Getting ready for a getaway can be a tense time, and an innocent packing slip-up could swiftly derail your travel plans when you find yourself barred from boarding. It’s easy to pack prohibited items by mistake — something that happens all too often, according to an American Airlines baggage handler who divulged a detailed set of advice on Reddit for those planning to fly.
They cautioned: “Pressure does weird things. Decreased atmospheric pressure at altitude can cause pressurised bottles and cans to leak. I have had to clean the better part of an entire can of shaving cream out of my toiletry kit before.”
While holidaymakers may pack aerosols such as sun cream and deodorant without a thought, particularly for trips to sunnier climes, they might be unaware of the potential issues these items can cause in the cabin. If there’s any doubt over what’s permitted on board, it’s always best to check with authorities — the Civil Aviation Authority provides an extensive list specifying what’s allowed and what’s not.
As per current UK aviation security rules outlined by the CAA, travellers cannot bring liquids, including aerosols and gels, in quantities greater than 100ml in hand luggage through airport security checkpoints.
Aerosols containing non-flammable, non-toxic gas with ‘no subsidiary risk’—like nitrogen or carbon dioxide—for home or sports use can be safely stowed away in checked luggage placed in the aircraft hold. However, there are rules to heed: the total weight must not exceed two kilos or two litres, and the aerosols should feature protected release valves to prevent accidental discharge, reports the Express.
In a travel hiccup, traveller Cody Stanley from @fortheplot was barred from boarding her flight in Peru due to an oversight involving a portable charger left in her checked baggage. She shared her experience as a cautionary tale for fellow globetrotters.
Cody recounted her ordeal, saying, “I had a portable charger in my checked luggage and I didn’t realise it was in there, it’s not normally in there it’s normally in my little bag. But it’s my fault, I take responsibility, but I forgot.”
The incident led to her being unable to join her friend Ellie on their scheduled flight to Ecuador as the airline refused her entry onto the plane. To stress the point, she added, “They wouldn’t let me get it out my bag and they wouldn’t let me get on my flight, so make sure you never, ever, ever put a portable charger in your checked baggage.”
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has issued a warning to passengers about the dangers of packing lithium batteries in checked luggage. According to the latest edition of the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, any baggage equipped with a lithium battery where the lithium content exceeds 0.3g or a Watt-hour rating of 2.7Wh for lithium-ion batteries should not be packed in checked baggage.
Instead, these items must be carried as hand luggage unless the battery is removed from the baggage, protected against short circuits and carried in the cabin. Passengers are also advised to check with their airline for any prohibited items for checked-in luggage.