There is no guarantee about what scissors you can take in the carry-on. The officials in Paris confiscated the tiny round-ended baby fingernail scissors I had used for all my kids. (*sniff*) I had missed them myself or would have put them in my checked luggage, but they did manage to get out of the US, just not back.

TSA rules don't work in European airports. Sometimes they restrict items just to be ornery.

<<< TSA rules don't work in European airports. Sometimes they restrict items just to be ornery. >>>

Despite the beliefs of the Bush Regime, other countries DO have their own laws

I knew we could count on the Bush-haters to find some way of posting their opinion on any topic.

As others have pointed out, you do need to check the rules for all of the airports in all of the countries you'll be travelling thru. Rules do vary by country.

I still remember when they had me open my carryon and get out one of those little freebie sewing kits from a hotel. Inside it were tiny "toy" scissors about one inch long that you could bend with one finger and wouldn't even cut thread. They confiscated them and threw them away. I tried so hard not to laugh because it was so silly, but. . .

I'm surprised no one has mentioned fingernail clippers. My mom needlepoints on planes so she carries a small nail clipper for cutting threads and has never had any problem with that.

I had a set of fingernail clippers confiscated because it had a small fold-out nail file.

One can always bite through the threads.

Coming back from Paris last fall they were concerned about an antique needle-holder shaped like an umbrella that I had bought as a gift. I was appalled at the thought of them confiscating it and my limited French totally escaping me, tried to show the examiner that it was empty and harmless (certainly no more dangerous than the metal mechanical pencil they allowed me to carry on). To my astonishment and great pleasure, the screener conferred with security and then walked me back out so I could see if there was anything I could do back at check-in. I inquired from American Airlines whether they might have a box so I could try mailing it to myself. They got a box, packaged the item carefully, and then checked the box as luggage. So it isn't always the things you know will be a problem (like scissors). Obviously had I thought about it I would have packed it in my luggage, but it all had a happy ending and I remain grateful to the French screener and the AA agent for being so kind to me rather than just authoritarian pricks.

I apologize that I didn't realize this was an old thread, and now I've posted my scissor story twice. I'm also sorry that my memory must be failing. When I posted before I suggested the "toy" scissors were an inch and a half long. Now I remember them as only being an inch long. If I post again next year, I'll probably remember them as being a half inch long. LOL

LOL Neo - some things shrink with age!

Speak for yourself, kwren.