Airport travel warning as four items could lead to delays over Christmas
Brits planning to travel for the Christmas period have been issued a warning as certain festive items could lead to delays and other issues in airports. Experts at travel agent eShores explained that you could be stopped by airport security for carrying certain Christmas related items.
Figures show that around 15 percent of passengers get stopped at airports with prohibited items in their bags, something that could ruin your holiday plans. And as we approach the busiest travel day of the festive period, December 22, eShores have issued a warning to travellers on the lesser-known travel dangers that could ruin your Christmas.
They specifically advised against travelling with four items.
Wrapped Christmas presents
Although wrapping your presents in advance may seem like a good idea, security staff may be obligated to unwrap these items to inspect their contents, especially if the gifts contain electronics, liquids over 100ml, or sharp objects like children’s toys.
It is therefore worth doing your Christmas wrapping when you arrive instead of before going through the airport.
Prohibited Christmas pudding
This may seem very strange but some travellers pack festive foods to share with their loved ones when they arrive at their destination, such as mince pies, Christmas puddings, or cured meats. These could actually violate import rules in places where meat and dairy products are heavily restricted.
Certain Christmas puddings contain suet, a type of animal fat, which is not allowed to be taken into the EU from the UK due to regulations on meat products. On top of this, Christmas puddings often contain alcohol or dense, sticky ingredients that are not allowed in hand luggage due to security concerns.
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Luxury items
Luxury gifts such as perfumes, creams, electronics, and others can end up tossed in the trash at airport security if they don’t meet security regulations - especially regarding the size of liquid containers or the presence of batteries in electronics.
It is best if these are packed in checked luggage. And any liquids over 100ml or items with rechargeable batteries should never be placed in hand luggage.
Excess liquids
Gifts such as toiletries and festive treats like bottles of wine or holiday-themed syrups could fall foul of airport rules if they exceed the 100ml hand luggage limit. If you’re travelling with bottles larger than this, you can place them in your checked luggage or consider purchasing travel-sized versions of your favorite toiletries to avoid this problem altogether.
