cate ... no matter what replies you receive here, I don't think that you are going to find the answers or re-assurances that you are needing or hoping for, considering that you already have some experience of both Easyjet and Belfast Airport. If you stay reasonably close to the airport, why don't you take a trip along there and have a chat about your concerns with Easyjet and the airport's customer relations staff. If they can put your mind at rest, it may give you confidence to make a booking and not worry and stress about it every day from now until you have completed the journey. If they don't give you that confidence, then you should perhaps start looking at alternatives.

David

Thanks David, hubby and I live 70 miles from the airport. I had been thinking about emailing Easyjet to make them aware of the problems that a repeat of end of May would cause us. Also thinking about emailing airport to ask what their advice is to try to avoid delays at security, will definitely have electronic stuff in clear bag at top of hand luggage or in outside pocket. Hubby has said he doesn't want to fly with our twins for next April but wants to use the Rail & Sail. Rail & Sail is ok for trip to England but train/ferry times aren't brilliant for return so I've thought of Rail & Sail for journey over but fly back. I've looked at which budget airlines fly to Stansted from Dublin and only one is Ryan Air. There is one which flies to Heathrow but that means much longer journey to my parents. If I can get some reasurance from Easyjet and the airport then I might consider flying both ways.

Hi cate ... Easyjet Customer Services may be able to put you in touch with someone at Easyjet Belfast. You can also contact Belfast Airport at info.desk@bfs.aero

David

Thanks David, that's saved me having to go through Easyjet and Belfast Airport's websites to find the addreses. I'll post the replies on here when I get them.

I'll post the replies on here when I get them.

Just in your own words please cate, rather than reproduce any correspondence from them.
David

I knew that I would have to put replies into my own words. Been a member for over 5 years and was a member on the old Ezboard site as well.

I know I should know the answer to this one ....but am well behind for flying out wednesday , and working all weekend on nights ....trying to do too much at once ....and my brain has gone on strike....so can I borrow some one elses please...

I am going sons wedding in Rhodes

I know can take electrical stuff in hand luggage....but can I take an iron?

I have a travel iron which I usually pack in hold luggage....but am tight on weight

I also have a small ordinary iron which is just as light as my travel iron but bigger

The travel iron doesnt do that good a job and we need one to iron shirts pants ect for the wedding so want to take the little light one I have

Want to take it in hand luggage.....but not sure if I can

TWEETIE PIE,

You can take electrical items in your hand luggage including an iron. It it's a steam iron, ensure there's no water in it. Bear in mind electrical items are attracting extra scrutiny from security staff at the moment so don't be surprised if you get your bag searched. It's nothing to worry about and will only take a couple of minutes.

Darren

Checks on electronic/electrical things takes more than a couple of minutes or rather it did at Belfast, If you have Ipod in a case, it has to be removed from the case. I did ask if I was allowed to have Ipod and Nintendo DS in protective cases and was told yes. I reckon it took at least 15-20 minutes from our bags being lifted off the belt to finishing repacking.

I know extra precautions are being taken at the moment which is fair enough and understandable. Next time I fly, I'm putting electronic things in see through bag and leaving it at top of hand luggage.

Hi
mum and I are going to Cuba on Friday with Thomas Cook just wondering if anyones had any experiences recently on taking handbags as well as handluggage? Was there a problem? Both of our handbags are a realistic size and will only have our travel documents ,mobiles ,purses, ipods and medications?

dramaqueen,

They might insist you only have one bag at check-in, just put it inside your other on then remove it later!

Darren

thanks dazbo5...I had put travel iron in one of the cases...so now will take it out and use the weight for tea bags and coffee instead...going Rhodes self catering and have been told supermarket really expensive where we are....was when we went mainland last year as well...so all the bits of groceries will help out.

do you know whats the rules about food stuff in your hold luggage are....was told at one time as long as traveling EU to EU no real restrictions...but then some one said to me no meat or dairy products...does this include tinned meats like boiled ham and corned beef which you can buy in the supermarkets there anyway.....I used to coach it to self catering to mainland Spain for years....and as my youngest will only eat very mild cheddar cheese , I used to take a big block of his favourite cheese
in my case.

also can I take a platic bottles of mayo, dried milk and tinned tuna in my hold luggage

mum and I are going to Cuba on Friday with Thomas Cook

If you are leaving from Gatwick then expect them to be very strict at security - they are now insisting that you can only use their bags for liquids and you will have to make sure that there is enough room in your hand luggage bag to put your handbag in too. Once through security you can then take it out again but last month they were applying the 'one bag' rule rigidly at the screening desks. I saw a number of people being turned back because they had both hand luggage and a ladies' handbag or travel pouch/wallet.

On the other hand, when returning from Cuba they'll probably be less strict. At Havana, Holguin and Santiago airports the security staff were letting people through with more than one bag. However, check-in staff were being very strict on weight - handluggage was being weighed at check-in regardless of who the carrier was - and if you were over they were making you pack it into checked in baggage. And then charging excess if it took you over your allowance. This is fine if you are flying with Virgin who allow you to check-in two bags up to 23 kg each or with Cubana who only charge 1CUC (about 75/80p) per kilo but a potential problem if flying with a company that allows only 15 or 20 kg. I began to wonder whether the money collected was actually being passed on to the carriers and suspect that this might be a bit of a scam by check-in staff because unless passengers insisted, they weren't issuing receipts.

SM

Thanks for the replies very helpful will make sure the bags fit in with our handluggage

hi....I started a topic around about april about all the airlines having different size regulations for hand luggage....think it got merged maybe....was a long list of airlines and their hand luggage sizes....need it now but cant find it....anyone know where it is....tweetie

Hi TWEETIE PIE ... it's a few pages back in this topic ....click here.

David

thanks david....will go look....am streesing out tryin to get sorted for wednesday...and am loosing everything ...including me marbles...was on nights all weekend which doesnt help either....my bags were fine for thomascook a few weeks ago and just wanted to check thomsons were 'nt any smaller on any side....if same or bigger Ive finnished me packing and will I be pleased....I thought Id finnished saturday ...cases all weighed 20kgs and 4kgs hand luggage....but did final weigh in this morning just to check as was tired when weighing on saturday...they all weighed 21kgs ....pixies must have packed a bit extra...so have been weeding and thinning out today to loose a kilo each ...thanks again ...tweetie

Tweetie Pie
Thomas Cook certainly have the measliest dimensions for hand luggage.

We have Antler rucksacks that we've used for hand luggage for many years on lots of different airlines.
The only company that they are too big for is - Thomas Cook.

On our recent flight to Bodrum with TC, I decided to play safe and take different bags within their dimensions, but there seemed to be lots of people with bags even bigger than our usual hand luggage.
I guess you never know when the ground staff are going to get very strict on enforcing regulations - I'd rather stick to what they stipulate than end up having to put my hand luggage in the hold because it's deemed too big.

Have a great holiday.

hi does anyone know if after security, can you take food on the plane. was going to buy sandwiches for family,in case they don't like the meal on the plane(fussy son)!!