Washington ? The head of the Transportation Security Administration defended the agency’s decision to allow small scissors and sharp tools onto planes, insisting at a Senate hearing Monday that it will make air travel safer.

“Sorting through thousands of bags a day to pull out small tools doesn’t help security, it hurts it,” TSA chief Kip Hawley said, explaining that the move will allow airport screeners to focus more on detecting bombs.

“The list of items that are now permitted on planes that could be turned into weapons is almost limitless,” he said, citing pens, keys, belts and bare hands.

His statements immediately drew some fire from flight attendants who oppose the change. Their group testified to a continuing risk of a 9-11-style hijacking in which terrorists armed with sharp objects could seek to take over a plane.