I recently took a plane trip that involved a long layover in the Philadelphia airport. During that layover, my SO and I ate in a TGI Fridays restaurant within the airport concourse. We had already passed through security to get on our first flight, so we were in a part of the airport that couldn’t be reached without going through a security check somewhere.
As it happened, we both ate sandwiches and didn’t need any silverware. The question occurred to us later: what if one of us had ordered something that couldn’t be eaten without a fork and/or knife? You normally can’t have those items in that part of the airport. Would they have given us plastic utensils? Or would they have made sure we couldn’t leave the restaurant without utensils? Or did I just fail to notice that the menu didn’t have anything that required knives and forks?
It’s a good question, actually. I’ve flown a lot recently and been wanded over several times before boarding (at the gate), but they certainly don’t wand everyone. I’m sure if the restaurant discovered that a knife was missing, mass panic and lockdown would likely ensue.
Warning: FOAF reference: Someone we knew recently ate at an airport restaurant after passing through security, and was astounded to find a steak knife with the silverware.
Baron’s suggestion that the restaurants carefully monitor their inventory of silverware is somewhat amusing.
However, I can confirm that the last time I flew (some months ago, but post 9/11) random people were pulled out of the boarding line. They were wanded, and their carry-on luggage was given a cursory check.
The last time I ate at an airport restaurant, they only had plastic utensils. I assumed that was the standard now. But I wouldn’t be too surprised to learn that some airport restaurants don’t do that. It would only further confirm my conviction that all these new airport security measures are completely useless, and accomplish exactly zip outside of their PR value.
It depends. I typically get plastic eating ware, but have had steel “silverware” on a couple of occasions lately, including knives. Then in a lounge, I had a steel spoon and fork, but a plastic knife…I don’t actually think there is a national rule about it, or otherwise how could there be so much inconsistancy?
My observation is that there is no rule in the U.S. and certainly no rule world-wide. Immediately after 9/11, the FAA said they would be banning all knives – even plastic ones – from areas inside the airport security checkpoints and from all flights.