Most confiscated item at airport security revealed – and it’s not booze

AN AIRPORT boss has revealed one of the most confiscated items at airport security – and it’s not what you might think.

According to the airport’s COO Alison Fitzgerald, a sticky British brekkie item is often confiscated by security staff as it breaches hand luggage regulations.

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Passengers at London City Airport are frequently asked to chuck away jars of Marmite at the security gate.

The consistency of the spread means that it is considered a liquid and therefore breaks the 100ml rule that is still in place at most UK airports.

If you really want to take it, leave it in your checked luggage or get a smaller, travel-sized version that is under 100ml.

Don’t worry about them going to waste though, as they are usually donated to charity if they are unopened.

Passengers have shared their own stories of having the spread taken from them.

Someone travelling through Bristol Airport tweeted: “Security stole my Marmite as apparently it’s a liquid.”

“We literally ate 3/4 of a jar in front of UK airport security at Gatwick because we didn’t know it was a liquid & proceeded to be ill for the whole flight to Dublin.”

Marmite isn’t the only usual item to be thrown away at security, though.

Snow globes are also top of the confiscated list at London City Airport.

“It’s because, unlike most toiletries, snow globes rarely have a clear label that indicates how much liquid is inside,” says Alison.

Without this label, staff can’t confirm that it’s definitely under 100ml, no matter how small the snow globe is, she explains.

This has now all changed at London City, though, thanks to the introduction of new CT scanners.

From today, anyone passing through security at London City will no longer have to remove liquids, laptops or battery packs from their bags.

The 100ml rule has also been scrapped, meaning that passengers can now carry liquids of up to two litres in their hand luggage, which is more than the standard jar of Marmite.

The rules have also changed at Teesside Airport which scrapped the 100ml liquid rules back in February.

Usual hand luggage rules still remain in place at some other airports, though, with many trialling the scheme before it is fully rolled out in time for the government deadline of June 1, 2024.

Luton Airport confirmed that they will install the new CT bag scanners at its security gates by the end of the year, while trials are also being carried out at Heathrow and Gatwick.

Until then, we’ve revealed all the dos and don’ts of travelling through airport security. 

And here are the snacks you should never buy at the airport to eat on the plane.

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