Stansted Airports tips for liquids luggage rules

As the busy summer getaway begins, a new airport survey reveals many air passengers are still struggling to get to grips with hand luggage rules and what can and can’t be taken onto the plane five years after the current restrictions on liquids were introduced.

A survey of passengers who were stopped for carrying restricted items at Stansted Airport revealed that, despite 87% believing they knew the regulations, there is still widespread confusion amongst the travelling public about how to prepare for airport security checks. Key highlights include:

30% of passengers quizzed said they had forgotten their hand luggage contained liquids.
17% were using the wrong size liquids bag.
16% stated they didn’t know the rejected item was classed as a liquid.
10% didn’t realise it was necessary to take the liquids bag out of their hand luggage.
Each day, an average of 20 household waste bins are filled at security search with prohibited or restricted items contained within passengers hand luggage.

To help ease passengers through the airport, Stansted is reminding passengers to ‘get it right before your flight’ and prepare for security checks before leaving home. Following a few EASY steps should ensure passengers avoid any unnecessary delays and disappointment and have a smooth start to their journey:

Ensure you prepare your luggage correctly before you leave home
All gels, pastes and liquids, no larger than 100ml, must be placed in a re-sealable plastic bag
Separate your liquids bag from your hand luggage before you reach security
Your liquids bag must be no bigger than approximately 20cm x 20cm

John Farrow, Stansted’s Head of Terminal, said,

“We realise many people may only fly once a year on their summer holidays, and can be confused about what they can and can’t take through airport security in hand luggage. While our priority is to ensure we operate a safe and secure airport we also want to help our passengers get it right and avoid unnecessary delays.

“It’s vital they prepare correctly before setting-off for the airport, so I would encourage all passengers using Stansted this summer to take some time to understand the security regulations and follow our EASY tips to enjoy a stress free start to their holidays.”