An airline passenger is going viral after a flight attendant asked her to stop knitting during a flight. The crewmember suggested that having needles during an emergency could be risky.
The woman shows the moment she had to stow her knitting project after the flight attendant urged her to consider whether she’d really want to grip sharp objects if trouble struck at cruising altitude. She couldn’t finish the sock. She was frustrated.
@brittstitches this was a first, was hoping to finish knitting my sock on this flight but guess it will have to wait #knitting #knittok #knittersoftiktok #knittingtiktok #knittingprojects #knittingwip #sockknitting #crazysocklady #vanillasocks #vanillasockson9incirculars #knittingonthego #knittingonaplane #travelknitting ♬ original sound – estwne
She says her airline’s policies don’t ban these needles. Generally, that is correct! The flight attendant was wrong, but coming from the correct place.
According to TSA, knitting needles are expressly permitted inflight.
However it does seem to me that – for reasons similar to a requirement to stow laptops and other bulky items during takeoff and landing – having needles out during crucial times during flight presents a risk. In truth, there’s potential risk at all times (laptops or needles could both become projectiles in severe turbulence) however we weigh the likelihood of that risk against inconvenience. passengers aren’t strapped in with hardcover books stowed throughout the flight.
Here’s a classic, a woman cross-stitching on a plane. It wasn’t so much the needlework that went viral, but what she was knitting:
And if you’re going to make the most of your time inflight, making clothing or blankets or other keepsakes, why crochet or cross stitch when you can just bring a sewing machine on your flight?
Mira que he visto cosas raras en un avión. Pero sacar tu máquina del equipaje de mano y coserte unas cortinas es otro nivel#ConMisManitasYMiTricotosa pic.twitter.com/lWcQ260dmX
— Glo✈️ (@glointhesky) June 17, 2021
Ultimately we don’t ban everyday items simply because they have nonzero potential for harm. Sewing machines I think would be greater risk than sewing needles. Make sure to stow those for takeoff and landing!
Knitting? In this economy??
I can’t remember any problems related to knitting on an airplane. Maybe it was something about the passenger not being miserable.
Knitting needles are comparably sharp to an ink pen or a tablet stylus and less sharp than a freshly sharpened pencil. Perhaps she should restrict their use on flights as well.
I would ask the FA if she was making every passenger put away every pen or pencil as well. Sock needles are usually teeeny tiny and made out of very bendable bamboo. Ridiculous.
Sock needles are firmly contained by the piece so they won’t be flying around, especially if using a circular needle. I would be more concerned about flying forks.
But she wasn’t knitting during takeoff or landing. What next, can we not use pens or pencils, which are just as sharp, if not sharper, than knitting needles. With this logic, what about forks and spoons!?! Oh no, what about crayons!!!
I don’t know if you’ve addressed this but can you not use AI images as thumbnails? Perhaps an actual photo from the event or a nice knitted quilt or something? I find them highly unappealing, and they suggest a level of laziness that I just can’t shake when reading the article, which is a shame because I find the rest of your work to be anything but.
I agree with @Bart – the AI images are weird and off-putting. Just use a stock photo like you’ve always done.
The comments exhibit the same ignorance exhibited by the FA: Sharp objects present very little danger. It’s HEAVY objects that are the danger. If there’s turbulence and you get hit by laptop, that’s going to hurt. Something that is sharp but has minimal mass isn’t a danger… A knitting needle isn’t going to hurt you at all.
@Bart @Ryan — You’re not the first and you won’t be the last to complain, but you’re merely going against the tide these days, for better or worse. I see that @Bart also expressed his concern in the recent ‘Qatar stabbing’ post because an AI thumbnail was used there, too. I don’t think it matters much, either way. Let’s just be grateful that Gary continues to host us. If he wants to use the occasional AI art, it’s really no big deal.
As far as I am aware (and have experienced), only flights originating from France and Mexico have restrictions on knitting needles. Mostly this seems to be with metal needles, so I travel with wooden needles or check when going through security in these countries. Through CDG, I have traveled with throwaway plastic needles and my project on a lifeline in case they confiscated the needles, and no problems.
I fly a lot– 68 itineraries last year–and nothing is more rewarding than pulling out a WIP (work in progress) after a long work trip and knitting away on a plane. I may not do this based on how crowded the flight is. The attendant was in the wrong.
time to let adults be responsible for themselves.. if the passengers stabs herself or others, she’ll have to face the consequences..