# Why do people (try to) bring guns on planes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 22, 2016, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906 "2016-01-22T20:59:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/21 "2016-01-24T04:14:13Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > well I can’t imagine carrying a knife and not being aware of it. What about having a Swiss Army knife in a pocket of your backpack? ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/22 "2016-01-24T04:30:17Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > What about having a Swiss Army knife in a pocket of your backpack? Clearly just as dangerous. Falling into the wrong hands, it could spur yet another mass fingernail filing or corkscrewing. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/23 "2016-01-24T04:32:21Z")
> [@ChickenLegs](#): > > Do you feel the same way about a pocket knife? Pocket knives are useful for all sorts of daily activities that do not involve acts of violence in a way that guns are not. I’ve never seen anyone cut a slice of cheese for a sandwich with a gun, for example. I used to carry a pocket knife in my purse all the time (it also had scissors, a screwdriver, and other handy items on it), but then I started having to enter government buildings for work reasons and forgot to leave it at work once too often. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/24 "2016-01-24T08:50:19Z")
> [@Eva\_Luna](#): > > Pocket knives are useful for all sorts of daily activities that do not involve acts of violence in a way that guns are not. I’ve never seen anyone cut a slice of cheese for a sandwich with a gun, for example. > > I used to carry a pocket knife in my purse all the time (it also had scissors, a screwdriver, and other handy items on it), but then I started having to enter government buildings for work reasons and forgot to leave it at work once too often. The 9/11 terror attacks were accomplished with nothing more than razor blades and they weren’t even prohibited on planes at the time. Both you or I can kill someone just easily with a sharp knife or blade to the throat as you can with a firearm. In fact, the 9/11 terrorists did kill a flight attendant with a simple blade before they crashed planes into the World Trade Centers just to let the other passengers know that they were serious. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/25 "2016-01-24T13:33:30Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > … > I am reminded of the (possibly apocryphal) story of the French professor who was caught carrying a bomb onto a plane. When questioned he said that the odd against there being **two** bombs on a plane were astronomical. An excellent thread on the mathematics and logic of this joke is here: > **[What is the logical/statistical switcheroo behind this joke?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=609647)** > > Ok. Guy is passing through inspection gate for a flight. It’s discovered he’s trying to smuggle a bomb aboard. When they interrogate him and ask him why he did it, he said “I’m terrified of a bombing on this flight. I figure, what are the odds of two... ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/26 "2016-01-24T13:57:30Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I’m sorry but if they had not been confiscated that would be 2,653 too many. > > I am reminded of the (possibly apocryphal) story of the French professor who was caught carrying a bomb onto a plane. When questioned he said that the odd against there being **two** bombs on a plane were astronomical. I was told a variation of that by a math professor (an American), and he wasn’t claiming it actually happened, but was humorously illustrating the same point as the professor you mention (an implication of the Poisson distribution, that carrying a bomb onto a plane would seem to be a safety measure against an actual wrongdoer carrying a bomb onto the same flight). To the OP: In 2009, I was in Santa Fe, NM, and was checking my bags for the flight home. I had recently returned from Iraq, and was wearing an Iraqi embassy t-shirt. The clerk (Southwest) took my bags, and then amiably gestured at the insignia on my shirt, “And… are you armed?” He had obviously mistaken me for an embassy courier, who often carry weapons. I would guess that some of the people caught bringing guns onto planes have a legit reason to carry, but are required to check the gun before they board, and forget to do so. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/27 "2016-01-24T14:01:51Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > The 9/11 terror attacks were accomplished with nothing more than razor blades and they weren’t even prohibited on planes at the time. Both you or I can kill someone just easily with a sharp knife or blade to the throat as you can with a firearm. In fact, the 9/11 terrorists did kill a flight attendant with a simple blade before they crashed planes into the World Trade Centers just to let the other passengers know that they were serious. I don’t think that is entirely relevant, I could after all use my shoe laces as a garrotte. Anybody who routinely carries a gun does so as a weapon. The majority of people who carry pocket knives do so because they can be useful in so many benign ways. If you were one of those few who carry a knife to be used as a weapon and you were not sufficiently self-aware not to carry it onto a plane, then I would question your suitability to be allowed out in public. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/28 "2016-01-24T14:37:09Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > The 9/11 terror attacks were accomplished with nothing more than razor blades and they weren’t even prohibited on planes at the time. Both you or I can kill someone just easily with a sharp knife or blade to the throat as you can with a firearm. In fact, the 9/11 terrorists did kill a flight attendant with a simple blade before they crashed planes into the World Trade Centers just to let the other passengers know that they were serious. Due to policies in place at that time. Locking the cockpit doors and changing the policy not to cooperate with highjackers have changed that. Prohibiting very small knives has had no positive effect whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/29 "2016-01-24T15:58:10Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > The 9/11 terror attacks were accomplished with nothing more than razor blades and they weren’t even prohibited on planes at the time. Both you or I can kill someone just easily with a sharp knife or blade to the throat as you can with a firearm. In fact, the 9/11 terrorists did kill a flight attendant with a simple blade before they crashed planes into the World Trade Centers just to let the other passengers know that they were serious. This is, or course, bullshit. A gun allows action at a distance. A knife requires the attacker to close with their victim. So, it’s not the same threat. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/30 "2016-01-24T18:11:08Z")
Could it be they just don’t want to PAY to check a bag? ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/31 "2016-01-24T22:16:32Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Clearly just as dangerous. Falling into the wrong hands, it could spur yet another mass fingernail filing or corkscrewing. Don’t forget those dangerous bottles of water TSA keeps people from sneaking in. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2016, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/32 "2016-01-24T22:36:47Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > This is, or course, bullshit. > A gun allows action at a distance. A knife requires the attacker to close with their victim. > So, it’s not the same threat. Meh… I would want to fuck with some guy with a knife about a much as I would want to fuck with a guy with a gun on a plane for all practical purposes… Unless of course I ALSO had a gun:smack: ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/33 "2016-01-25T05:11:02Z")
A gun and a knife are not equivalent. Most folks that carry a pocket knife or a utility tool have a small less than 2" and non locking blade. It’s a tool that can be used as a weapon, but isn’t in the same class as a firearm. You know, the meme of “bring a knife to a gun fight.” Guns can be used for but usually are not a good tool for opening cans, cleaning fingernails, opening envelopes or boxes, removing splinters, etc. although my WW2 and Korean Theater combat vet father said pre-911 that all you need is a whittling knife with a 2" blade to take a hostage, and he unfortunately was right. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/34 "2016-01-25T05:49:01Z")
> [@RadicalPi](#): > > If I’m reading this ([http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/acts](http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/acts)) correctly, 797,157,000 people flew between November 2014 and October 2015. If they confiscated 2,653 guns, that’s 0.000333%, which is essentially 0. Zero is essentially zero i.e. as in countries like the UK where it’s national news if one is discovered, this was actually an airgun: > **[French man held as suspected firearm found at Gatwick Airport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-34821392)** > > A man from France is arrested after what appears to have been a firearm was found at Gatwick Airport, leading to the evacuation of a terminal. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/35 "2016-01-25T12:36:46Z")
> [@ticker](#): > > I don’t think that is entirely relevant, I could after all use my shoe laces as a garrotte. Anybody who routinely carries a gun does so as a weapon. The majority of people who carry pocket knives do so because they can be useful in so many benign ways. If you were one of those few who carry a knife to be used as a weapon and you were not sufficiently self-aware not to carry it onto a plane, then I would question your suitability to be allowed out in public. Entering a courthouse, I had my tiny keychain knife confiscated, put into a lockbox, paperwork, etc. I pointed out to the guard that I could do more harm with my pen by driving it into someone’s eye. There was an awkward ten second stare over that remark, and I’ve been more cautious in my speech since then. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/36 "2016-01-25T14:48:44Z")
I was the one who originally brought up the pocketknife comparison, and in no way was it intended to draw an equivalence between the dangers of guns and pocketknives.\* The point was simply that it’s something else that is also not allowed on planes, and yet I forget I’m carrying one constantly when going places where they aren’t allowed. Needless to say, a gun should be easier to rememeber since it is larger and heavier but it won’t always be foremost in your mind that it’s on you. \*I carry the pocketknife for utility purposes, not for self-defense. It wouldn’t be much use in a fight even if it wasn’t attached to my keys, and I have no illusions about using it to defend myself from anything more threatening than a small dog. When I was a pizza delivery driver I used to carry a BB gun and Bowie-type knife in my glovebox for protection. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/37 "2016-01-25T17:29:36Z")
I carry a pocketknife and a Swiss Army knife everywhere. The Swiss Army knife has very thin blades that would probably break for some of the tasks I put my other knife to (prying things apart, cutting tough materials). But it has some handy tools like tiny scissors, tweezers, screwdrivers of various kinds, etc. My “real” knife is a solid Gerber that is half-serrated and it can open easily with one hand, but the blade is only 2" long so that it doesn’t make anyone nervous. I can be forgetful so I get paranoid before I fly. I have nothing in my pockets except a cell phone. Even my keys go into checked luggage. I don’t want anything to get me in trouble or delay my boarding. I am a gun owner and I’ve carried a pistol to places but can’t imagine forgetting I have one on me. Even my compact has a good amount of weight to it and I’m aware of it at all times. Unless you’re carrying some tiny little Kahr or something like a Derringer how can you forget it? It’s nothing like a pocketknife. Forgetting it in your bags I can see but not on your hip or pocket. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/38 "2016-01-25T17:30:19Z")
> [@Chihuahua](#): > > So looking at some statistics on TSA’s instagram ([Travel Tips & Dad Joke Hits 🎶 (@tsa) • Instagram photos and videos](https://www.instagram.com/tsa/)) they claim to have intercepted 2,653 guns last year. > > I find this astonishing and unbelievable. I do, too, because the TSA is a bunch of bumbling morons. Most of those guns probably looked like [this one.](https://twitter.com/Fox35Amy/status/667693845795221505/photo/1) ---
**Author:** ![Malden\_Capell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malden_capell/32/5274_2.png) [@Malden\_Capell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malden_Capell)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/39 "2016-01-25T19:22:18Z")
Heh. My American father-in-law, when queuing to tour Buckingham Palace, saw a sign stating that possession of knives or guns would constitute a serious violation of the law, and casually (slightly naively) asked if they meant his pocket knife. I said yes, and he’d likely not see it again if the guards found it. As we were deep in the queue and had pre-paid tickets, he chucked it into the nearest bush. Two hours later he reclaimed it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906/40 "2016-01-25T19:32:06Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I’m sorry but if they had not been confiscated that would be 2,653 too many. > . Why? As far as I know, none of these people were arrested or considered possible terrorists, just absent minded. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-try-to-bring-guns-on-planes/743906.md?page=1)