Birmingham Airport: What items are allowed in my hand luggage? The banned items from Jet2, Ryanair, and more

Two UK airports have scrapped the 100ml liquid limit by adding high-tech scanners that will allow passengers to keep electronics in their hand bags through security check.

These scanners at London City Airport and Teeside are expected to ensure faster security checks - which is vital during holiday periods when thousands of people set off for vacations.

But these scanners are not in place in Birmingham yet as thousands of people plan to travel through Birmingham Airport (BHX) with higher numbers expected than last year..

Over the four-day bank holiday - Good Friday to Monday - a total of 126,000 customers are booked to go through BHX - of these 63,000 will be departing and 62,700 are due to arrive arriving. That is 12.5% more than Easter 2022.

The five most popular Easter destinations from BHX are: Dublin, Amsterdam, Dubai, Belfast, and Alicante. While there are no travel restrictions around coronavirus this time around, there are other restrictions, including those around hand baggage as the high-tech scanners won’t be arriving in Birmingham until summer of 2024.

It is vital that your travel documents meet the eligibility requirements before taking your journey and ensure that your hand bag meets the size limitations placed by your airlines. Travellers should be aware of these strict hand baggage rules so they aren’t forced to throw away essential items at BHX while going through security checks.

Nick Barton, chief executive for Birmingham Airport, said: “While some airports have upgraded their pre-flight screening areas so that customers no longer need to remove liquids and laptops from hand luggage, BHX will not do this until June 2024. Until then, existing air travel rules still apply, including removing liquids and laptops from bags before they go through the scanners.”

So, passengers will have to remove laptop computers, tablets (iPads etc), Kindles/e-readers and other large electronic devices from their cabin baggage to be screened separately. All liquid, gel or cream toiletries and cosmetics (in containers of 100ml or less each) will have to be kept in a transparent re-sealable plastic bag ready for security staff to x-ray separately.

What products are banned from the hand baggage at Birmingham Airport?

Airlines have their own list of items that can’t be take in a hand bag. This is in addition to the list of dangerous and illegal goods published by individual airlines. The following list is an example list and is not exhaustive:

• Toy or replica guns
• Catapults
• Household cutlery
• Knives with blades longer than 6cm
• Paper knives
• Razor blades
• Tradesman’s tools
• Darts
• Scissors with pointed tips and blades longer than 6cm
• Sporting bats
• Billiard, snooker or pool cues
• Flammable liquids
• Gas canisters and butane energy cells

What liquids can you carry?

You are only allowed to take small quantities of liquid in your cabin baggage. These liquids must be in individual containers, a maximum capacity 100ml each and must be packed in one transparent, re-sealable plastic bag (20cm x 20cm). Every passenger can carry only one such bag.

Liquids include:

• E-cigarettes and associated items
• Cigarette lighters
• Water, drinks, soups and syrups
• Creams, lotions and oils, including lipstick and Vaseline
• Perfumes
• Sprays
• Gels, including hair and shower gels
• Contents of pressurised containers, including shaving foam, other foams and deodorants
• Pastes, including toothpaste
• Liquid-solid mixtures
• Mascara
• Any other item of similar consistency

How much baby food can you carry?

You are permitted to take enough baby food required for the journey to your destination. Security officers may carry out additional screening, using their liquid and food testing stations. You can also carry cooling gel packs and ice packs to keep the baby food cool.

What medical items can you carry?

Cooling gel packs and frozen ice packs required to cool liquids required for a medical or a special dietary purpose at a certain temperature do not have to be in a 1 litre plastic bag and are permitted in sufficient quantities for the trip. However, if it’s for medical reasons - there should be documentary evidence to confirm the need to keep the liquid cool either on the label of the medication or in the form of a letter from a medical practitioner or medical company. This does not apply to over the counter medicines.

Prescription medicines are allowed in cabin baggage but you must carry supporting medical documentation for the prescription.

Electronics with Lithium batteries

Both the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issue guidance about Lithium Batteries on board aircraft to help minimise potential risks. The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) also publishes air transport advice on individual models of mobility aids.

You should read the guidance on these websites if you are:

• Planning to travel with electrical items powered by lithium batteries, including electric mobility aids.
• Planning to carry spare lithium batteries on board a flight.

Banned items, according to airlines

Airlines also have specific information on banned items for hand luggage on flights, including:

• British Airways
• easyJet
• Jet2
• Ryanair
• TUI
• Flybe
• Virgin Atlantic
• Turkish Airlines
• Emirates

Dedicated guides for passengers are also available online across UK airports, including Birmingham.

Advice from Birmingham Airport

BHX repeated this advice for everyone travelling between now and June 2024:

• Please arrive at BHX in good time for your flight, at least two hours beforehand - in line with your airline’s advice.
• Help us help you move swiftly by preparing yourself and your luggage for pre-flight security screening - including large electrical items and liquids removed from bags.
• Remove laptops, tablets, kindles, and other large electric items from bags
• Remove all liquids from bags and place them into a 20cm-by-20cm resealable, clear plastic pouch before going through security.
• Items over 100ml cannot travel as hand luggage.
• Remove belts, large items of jewellery, jackets, and boots.
• Spread your items in the tray so none are overlapping.
• Be clear what a liquid is. Sun cream, shampoo, lip balm, Vaseline, mouthwash, hand sanitiser, moisturiser, toothpaste, vapes, lighters - are all liquids.
• If you find yourself queuing or walking via an unfamiliar route, don’t worry - that’s just us making your airport better.
• We’re building a new and improved security screening area (ready for June 2024) while keeping the airport running as normal.
• Please expect walking routes and queuing areas to change as we do this work. Our signs and our people will show you where to go.