As the summer holiday season gets underway, many British tourists will be flying abroad for some sun, sea and relaxation.
The one thing you don't want while travelling to a foreign country is to get stuck at security with something in your hand luggage that you shouldn't have. The Mirror reports by not following the rules, you could end up having to throw away beloved possessions in order to avoid trouble in the queues.
Those who want to keep food costs down will be happy to hear that most airlines allow you to bring food from the airport into the cabin. In terms of what is allowed in hang luggage, the full list is close to endless - but most electronics, clothes, books, pens, paper, travel pillows and headphones all pass the test.
And while the banned items list can seem obvious to some, there are some unusual red-listed things that you may not be aware of. Read on to find out more.
Banned items in hand luggage
The main items banned from hand luggage include:
- Acid
- Billiard, snooker or pool cues
- Builder's tools
- Catapults and sling-shots
- Darts
- Explosives
- Gas cartridges, or gas cartridge re-fills
- Hammers, nails or screw-drivers
- Hypodermic syringes (unless supported by medical evidence)
- Knives with blades more than 6cm
- Lighter fuel
- Lighter top-up fuel (passengers are allowed to carry one disposable lighter in a clear re-sealable plastic bag)
- Mercury
- Paint
- Razor blades
- Scissors - specifically, blades measuring greater than 6cm in length
- Sporting bats
- Toy or replica guns (plastic or metal)
- Umbrellas - unless foldable
The above list include items that are banned on all UK airlines, but it is important to be aware that different airlines have different rules - as well as different countries changing their rules too.
Some countries ban certain food items from being placed in hand luggage, so check with your airline or tour operator directly if you're unsure and you have something a little unusual in your bag.
Banned items on certain airlines
In terms of more specific hand luggage rules on airlines, you can find out more details on their own webpages listed below:
Airports like Glasgow, Edinburgh, Prestwick and Aberdeen also offer their own guides on their websites and inside the airport itself.
One big change currently affecting passengers across the UK is the amount of liquid you can carry in your hand luggage with you - as new technology is set to raise the limit significantly.
The news was announced in 2022 the strict 100ml limit will be relaxed from June 2024, thanks to savvy new scanners which will let airport security see detailed 3D images of what is inside a passengers' bag.
At London City Airport and Teeside Airport, passengers can now bring full-sized liquids through the security checkpoint up to two litres—and they no longer need to separate liquids into clear bags.
The original rules remain in place across all other UK airports for now, but they will change next year, at which point the liquid 100ml limit is set to end nationwide.
Items that are banned from both hand and hold luggage
There are also items banned from both hand luggage and hold luggage, so make sure you have rid your bags of any of the below:
- Flammable liquids and solids
- Oxidisers such as bleaching powders
- Organic peroxides
- Tear gas devices or any gas cylinders
- Infectious substances such as live virus materials
- Wet-cell car batteries
- Magnetrons
- Instruments containing mercury - however, thermometers with mercury are permitted in hold luggage (but not hand luggage) only, if they are carried in a protective case
- Instruments containing magnets
- Fireworks
- Toy/replica guns (metal or plastic)
- Non-safety matches
- Firelighters, lighter fuel, paints or thinners
- Poisons, arsenic, cyanide or weedkiller
- Radioactive materials, acids, corrosives, alkalis or caustic soda
- Creosote, quicklime or oiled paper
- Vehicle fuel system parts which have contained fuel
- Party poppers
If you're unsure about a specific item, get in touch with your airline or tour operator direct who can advise as to whether you'll be allowed to bring it with you in your luggage.
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