Packing

Hand baggage restrictions
Some airports in the UK currently have different regulations regarding hand baggage. Always check with your airline to see how many bags you can carry on board. Regardless of the quantity, each item of hand baggage must be no larger than.

• 56 centimetres tall (approximately 22 inches).
• 45 centimetres wide (approximately 17.7 inches).
• 25 centimetres deep (approximately 10 inches)

Please note for Stansted Airport and Flybe passengers at Southampton, hand baggage is limited to the following:

• 55 centimetres tall (approximately 21.7 inches).
• 40 centimetres wide (approximately 15.7inches).
• 20 centimetres deep (approximately 7.9 inches).

Please note, this is the maximum bag size allowed through security. Smaller bag sizes may apply depending on which airline you travel with. More detailed information about hand baggage restrictions is available in our Security Control sections at all our airports:

Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, Stansted Airport, Glasgow Airport, Edinburgh Airport, Aberdeen Airport, Southampton Airport.

Travelling with liquids
We strongly advise you to pack any liquids that you don’t need whilst onboard the aircraft in your hold baggage. However, if you do need to travel with liquids, please be aware of the following restrictions which apply to all liquids you wish to carry through an airport security checkpoint:

• All liquids must be in individual containers not greater than 100ml capacity. They must be placed in one transparent re-sealable transparent bag, no larger than 20cm x 20cm (8" x 8") in size, and fit comfortably inside the bag so it can be fastened closed.
• Only one bag per passenger is allowed. The bag must be clear and re-sealable, such as ‘ziplock’ bags or bags with pressable seals. Larger bags or bags that are sealable, such as fold-over sandwich bags are not allowed.
• Each passenger must remove their clear plastic bag from their hand baggage and place it in on the conveyor belt for X-ray screening.
• Liquids in containers of more than 100ml capacity can be packed in your hold baggage
  Exemptions to the liquids rule applies for liquid medicine or baby milk/food 'Need more help?

More information about travelling with liquids is available in our Security Control sections at all our airports:

Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, Stansted Airport, Glasgow Airport, Edinburgh Airport, Aberdeen Airport, Southampton Airport.

Prohibited hand baggage items

The following items must not be packed in your hand luggage. They must be placed in your hold baggage. If these items are discovered in your hand luggage they will be confiscated and not returned:

• Scissors (except where both blades are round-ended or less than three centimetres).
• Razor blades (razors that have the blade set into a plastic moulding are allowed, but razors that can be opened and the razor blade removed are prohibited).
• Knives with blades of any length.
• Household cutlery (small teaspoons are permitted).
• Hypodermic needles (unless required for medical reasons, for which proof will be required).
• Tools (including multi-tools and penknives).
• Catapults.
• Corkscrews.
• Walking/hiking poles.
• Fireworks.
• Toy/replica guns (metal or plastic).
• Sporting bats.
• Darts.
• Billiard, snooker or pool cues.

• Don’t wrap gifts - it is possible that the security teams may wish to view them properly, and will unwrap them.
• Keep electronic items to a minimum and please bear with us as we may need to take a little longer to screen these items.
• A change of clothes, or at least underwear and a spare shirt can also be appreciated, either at the end of a long-haul flight, or if hold baggage is delayed.
• Don’t carry anything on to an aircraft for anyone else.

• Before packing, check locks and zips on suitcases to make sure they are in good working order and that you have the necessary keys.
• Don’t overfill your suitcase – it will be more likely to burst in transit.
• Pack heavy items, such as shoes and books at the bottom of your case.
• Make sure that tubes and bottles of toiletries are properly sealed and inside a suitable bag. It’s worth wrapping toiletry bags in a towel or a plastic bag, so that if there is a leak other items in your suitcase won’t be affected.
• Take a tube of laundry handwash liquid so that small items can be washed and re-used for the duration of your stay.
• Plan your wardrobe so that you can mix and match items of clothing, and create different outfits from a smaller number of clothes.

In addition, to avoid bags getting jammed on the conveyor belt, please could you ensure the following:

• All loose straps are tied up or removed.
• All flaps are securely fastened.
• Extendable handles are retracted or secured.
• Old tags and barcodes are removed.

For safety reasons, there are a number of items that cannot be taken onto any aircraft, so please do not pack them in any luggage (hand or hold):

• 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.
• Instruments containing magnets.
• Fireworks.
• Non-safety matches.
• Fire lighters, lighter fuel, paints, thinners.
• Poisons, arsenic, cyanide, weed killer.
• Radioactive materials, acids, corrosives, alkalis, caustic soda.
• Creosote, quicklime, oiled paper.
• Vehicle fuel system components which have contained fuel.