Hi summersun1 ... you should use a transparent, re-sealable plastic bag (about the size of a small freezer bag), which itself must not exceed 1 litre in capacity (approximately 20cm x 20cm).

A number of members have mentioned using supermarket freezer bags, one recently mentioned buying a pack of 20 from Asda for £1.

David

Hi,

I'm off to Italy on Tuesday flying with Thomas Cook and wanted to know if the following items are allowed in my hand luggage ... I have in fact emailed Thomas Cook to ask them directly but 4 days on I'm still waiting for a reply.

These are the items I am querying:

Mobile phone
Phone charger
Camera
Batteries

Any help appreciated.

Thanks.

I'm no expert but have flown many times with these items in my hand luggage

Thanks Bridd ... should be ok then.

cool4cats,

All those items are fine in hand luggage. Page 1 of this thread has all the regulations or you can view them on the DfT's website.

Darren

Im guessing the answer to this is no but could i take a shop bought birthday cake on a thomson flight man-dalaman for my little boy or not?

I wouldn't of thought it would be a problem. As long as it is able to be x-rayed and fits within your baggage allowance then it will be fine. Customers bring anything and everything on flights so a cake wouldn't be an issue. You won't be able to light the candles on the aircraft though.

Just rang FC shop as its them who i booked with for the holiday village (flying TOM) and they said no your not allowed incase ive done something to it, even if its in a sealed packet.
Need to go to plan B now......just have to figure out what plan B is !

vicky ... solid foodstuffs are allowed in hand luggage. With a birthday cake, it would very much depend on any cream content. If you can avoid cream, there may not be a problem. No disrespect to your FC shop, but perhaps you should ask for a second opinion from your departure airport, as it will be their security staff who check your hand luggage.

Assuming that you're intending to eat it at your destination rather than on board the aircraft, a cream cake could go in hold luggage, if you were prepared to take the risk of it perhaps not arriving intact !!

It might also be worth checking if your departure airport has an airside branch of someone like Greggs, as any cream products bought there after security can be taken in hand luggage.

David

....... passed through pre-security checks recently and one passenger had a freezer bag with her various items placed in it but it was a large freezer bag (strangely similar to the size we use in our freezer !) - please remember 20cm x 20cm is the important piece of info regarding this rather than 'freezer bag'.

I know David has mentioned this recently but maybe some who read it didnt pick up the importance or significance of the size of the bag.

Regards, Chris

Vicky: I can't see you having a problem taking a birthday cake through security so long as it doesn't have a high cream content although I have taken sandwiches with cheese spread and marmite through with no bother. If you go to page 1 of this thread or click link in David's signature and scroll down to section on foodstuffs it'll tell you what food can and can't be taken through.

The only thing is that FC might not allow you to consume anything that you've taken on board either from home or bought airside.

Hope this helps. I've flown a few times since the liquids rules were brought in, in November 2006. First time was just over a week after they started allowing liquids. Was from Dublin though and staff were so helpful. I went to the entrance to the queue for security just to double check that what I had was ok and the man said that my bag was smaller than theirs so gave me one (I was using smallest Baco one which is 18.5x20cms).

Thanks, i know ive had bags of sweets etc .
Anyway i think i might just give him the cake the day before now it seems an easier solution !

Flying with twins

I'm 18 weeks pregnant with twins, hubby and I are starting to think about things we're going to need. I've a few questions about the logistics if we fly over to England when they'll be about 4 months old.

First of all, thanks to all who replied on the Ryan Air thread, I've got the bags situation sorted, hubby and I will have backpack each close to maximum dimensions allowed 50x35-40x15-20cms which is within what both Easyjet and Ryan Air will allow. The plan is we'll put the things we usually have as hand luggage in the bottom of our packs, for the twins, we'll have a gymsack type bag for each of them which will go in the top of our backpacks. I know that this could mean a hand search of bags due to things not being clearly visible but will pack carefully to try to minimise chance of this happening.

Second, food which I think is going to be the biggest with the liquids restrictions, just to make it clear, we do understand the reasons for them. I am hoping to do mix of breastfeeding and expressing milk for them, idea being I'll feed first to wake/cry for food off one breast while expressing from the other, hubby will bottle feed second twin to wake/cry. We don't have a car and journey time to airport including change is 2.5 hours, add the time at the airport, flight time and getting through baggage recliam then journey to parents we're talking 8-9 hours. The rules on liquids are only enough milk for the flight accirding to BAA's website, allowing for taking milk in bottles with us probably 1/2 for each twin and if I've done a feed and express that makes 5 bottles for a 1 hour flight. Will this be allowed?
If breastfeeding and expressing doesn't work and I'm using formula, I'd have the water in the bottles already and the powder in those dispensers you can get, depending on flight time and feed times, I could have 3 bottles for each twin if feed time is before flight time (1 feed in the airport, 1 feed on route to my parents and 1 spare in case of delays). Would this be allowed?
If I've started weaning, I'll probably buy suitable food airside or take baby rice in powder form which is mixed with milk or buy fruit puree airside.
Another question, if flight time co incides with feed time, i've read in the FAQ's on Easyjet that you can't breastfeed during take off or landing, why is this, I'm guessing it's something to do with safety, is it possible to position a baby so they can breastfeed but still be in safe position. If it is possible, then would I be allowed to be expressing off the other breast as well? If they're being bottle fed, would we be able to bottle feed during take off and landing or does the position they have be in mean that feeding isn't possible. If feeding isn't possible then how do we deal with 'popping ears'? We're not going to use dummies.

Third, with the liquids restrictions, what are the rules on teethers which have liquid in them? Would they have to be in a bag 20x20cms for going through security then given back to the babies? If we need to take Calpol, I'll take the sachets of powder which you mix with water.

Fourth, I know that it's unlikely we'll be able to get pushchair back at the bottom of plane steps on landing or would it be possible if we ask cabin crew very nicely if they could ask ground crew? If it's not possible then we'll use the slings or front carriers.

Fifth, what happens at security if the pushchair is too big to fit through the x ray after it's folded down? BAA says that pushchairs have to be folded down to be x rayed. If one or both babies are asleep, would staff be prepared to check the pushchair with the hand held thing they use if you bleep going through the metal detector?

Lastly, any advice from anyone who has flown with babies of around 4 months would be appreciated especially if there's anything I've not thought of.

Thanks for any answers to my questions. If it's going to be loads of hassle especially if the liquids restriction means that we'd only be allowed to take 1 bottle of milk or sterilized water through security or if teethers are going to be a problem, we do have the option of bus to Dublin, ferry to Holyhead and then train to nearest station to my parents.

Hi Cate,

I've flown very frequently with my Daughter who is now 22 months - the first time was when she was 10 weeks and since then we must have done a dozen return flights.

Lots of questions but I'll try to answer those that i can. I think it's very ambitious of you to plan to both breastfeed and express at the same time on a plane - I can't imagine doing it myself. I think a little mixed feeding of formula and breast would be more practical as expressing can take ages for very little return and if you have a screaming baby who needs feeding now an instantly made up bottle may be the way to go.

I don't see 6 bottles being a problem - just be aware that you will have to taste the water in each bottle when you go through security (in England anyway - i have never been asked to on foreign soil!).

As the twins won't be 4 months i don't see weaning being an issue as they won't be at that stage at that time. They hopefully won't be teething either but in case they are are and you use a water filled teether I don't think you'd have a problem with it - I certainly never have. As for capol - it is sold over here anyway in 100ml bottles so you just have to pop it into your clear plastic ziploc bag and use if needed. I have always found the sachets fiddly and messy.

As for feeding on take off - I bottle fed my 10 week old on take off with Ryainair and can't say the position is any different for breast feeding. I would just do it anyway - the infant belt can be fastened loosely around the baby to allow the appropriate position. When the cabin crew are sitting down themselves they aren't going to know you are feeding anyway. Only other thing I would say is don't be too keen to rule out a dummy - they can be a lifesaver (especially I imagine if you have two of the littlee blighters!). Current SIDS prevention advice is to offer a dummy for the first 6 months anyway.

I've always had to take the baby out (even when sleeping) and fold down the pushchair, but if a double buggy won't fit through the scanner I'm sure they'll ask you to removes the twins so thay can do a thorough search of the pram.

I'm not sure even asking nicely will get your buggy back at the gate (you'll get it though if there's no airbridge) - I flew easyjet 2 weeks ago to corfu and a couple had 8/9 month old twins and they didn't get their buggies back either.

Flying when they are that age is a breeze really - wait till they can walk and squirm all over the place - that's when the fun really starts!

Thanks Cynical, if expressing off one breast while feeding one from the other is too difficult, then I'll probably go for expressing and then giving that from bottle. Knew I'd have to taste from each bottle.

As for age, due date is 11th December but chances are they'll be born before then, Trip to parents is probably going to be mid April so they'll be 4-4.5 months. Good point about the cabin crew being seated and not knowing we're feeding, was thinking more if we've started feeding them when cabin crew go through making sure seat belts are done up.

Thanks for warning about having to remove twins from buggy for security, thinking that easiest thing might be to put them in slings or carriers before security and one of us push the empty buggy. Ok another question, if our bags end up being hand searched, would staff let us put both twins in the buggy once that has been checked so that whichever of us has repacked bag first can take twins through to departures. With Easyjet having 20kg hold luggage allowance per person and charging less for bags in hold than Ryan Air, we'd be more likely to use them which means flying from Belfast International who seem to have introduced a policy of all bags with electronic stuff gets hand searched. End of May by the time our bags had been hand searched and my electronic stuff put through x ray again and I'd repacked, we only had 30 minutes to get something to eat before we had to be at gate for boarding (easyjet have policy of not opening for check in until 2 hrs before flight time and were late back in May). What will security staff say if we've had to start feeding them while in the queue waiting to go through security, would they let us carry on feeding while going through or will we have to stop feeding and finsh once in departures.

For getting buggy back, if there's no airbridge, then I'd hope we'd get buggy back at bottom of steps.

When they can walk, we might use Rail & Sail, you can walk round on the ferry no bother. The only problem would be the 2.5 hour bus trip down to Dublin but would consider timing it so journey time was during sleep time.

Hi Cate,

No problem about putting twins back in the buggy whilst your bags are hand searched - i have done this frequently at Stansted as i travel a fair bit by myself and otherwise my daughter would quite happily run off around the terminal.

Another reason to use easyjet is that they give priority boarding to people with young children - with Ryanair families get nothing and if you want priority boarding you have to pay for it. Easyjet are just a touch more cililized i think.

To be honest i think it would be easier all round if you stopped feeding when you went through security if the occasion arose - my guess is you'll need all hands available for dealing with bag, liquids, buggies and babies !! It's hectic enough as it is without throwing in feeding at the same time. Try not to worry too much about what if situations - most of the time they never have to be dealt with and if they do, then just go wityh the flow and don't worry about things. Save yourself months of stress!

Thanks Cynical, I've got the impression that travelling with children is easier if you can think of all situations which might arise in advance so you can work out plan to manage them. Of course if possible, I'll do it such that feed time is en route to airport and next feed en route to parents, that deoends on them being on 4 hourly feeds. Good point about not trying to feed going through security, guess if flight timne is such that feed time is at airport and they wake/cry for food while we're going thorugh then we'll just have to deal with it. If worst came to worst and they wanted food while going through security and both bags got hand searched, then first to be finished would take twins through to departures to start feeding either EBM or formula from bottles.

We'd be more likely to use Easyjet cos not only do they have more generous hold luggage allowance at cheaper price than Ryanair but also they board familes with young children before those without, we don't mind being after those who've paid for speedy boarding.

Hi Cate,

I think until your babies are actually here and you know how they feed it would be hard to judge really, when BF like i did (not twins thou) many babies just feed on demand at no set time intervals etc.
If it was me i would maybe get to the airport early and feed before you check in that way you can relax.
You know thou if they are crying to be fed and its not good timing nothing will happen they will just keep crying, i know that sounds awful but once i was half way round asda on my own and my little one was screaming and screaming to be fed and i was getting stressed and someone said you know what nothing will happen to him, pay for your shopping then go and feed him which is what i did he just cried until i did but did him no harm.

I wouldnt like to express milk on a plane to be honest its not like breast feeding where you can be discreet if you want to, you have to get it all out lol i never minded feeding in public ever but wouldnt have wanted to do that.

I know a few sets of people with twins and none of them have ever fed at the same time, sadly for the parents as i think they were just on one long feeding mission so im guessing you can feed one off one side then the other off the side when he/she is ready.

Dont worry about it , everything will be fine and fall into place.
By the time you are going to fly you will be used to them and there routines and will adapt everything to suit the journey.

can you take sandwiches onto a plane.???