Hand luggage can be difficult to pack due to the number of restrictions with what plane passengers can and cannot take. Those travelling with just cabin baggage can particularly struggle as everything they need for the trip has to fit in just the one carry on item. Hand luggage liquids generally need to be under 100ml to be allowed through airport security. However, there are a few special exceptions to this liquids rule that you can, in fact, travel with.
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) explains the rules on their website.
There are three different reasons for liquid containers over 100ml being allowed through.
Firstly, they’re permitted if they’re for essential medical purposes, including inhalers.
Secondly, they’re allowed if the liquids are for special dietary requirements.
The FCO states: “You’ll need supporting documentation from a relevant medical professional (for example a letter from your doctor or a copy of your prescription).”
They add: “Airport staff might need to open the containers to screen the liquids at the security point.”
The third reason is if the liquids are baby food or baby milk – although frozen breast milk is not permitted.
The FCO explains: “When travelling with a baby you’re allowed to take enough baby food, baby milk and sterilised water for the journey.
“There is no legal limit to how much you can take however check with your airport before you travel.
“You can carry breast milk in hand luggage even if you’re not travelling with a baby. You cannot carry frozen breast milk in hand luggage.
“Individual containers of breast milk must hold no more than 2,000ml. Each container will need to be screened at the security point. Airport staff might need to open the containers to screen the liquids.”
The stipulation that comes with these liquids being allowed is that the baby must be present if you’re bringing them through in hand luggage.
If you’ve purchased liquids over 100ml at the airport then these can be taken through security, no matter what their size.
However, they will need to be sealed inside a security bag when you buy them. The receipt for the items also needs to be sealed in the security bag and visible.
Flights introduced the hand luggage liquid allowance restrictions back in 2006. It came after British police foiled a terror plot which saw terrorists smuggling explosives. The incident was the largest terror plot ever discovered in Britain.
The terrorists had improvised explosive devices which they had disguised in soft drink bottles.
The bottles were in their hand luggage along with a large number of batteries – which raised the alarm.
The terrorists were intending to assemble the bombs onboard planes and detonate them.
The aim was to kill thousands of people by blasting up to 10 transatlantic flights.