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Well....I'm sure it'll be useless, as it is everytime I ever seem to talk about this subject on here, but here goes...
The decision to allow certain knives (along with some types of sporting equipment previously disallowed) was done as part of a general initiative TSA's had for some time in terms of risk based screening. The goal is not necessarily to remove ALL threats, nor is it necessarily to stop illegality, but is meant specifically to be aimed at attempting to prevent a significant disturbance in the nations transit system.
What's come about thanks to analysis of intelligence and security measures taken over the years is that the primary threat to the nations aviation system is the notion of smuggled aboard IED's. This is, in part, why your bottles are still not allowed onto airplanes because of the potential use of them as portions of an IED. While a physical hijacking is still a threat, it's a less likely threat due to various security measures (such as the changes to cockpit doors and regulations regarding them that another poster mentioned). The change was done most likely due to an a desire to be as reasonable as possible in the balance between the severity of a threat and the hinderance on the public. Like the pictures people posted demonstrates, this allows for your typical swiss army type of pocket knife to be brought aboard...a rather common thing carried by many people. While it absolutely COULD still pose a threat, the risk of a hijacking using a knife and specifically THAT type of knife was low enough in the TSA's mind to be able to remove those restrictions.
While I understand and sympathize with those having issues with the bottle regulations, I would say that I personally would not expect to see that protocol change anytime in the near future.
In terms of arrest power. The MAJORITY of your TSA workforce do not have arrest power in and of themselves, though they usually work closely with the local LEO's at an airport for those that would require such action. There ARE some entities within TSA however that are Law Enforcement Officers and do have such abilities. They rarely operate actively within the airports or checkpoint type situations however.
The decision to allow certain knives (along with some types of sporting equipment previously disallowed) was done as part of a general initiative TSA's had for some time in terms of risk based screening. The goal is not necessarily to remove ALL threats, nor is it necessarily to stop illegality, but is meant specifically to be aimed at attempting to prevent a significant disturbance in the nations transit system.
What's come about thanks to analysis of intelligence and security measures taken over the years is that the primary threat to the nations aviation system is the notion of smuggled aboard IED's. This is, in part, why your bottles are still not allowed onto airplanes because of the potential use of them as portions of an IED. While a physical hijacking is still a threat, it's a less likely threat due to various security measures (such as the changes to cockpit doors and regulations regarding them that another poster mentioned). The change was done most likely due to an a desire to be as reasonable as possible in the balance between the severity of a threat and the hinderance on the public. Like the pictures people posted demonstrates, this allows for your typical swiss army type of pocket knife to be brought aboard...a rather common thing carried by many people. While it absolutely COULD still pose a threat, the risk of a hijacking using a knife and specifically THAT type of knife was low enough in the TSA's mind to be able to remove those restrictions.
While I understand and sympathize with those having issues with the bottle regulations, I would say that I personally would not expect to see that protocol change anytime in the near future.
In terms of arrest power. The MAJORITY of your TSA workforce do not have arrest power in and of themselves, though they usually work closely with the local LEO's at an airport for those that would require such action. There ARE some entities within TSA however that are Law Enforcement Officers and do have such abilities. They rarely operate actively within the airports or checkpoint type situations however.
