Airnuts! - AIRNEWS Hot off the press
(http://travel.holidays.com)
AIRLINE SECURITY - HANDBAGGAGE AND BORDER RESTRICTIONS
AIRLINE SECURITY - HANDBAGGAGE AND BORDER RESTRICTIONS
Border Crossing Mauretania
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Airline Security - Handbaggage (UK Dept for Transport)
AIRPORT SECURITY (Luggage restrictions).
For other countries/airlines, see: Other Data Sources (below) latest updates
17 Nov 2007 Reports by UK national press about relaxation of hand luggage restrictions - NOT THIS YEAR
The official permitted handluggage restrictions at dft.gov.uk read:
How many bags will I be able to take on to the plane with me?
Each passenger is allowed only one item of cabin luggage no larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (including wheels, handles and external pockets). (note: the 1 litre re-sealable bag must be able to fit within the cabin bag, although you will be required to present it separately at security).
The 'one bag' rule includes laptop bags, handbags and purses as well - so they will all need to fit into your 'one-bag' to pass through the security check.
Be aware that some airlines may require a smaller bag under their own policies. You should check with your airline.
Also, any large electrical items (including laptops, hairdryers etc) will be screened separately, so it’s best to keep them accessible.
There will be no change in the cabin baggage restriction for those travelling to and over the Christmas/New Year period.
From early January 2008 airports in the UK will gradually be able to accept additional hand luggage as they open up additional capacity. Arrangements at each airport will be different. Until otherwise informed by their airport or airline, passengers should continue to prepare to travel with just one item of cabin luggage.
The hyperlink to Airport Security in the header above will take you to the current UK Dept of Transport regulations
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Following the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre's decision to change the UK threat level from Critical to Severe, the following aviation security measures will apply at all UK airports with immediate effect.
Applies to all passengers starting their journey or transferring from international flights at a UK airport.
Each passenger is permitted to carry ONE item of cabin baggage through the airport security search point. The dimensions of this item must not exceed: a maximum length of 45 cm, width of 35 cm and depth of 16 cm (17.7"×13.7"×6.2" approx) (including wheels, handles, side pockets etc.). This is smaller than the regular small wheeled trolley case.
This restriction eased in September to small wheeled trolley case size again - length 56cm, width 45cm depth 25 cm
Handbags etc, may be carried within the single item of cabin baggage. All items carried by passengers will be x-ray screened.
No liquids of any type are permitted through the airport security search point, other than the following items:
- Essential medicines in liquid form sufficient for the flight (e.g. diabetic kit), as long as verified as authentic
- Baby milk and liquid baby food (the contents of each bottle or jar must be tasted by the accompanying passenger).
NOTE: The definition of liquids includes:
Gels, pastes, lotions, liquid/solid mixtures and the contents of pressurised containers, e.g. toothpaste, hair gel, drinks, soups, syrups, perfume, deodorant, shaving foam, aerosols, etc.
To help their progress through search points, passengers are encouraged not to include items capable of containing liquids (e.g. bottles, flasks, tubes, cans, plastic containers etc.) in their cabin baggage.
All laptops and large electrical items (e.g. large hairdryer) must be removed from the bag and placed in a tray so that such items neither obscure nor are obscured by the bag.
Pushchairs and walking aids are permitted but must be x-ray screened.
Wheelchairs are permitted but must be thoroughly searched.
In addition to the above, passengers boarding flights to the USA and items they are carrying, including those acquired after the central screening point, will be subjected to secondary search at the gate. Any liquids discovered will be removed from the passenger.
The Department for Transport will work closely with operators to introduce these new arrangements, seeking to keep disruption to passengers to a minimum. The Department will keep these measures under review.
If passengers have any questions on their travel arrangements or security in place at airports they should contact the airport or their airline.
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Other Data Sources - Handluggage
Air New Zealand provides the best all-round checklist which covers 3 scenarios for departures
from USA, UK, Australasia & Pacific Islands
to or via USA, UK, Europe and Anywhere.
Besides the Security measures on London flights, Air New Zealand deal with topics such as:
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Which terminal at London/Heathrow?
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Need to fly from Dublin? - Find out more here!
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Children on Parents Passport - Information for travel via Los Angeles
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Travelling through Los Angeles - Important information for transit customers
Other restrictions can be imposed by departure airport and/or carrier and readers are advised to check with both.
The following (which generally link to the relevant authority) could prove handy:
Ryanair has a good European page covering UK, Poland, France, Italy
Air Berlin keeps the baggage information page short and sweet but in 12 languages
Delta Airways covers baggage primarily from the US point of view which permits more than can be travelled with around Europe. (See http://travel.holidays.com/tips#baggage)
FlyZoom details Canadian and UK restrictions/regulations. Has links to the bodies concerned
Qantas provides pages dealing with UK travel and with US travel
Singapore Airlines has a good page which also covers USA, Canada, India and Philippines
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Cook Islands Security
What You Can and Can't Carry on Your Flight
Original UK restrictions in August 2006 - Telegraph.co.uk - Update: 19/08/2006
BAA, the airports operator, has clarified the new regulations on hand luggage following widespread confusion among passengers over what they are allowed to carry on to planes.
At the height of the August 2006 security alert, only essential documents, carried in a transparent plastic bag, were allowed, but from Monday Aug 14, 2006 the British Government relaxed the rules to permit electronic items, including laptops, mobile phones and media players.
Passengers can also buy items at the airport shops once they have passed through security checks, and take them on
board, although there are restrictions for passengers to the US.
Here is a guide to the latest regulations:
Size of hand luggage
On flights from Britain, one piece of cabin baggage the size of a standard laptop bag or briefcase is allowed. It must not
exceed 45cm in length, 35cm in width and 16cm in depth (17.7in x 13.7in x 6.2in) which is much smaller than the cabin baggage trolley permitted to date.
For flights from the US there are no new restrictions on hand luggage.
What can you take on board?
Different rules apply ro outbound and inbound flights, with security measures particularly stringent on flights to the US.
Flights from Britain
- Prohibited items include Cosmetics and toiletries, incl hair gel, toothpaste, handcreams and any liquids or creams of any sort. Baby milk or liquid baby food is permitted, provided it is tasted by a parent in the presence of a security guard.
- Prescribed medication is also allowed (in small amounts) as well as electronic equipment, such as laptops and music players.
- Purchases made after passengers have passed through security are allowed - incl the banned items mentioned.
- An exception to this is for people travelling to the US who cannot carry perfumes or cosmetics and must consume any drinks before boarding.
- Food is allowed.
Flights to Britain
Be aware that relaxed security arrangements for flying TO Britain could mean that you cannot take the goods with you on your return flight. Check out Flight FROM Britain for your return flight
Security arrangements vary on the Continent and passengers should check the website of the airport from which they are departing as well as that of the airline they are flying with.
EU transport ministers will next week consider whether to extend the British hand baggage restrictions to all member states and compel airlines to provide advance information on passengers, as already happens on flights from Britain to the US.
Although there are no new restrictions on hand-luggage size on flights from the US, almost all liquids, creams and gels are banned.
Connecting passengers can still check through bags to their final destination, but if they change aircraft in the UK they will
be bound by the hand-baggage restrictions for their ongoing flight.
Medication
Current restrictions allow prescribed medications to be carried in hand luggage. For diabetics, up to 50ml of insulin is
permitted. Any more must be packed in luggage going in the hold.
However, the charity Diabetes UK says that insulin might freeze during flight. It advises people on long trips to pack any
insulin that has to go in the hold in an airtight container in the middle of their suitcase and to check where they can get
supplies, in case of emergency, at their destination.
Arriving for flights
Although Heathrow and other airports were returning to normal as we went to press, passengers were being advised to arrive for flights three hours before departure.
With additional security checks still in place, some 50 per cent of people were being subjected to body searches; before, the figure was 25 per cent - raised to 100 per cent when the security threat was judged by the Government to be "critical". US-bound passengers were being subjected to secondary searches at the departure gate.
Online check-in
- British Airways offers an online check-in facility up to 24 hours in advance.
- Ryanair allows online check-in for passengers with hand luggage only, as does
- Monarch on scheduled flights from Manchester.
- EasyJet offers online check-in from Stansted, Gatwick and Edinburgh.
- BA has self-service check-in machines at all main UK airports (and many abroad) and passengers can take luggage to the "fast bag drop" desk.
If you are staying overnight at an airport hotel, your airline might let you check in the evening before your flight.
Advance Passenger Information System (APIS)
For passengers travelling to the US, the Transport Security Administration requires additional information in advance,
including details of your full address and your first night's accommodation in the US. BA and Virgin allow you to do this online.
(By Jeremy Skidmore & Charles SStarmer-Smith of Telegraph.co.uk)
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PASSPORTS & ID CARDS / NEW CANADA-US REQUIREMENTS 2007
MONTRÉAL, October 19, 2006 - Air Canada reminds air travelers that new document requirements are expected to come into effect January 8, 2007, subject to U.S. government approval, as per the United States' Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). At this time, all passengers including Canadian and U.S. citizens will be required to present a valid passport when traveling by air between Canada and the United States. We strongly recommend customers who do not hold valid passports apply for new passports well in advance of travel plans.
This new regulation is a change from prior requirements. Effective January 8, 2007, subject to U.S. government approval, driver licenses and other government-issued photo identification will no longer be accepted as valid travel documentation for Canadian and U.S. citizens traveling by air between Canada and the United States. Alternatively, NEXUS Air cards will be accepted by U.S. authorities when traveling by air from Vancouver International Airport to the United States.
Additional information on Canada-U.S. border regulations is available from the Canada Border Services Agency www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca. Information on Canadian passport applications is available from Passport Canada www.pptc.gc.ca.
Source: AirCanada-News
MOVING DOMESTIC ANIMALS
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US Visa requirements from Sep 2004
Security considerations led the USA to realign entry requirements starting in September 2004.
US VISA WAIVER CHANGES
Machine Readable Passports (MRP) and Visa Waiver Program (VWP) www.travel.state.gov/visa MRP required from VWP countries from October 26, 2004
Also of interest is another US Dept of Homeland Security site at:
www.travel.state.gov/visa "US-VISIT is part of a continuum of security measures that begins overseas, when a person applies for a visa to travel to the United States, and continues on through entry and exit at U.S. air and seaports and, eventually, at land border crossings. The US-VISIT program enhances the security of U.S. citizens and visitors by verifying the identity of visitors with visas. At the same time, it facilitates legitimate travel and trade by leveraging technology and the evolving use of biometrics to expedite processing at our borders."
The provisions provide for MRPs as well as fingerprinting and a digital photograph of each non-US citizen.
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