Hand luggage rules to check this summer including 100ml liquids restrictions

To ensure that you’re not waiting that extra bit longer, and further adding to what can be a stressful experience at the best of times, check out this list of hand-luggage dos and don’ts to make sure you get it right

The recent chaos and lengthy lines at UK airports has made avoiding having to queue for check-in more crucial for a smooth airport experience than ever before.

Over the past few months travel hubs including Manchester and Birmingham airports have been overwhelmed by demand.

Hundreds of extra members of staff have been drafted in by Manchester to deal with the pre-lockdown travel bounce, which has had passengers queueing up out of the door.

To ensure that you’re not waiting that extra bit longer, and further adding to what can be a stressful experience at the best of times, check out this list of hand-luggage dos and don’ts to make sure you get it right.

Liquids

There are restrictions on the amount of liquids you can take in your hand luggage. If possible, pack liquids in your hold baggage.

Liquids include:

• all drinks, including water
• liquid or semi-liquid foods, for example soup, jam, honey and syrups
• cosmetics and toiletries, including creams, lotions, oils, perfumes, mascara and lip gloss
• sprays, including shaving foam, hairspray and spray deodorants
• pastes, including toothpaste
• gels, including hair and shower gel
• contact lens solution
• any other solutions and items of similar consistency

If you do take liquids in your hand luggage, make sure the containers hold less than 100ml.

Even if there’s less than 100ml in a bigger bottle, members of security may well through the whole thing away.

The only exemptions are bottles containing essential medicine, food that is part of special dietary requirements, baby milk and baby food.

Containers must be in a single, transparent, resealable plastic bag, which holds no more than a litre and measures approximately 20cm x 20cm.

They must also fit comfortably inside the bag so it can be sealed and must not be knotted or tied at the top.

Bottles bigger than 100ml bought from duty free can be brought on board, but they must be sealed inside a security bag and the receipt must be visible.

Lighters

You can only carry 1 lighter on board. You should put it inside a resealable plastic bag (like the ones used for liquids), which you must keep on you throughout the flight.

You cannot put it in your hold luggage or your put it in your hand luggage after screening.

Food and powers

Food items and powders in your hand luggage can obstruct images on x-ray machines. Your bags may need to be checked again manually by security.

You can put these items in your hold luggage to minimise delays.

Sharp objects

Unsurprisingly, it is forbidden to bring knives into the cabin of a plane, although most airlines do allow them in the hold.

Some slightly less sharp, less deadly seeming objects are allowed in hand luggage.

These include spoons, small scissors with blades 6cm long or shorter, blunt scissors, disposable razors, nail clippers, knitting needles, tweezers, sewing needles, umbrellas, safety matches and walking sticks.

Corkscrews and large scissors are allowed in the hold, while non-safety matches and fireworks are banned from both.

Sports equipment

Sadly, one man’s rounder’s bat is another man’s means of taking airline staff hostage.

Going through UK airport security, sports parachutes, tennis racquets, cues and fishing rods are allowed in hand luggage.

Heavy bats, golf clubs, darts, walking poles, crossbows, spear guns, martial arts equipment and catapults are only permitted in the hold.

Work tools

Taking a tool with a shaft longer than 6cm, a drill, Stanley knife, saw, screwdriver, hammer, pliers, wrench, nail gun, crowbar or blowtorch in hand luggage is forbidden.

There are no other tools listed on the government’s website that are permitted.

Chemicals

Items with the following in are banned in both hand luggage and the hold:

• oxidisers and organic peroxides, including bleach and car body repair kits
• acids and alkalis (for example spillable ‘wet’ batteries)
• corrosives or bleaching agents (including mercury and chlorine)
• vehicle batteries and fuel systems
• self defence or disabling sprays (for example mace, pepper spray)
• radioactive materials (including medicinal or commercial isotopes)
• poisons or toxic substances (for example rat poison)
• biological hazards (for example infected blood, bacteria, viruses)
• materials that could spontaneously combust (burst into flames)
• fire extinguishers

Ammunition

Unsurprisingly, UK Border Force is similarly strict when it comes to bringing ammunition onto planes.

None of the following are allowed anywhere on a plane:

• blasting caps
• detonators and fuses
• imitation explosive devices (including replica or model guns)
• mines, grenades, and other explosive military stores
• fireworks and pyrotechnics
• smoke canisters
• smoke cartridges
• dynamite
• gunpowder
• plastic explosives (including black powder and percussion caps)
• flares
• hand grenades
• gun cigarette lighters