunt scissors and those with blades less than 6cms are allowed. Recently flew to Spain with nail scissors and jewellery pliers and had them ready to show the security people who were absolutely fine. I have posted the UK Government official advice on what can be carried below.

https://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/personal-items
 
According to the Ryanair website... “Pointed/edged Weapons & Sharp Objects” are banned from cabin baggage or in airport security restricted areas in the airport. That would suggest the knife is barred but nail scissors? Hmm....
You didn't quote Ryanair's general terms & conditions in full:
8.4.9 Pointed/edged Weapons & Sharp Objects must be carried in checked baggage; [...] knives with blades of more than 6 cms including lockable or flick knives, [...] scissors with blades more than 6 cms as measured from the fulcrum [...]

Swiss Army knifes and scissors that fulfil these conditions - i.e. less than 6 cm blade - have been allowed by law on flights within the EU and the EEA for years. Be prepared for security staff to want to visually check them or even measure them, so think about where to put them in your backpack so that you can get at them quickly without having to unpack everything.
 
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You didn't quote Ryanair's general terms & conditions in full:
8.4.9 Pointed/edged Weapons & Sharp Objects must be carried in checked baggage; [...] knives with blades of more than 6 cms including lockable or flick knives [...] scissors with blades more than 6 cms as measured from the fulcrum [...]

Swiss Army knifes and scissors that fulfil these conditions - i.e. less than 6 cm blade - have been allowed by law on flights within the EU and the EEA for years. Be prepared for security staff to visually check them or even measure them, so think about where to put them in your backpack so that you can get at them quickly without having to unpack everything.
And they do measure them!
I took said items because I was moving stuff to Spain.
Not worth the aggravation imo if going on Camino....
 
Can you change to an Easyjet flight instead? They say they allow

  • knives with blades of more than 6 cm
  • scissors with blades of more than 6 cm as measured from the fulcrum,

But if you don't want to lose that diamond studded Gucci inspired SAK best follow Tincatinker's advice instead.
Neither EasyJet or Ryanair run airport security, so it doesn't make a y difference which airline is chosen.
 
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My experience supports Katharina's: no problems for years now on Ryanair carrying on a small swiss army knife - the 'officier', the smallest one with a corkscrew, although who needs that now, now that Youtube shows you how to remove the cork without a corkscrew...?
PS I don't think we've had a thread yet on the new Ryanair baggage allowances (winking emoji thing).
 
Neither EasyJet or Ryanair run airport security, so it doesn't make a y difference which airline is chosen.

Not actually true, at least in the UK. Airlines have their own policies which may go beyond the baseline of the law.

When I was flying Easyjet to Biarritz from Gatwick last year with this knife,

ndeg09_inox_web.jpg


which incidentally is illegal to carry in the UK unless you have a good reason, due to it's blade length (9cm) and locking mechanism. I first approached airport police (with some trepidation as I was about to tell an armed officer in airport that I had a knife) and they instructed me to negotiate with Easyjet. The Easyjet people were unusually pleasant but made it clear this couldn't be cabin baggage, which I was pretty sure would be the case, so ended up paying a reduced rate to put my bag in the hold. This was still more than the knife was actually worth but really wanted to have it and couldn't be bothered finding another on arrival.

As to the OP's question, I'd say simplest thing to do would be message the airline and ask, best to be upfront with these things.
 
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My experience supports Katharina's: no problems for years now on Ryanair carrying on a small swiss army knife - the 'officier', the smallest one with a corkscrew, although who needs that now, now that Youtube shows you how to remove the cork without a corkscrew...?
PS I don't think we've had a thread yet on the new Ryanair baggage allowances (winking emoji thing).
You buy wine that comes in a bottle with a cork? There's posh!

PS - we have.
 
Rules or the interpretation of them seem to vary. I have been allowed to take a walking stick but not a folding umbrella, small nail scissors but not equally small embroidery scissors .. on one occasion wasn’t allowed a metal ( quite large) hair clip!
 
Not actually true, at least in the UK. Airlines have their own policies which may go beyond the baseline of the law.

When I was flying Easyjet to Biarritz from Gatwick last year with this knife,

View attachment 46029


which incidentally is illegal to carry in the UK unless you have a good reason, due to it's blade length (9cm) and locking mechanism. I first approached airport police (with some trepidation as I was about to tell an armed officer in airport that I had a knife) and they instructed me to negotiate with Easyjet. The Easyjet people were unusually pleasant but made it clear this couldn't be cabin baggage, which I was pretty sure would be the case, so ended up paying a reduced rate to put my bag in the hold. This was still more than the knife was actually worth but really wanted to have it and couldn't be bothered finding another on arrival.

As to the OP's question, I'd say simplest thing to do would be message the airline and ask, best to be upfront with these things.
But you never would have gotten that knife through airport security. It still had nothing to do with the airline.
 
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A bit off point (pun intended) I have flown with and also had confiscated from me (in several different cities, countries) ice packs. Seems there are some interpretive "rules" or worse arbitrary enforcement of strict rules, that make it a case by case arrangement.
 
Pay for a bag in the hold, it's not that expensive compared to the whole trip, you can then pack walking poles, penknives, corkscrews or anything else without the stress and worry if you will get through security.
 
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Last edited:
Within Spain, Airport Security is the job of Airport Authorities, not of the companies.

I had two Opinel knifes confiscated, not in airports, but in Railway Stations. There are security control before boarding in long-range trains in main stations (for example there are controls in Madrid and Santiago, but not in the intermediate stop at A Gudiña). No controls for 'Cercanias' or medium-range lines
 
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