Brits heading on holidays this summer should know what that they can and can't take with them in hand luggage.
If you are heading abroad on budget airlines like Wizz Air, Ryanair and easyJet this summer, then there's a good chance you're opting to avoid extra checked-luggage fees and take a cabin bag instead.
As frugal a decision as this may be, passengers could end up throwing their beloved possessions in the bin if they fall foul of hand luggage rules.
If you are keen to keep the costs down as much as possible and want to avoid buying anything from the airport or trolley, the good news is that most airlines allow you to bring food into the cabin.
We've got a separate guide to the major airlines' policies on food and drink so you can double check before making your packed lunch.
In terms of what is allowed in hang luggage, the full list is close to endless, but the green-lit items you're likely to bring include normal electronics, clothes, books, pens, paper, headphones and travel pillows.
While some of the banned items are fairly obvious and include, generally speaking, things that explode or are sharp, there are some red-listed things that you would be forgiven for thinking twice about packing.
Non-foldable umbrellas, scissors, lighter fuel and toy guns are just some of the examples - we've put a full list together below.
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 list above includes the main items which are banned on all UK airlines in the cabin, but it is important to note that different aviation firms have different rules, as do different countries.
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.
For specific airlines, you can find the details on their dedicated pages below:
Airports also offer dedicated guides for passengers including Gatwick, Manchester, London Heathrow and Birmingham.
One big change that is currently being brought in across the UK is the amount of liquid you can bring with you in your hand luggage, with new tech due to increase the limit significantly.
It was announced late last year that the strict 100ml liquid limit will be relaxed from June 2024, thanks to new scanners which let airport security see detailed 3D images of what is inside travellers' bags.
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.
Sadly, the rules remain in place in all other UK airports for now, but the silver lining is that they will be required to deploy the high-tech CT scanners by June 2024, at which point the liquid 100ml limit is set to end nationwide.
There are also items that are 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.
