It comes as Manchester Airport is facing its busiest period of the year
Manchester Airport has issued a warning to anyone flying abroad this summer to avoid being held up at security.
Throughout the six-week summer holidays, Manchester Airport is expecting to see more than six million passengers travelling through. Due to the busy period, staff have stressed the importance of packing bags correctly to avoid any delays and to ensure your bag makes it onto the plane.
Certain items should never be packed in your hold luggage, and should instead be place in your hand luggage or left at home entirely, warns Manchester Airport’s security expert.
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Anthony Shaw, a security team leader within the hold baggage screening team at Manchester Airport, explained: “Small electronic devices like vapes, power banks and tablets are often powered by lithium batteries.
“These are very powerful batteries with a long lifespan and fast charging times, which makes them popular for these kinds of devices – but they store a massive amount of energy in a small space. If the battery gets too hot, or is faulty, it can catch fire without warning.”
He continued: “For that reason, these devices are forbidden within hold luggage and must be carried in your hand luggage – where, in the event of an emergency, the problem will be spotted more quickly and can be more easily dealt with. Batteries for products like power tools are often lithium-based and these are not permitted for the same reasons.”
All checked baggage gets checked by Manchester Airport staff to ensure that it complies with security requirements. If a device is found which contains a lithium battery, the bag may have to be checked
“Our team screens all checked baggage to ensure it complies with security requirements – so if you pack a device containing a lithium battery into your hold luggage, we may have to open your bag and remove it. We don’t want to have to do that – so it’s really important that passengers acquaint themselves with the rules before packing their bags.”
Although devices powered by lithium batteries are not permitted in checked luggage, there are range of items which must be packed in your checked bag, not your hand luggage.
Anthony explained: “The 100ml liquids rule for hand luggage remains in place at Manchester Airport. We have now installed brand-new CT scanners in both of our terminals that will ultimately allow the 100ml rule to be lifted, but we are awaiting certification from the Civil Aviation Authority.
“For the time being, if you wish to bring liquids over 100ml – such as bottles of shampoo, conditioner or sun cream – you need to pack these in your hold luggage. Sports equipment like golf clubs, cricket bats and skis must be checked in too, due to their size – but also due to the risk that a bat or club could be used as a weapon.”
He explained: “For a large aircraft on a long-haul flight, we could be screening almost 1,000 checked bags – but even for a short hop holiday flight, we have to look at several hundred. Each bag that fails to pass security checks gets pulled aside, and often needs to be inspected manually – which is a process that takes several minutes per bag.
“This can create delays, but it also creates a risk that your hold bag might not make it onto the plane at all – so it’s really important to ensure your bag is packed correctly and that your vapes, power banks and small electronic devices are in your hand luggage.”
Things NOT to pack in your hold luggage
The following should be placed in your hand luggage if you want to bring them abroad:
- Vapes
- Power banks
- Tablet computers
Other security tips
Review the airport’s list of prohibited items
Certain hazardous items are not permitted in either hold luggage or hand luggage. This includes fireworks and pyrotechnics, non-safety matches, flammable liquids like oil, fuels, paint and thinners, real or replica firearms, as well as ammunition.
Anthony says: “Many of these don’t sound like everyday items, but sometimes we do see people trying to bring common household items and appliances with them that are not compliant with these rules – including party poppers; cleaning products, like bleach; cooking oils, which are flammable liquids, or a mini-fridge to keep drinks cool, which are not permitted because they contain compressed gas.”
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Manchester Airport’s full list of prohibited items can be found on its website.
Keep medication and important documents in your hand luggage
Anthony says: “Essential items like medication and travel documents need to be kept with you. This ensures you can access them promptly if needed, including in the event of a delay or cancellation to your flight.
“It also guards against you being without your items if your hold luggage is delayed in reaching your destination for any reason. For peace of mind I would also advise on bringing any sentimental items in your hand luggage, too – provided that they are small enough to fit and compliant with the rules.”
Always stay with your luggage before checking it in
Anthony says: “If you find yourself waiting to check your hold luggage in, keep an eye on your bags at all times and never leave them unattended as this could spark a security incident.”
Ensure your bag is distinguishable from other similar bags
Anthony says: “Most suitcases are black, navy blue, or grey – and there are hundreds of them coming off each and every flight. We’ve all been there – waiting at the carousel to collect our luggage, confidently swooping in when we see the case we believe is ours, and then realising it isn’t.
“Attaching a colourful bag tag, sticker or other identifying item can avoid any mishaps and also make it easier to trace your bag in the event it gets lost. Having a photo of your bag helps with that, too.”
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