TSA's changing carry-on rules can create confusion for travelers

Changes to TSA’s prohibited items list

The Transportation Security Administration announced Tuesday changes to what can and cannot be brought on board an aircraft.  Amid a flurry of criticism, U.S. airline passengers will soon be allowed to carry small knives in their carry-on bags, but there are other changes tp the prohibited item list. 

If the shifting regulations of air travel has got you confused, here's another set of regulations to remember while flying.

Small knives, golf clubs, and other items currently banned from planes will be allowed in the carry-on of U.S. passengers, the Transportation Security Administration announced Tuesday. TSA spokesman David Castelveter said the move gets the U.S. more in line with International Civil Aviation Organization standards and would also help provide a better experience for travelers.

Lifting of the ban on select items come with a host of new rules to follow. For example, you can't bring a knife on board with a blade larger than 2.36 inches or 6 cm in length. A bat is now okay, but that too needs to be of a certain size.

Some travel experts say the move, while an attempt to make travel smoother while keeping our skies safe, may create even more confusion in the airport screening process. After all, there are still plenty of people that still seem surprised that you must put your carry-on liquids in 3-ounce containers or that you have to take your shoes off when going through a security check point.

"I do think that the TSA rules are already confusing, and this will just make things worse," George Hobica, founder of airfarewatchdog.com, told FoxNews.com. "It always seems to me that the rules are enforced somewhat arbitrarily from airport to airport and line to line."

Adding to the confusion are the seemingly ever-shifting regulations. In 2011, one major change to the airport screening process was that children ages 12 and younger and those over age 75 do not have to remove their shoes.  Even today the ban on scissors, which was lifted in 2005, still surprises some, and too came with its own caveats: blades must be shorter than four inches.

For those trying to keep up with things, the most recent changes go into effect on April 25.  Check out our slideshow for more specifics. And when in doubt, check the TSA website to see what you can and cannot have aboard a plane.