What is and Isn't Allowed in Your Carry on Luggage

Safety is very important if you want to travel by airplane. The rules of what to carry in your luggage changed after the attacks of the 11th of September 2001 in New York. These decisions are taken for preventing the tourists against the increase of terrorism worldwide and nobody wants panic when he wants to make his travel.

The last changes in safety rules for our luggage were taken after the attacks in London in August 2006 and especially for carrying liquids in our hand luggage.
It is not allowed to take certain liquids in your hand luggage like some batteries, explosives, propane or butane gases and toxic substances. Of course explosives are never allowed to carry with you if your travel; not in your usual luggage and neither in your hand luggage.

Most tourists have problems with the laws about the liquids which are allowed to carry in their hand luggage and how to take them with. The liquids need to be packed in individual containers and with a maximum of 100 ml each. It is necessary to pack these liquids in a transparent plastic bag with a maximum capacity of 1 liter. Be sure that your bag is securely closed!

These liquids include all kinds of items like water, gels, creams, perfumes, pastes (even tooth paste) and mascara. I suggest you to pack most of these in your usual luggage. Tooth paste, creams and perfumes are allowed in your normal luggage and even if your luggage doesn't arrive on time on the right destination you can buy most of these products in the environment of the hotel. Many hotels offer tooth paste for free.

The reason that liquids are not allowed in the hand luggage is that the risk exist that some travelers may have the intention to make some explosives with these liquids. That is also the reason that only a limit quantity of water belongs to this list. Passengers who have knowledge of making explosives or dangerous products are not longer being able to cause trouble with this minimum of liquids.

There are some exceptions concerning the health of the passengers. Baby food, breast milk and juice for babies or toddlers are allowed. Medicines are allowed if you have a prescription of your doctor but you need approval from your airline. In fact this is only a formality if you can show the prescription of your doctor. Some people need to use some medicines during the flight for their health by example blood products, insulin, inhalers and some others. Airlines are not going to refuse to take this with if it can damage your health.

However, the rules for liquids are complicated; this is not the only thing which is important for making your luggage. Certain objects are never allowed to take in your hand luggage like knifes, all kinds of sharp objects, toy guns, skateboards, cricket bats and some other objects which you can compare with these. Guns and drugs are never allowed; not in your hand luggage and neither in your usual luggage. Maybe you remember the story when someone said at one of the checking points that he has drugs and guns in his luggage which was meant as joke and that person was not allowed to take the plane and received a high penalty.

Rules are necessary for the safety of passengers, but some items are allowed on planes that could cause danger. During my travel to Turkey, the stewards gave us sharp knives to use for meals. In my opinion, I feel objects such as sharp knives, could be used by terrorists or people aiming to harm and should not be allowed.

There are also some differences in the size and the weight of the luggage. In general we can say that 20 kg is allowed in your normal luggage and 5 kg for the hand luggage but it is best that you check before because some airlines have other rules and there is a possibility that the weight need to be lower. The same concerning the measures of your luggage: in general 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm but there are airlines who put smaller dimensions.

Be sure that you know all the rules what is and isn't allowed in your carry on luggage before you want to take your airplane! This will save you a lot of trouble.