Just flew two days ago (and again tomorrow ) I took two-dozen batteries on without question. and a spool of 10g wire. The only thing they looked at was my case of colored pencils... which seemed to confuse them. go figure.

Hide it in the stash pocket on your chrome bag. I've heard of people flying cross country with a sack of gonj in there and not getting caught. I think your church key should be fine.

I don't believe that for a second, and it's among the dumbest risks ever.

As for the church key, it will most likely be found, and they'll pass it around and poke their hands with it to decide if you can hold up a plane with it.

My chrome bag had a tear in it and a pocket knife managed to make it in the space between the truck tarp liner and the outer. My wife asked me if I'd forgotten to take out a knife when she saw TSA running my bag through multiple times.

Keep the church key at home. that sharp point would make it get confiscated. Feel free to bring on all the pens and pencils you want, though. Get a 3 AA mini maglite LED flashlight for a makeshift kubotan.

I travel with my mess bag all the time and haven't gotten hassled over my bike tools.

i have a bailey works, no stash pocket. either that or i'm just missing it.

is that what they'd do with a church key? next time i fly i'll keep that in mind.

Airport security took away my climbing carabiner that I had on the outside of my bag. They didn't know what it was and I tried to explain what it was used for only to have the head of security make the call to throw it. It was either that or not board the plane...