Whether you’re on a short-haul or long-haul flight, having access to a snack or two can help the time fly by. Naturally, not everyone is a fan of what airlines have to offer, but across the internet, there are now countless videos encouraging passengers to take “gourmet snacks” and extensive boxes of treats. Some are even teaching you how to cook a whole meal on the flight itself.
You might see videos like this and puzzingly recall a time your jar of peanut butter was confiscated at security. While some are likely to pick up a quick meal deal at Boots before boarding, these videos raise some important questions over what foods you are permitted to bring onto a flight.
Firstly, the once stressful 100ml liquid rule has now been relaxed across many UK and EU airports, meaning in some airports you can carry two litres of liquid in your hand luggage. It’s worth noting, though, that while some London airports have scrapped the 100ml rule, several across the country have not. Manchester, London Stansted, London Luton, London City and Glasgow all still require liquids to be under 100ml, although these no longer need to be in a clear plastic bag nor taken out of your hand luggage while going through security.
A dessert on a flightGetty
Also, generally speaking, you are allowed to bring food onto a plane. An easy rule is that most solid food, ie sandwiches, fruit, crisps, and pre-packaged food, can be brought in your hand luggage. You can also bring partially or fully liquid foods, such as soup, baby food, or honey, but these must be in 100ml containers if the airport you’re travelling from restricts liquid amounts. This applies to curries, stews and any soupy foods too.
To be safe, avoid bringing homemade foods that are very saucy or soupy – after all, these are also more likely to leak. Make sure to pack homemade food in clear, airtight, resealable containers if you can (clear boxes allow for faster screening).
Don’t bring frozen food or ice packs. Also, if you’re thinking of bringing a homemade sandwich, know that food wrapped in aluminium foil can often trigger alarms at security, so avoid that as well.
Meanwhile, soft cheeses (Brie, Camembert, and blue cheese) are often classified as liquids or pastes by security. Many countries have specific rules about bringing in meat, dairy, fish, animal products, vegetables, nuts and seeds, so check gov.uk for more information.
Official guidance states that there is no limit on the amount of breast milk, sterilised water and baby food that can be brought in hand luggage for a baby, but that breast milk must be taken in 2l containers.
