>>If you really need a blade, buy a bottle of wine in the duty free shop. Then you can smash it and use the broken glass if you need to.<<

Ooh, good call! Not only as a blade but it'd also make an excellent bludgeon in the tiny chance someone is ever stupid enough to attempt to hijack another plane with any weapon less than high-capacity firearms or some form of explosives. I'm off to the duty-free shop! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Personally I flew over Christmas for the first time since 9/11, mainly due to economics, not desire or any real concerns. I packed a picture cube 3"x3" made out of heavy plastic (Lucite I think) with sharp corners. In the incredibly small chance of something happening I figured it would be fairly effective either thrown or wrapped in a shirt and wielded like a flail. (Does anyone else's wife (or husband) think they're hopelessly paranoid?! <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> )