If you’re planning your Christmas holiday further afield, its tempting to jam pack your suitcase with all sorts of festive treats for your friends.
However, there are a few items which could see your holidays looking a little more Grinch-like, as the airport security could ransack them before you’ve even landed.
Seasoned traveller Berk Bayraktar, who is CEO of Esimatic, pointed out that not every festive item is airport-approved.
The first item which could get flagged is your beautifully gift-wrapped presents. While wrapping gifts in advance might save time, it’s a risky move when flying.
Airport security agents may need to unwrap your neatly packaged presents during inspections if the contents can’t be clearly identified through the scanner.
Berk said: “Save yourself the trouble—opt for festive gift bags instead. They’re easy to reuse and won’t get mangled by security checks. Alternatively, pack wrapping paper and assemble your gifts once you arrive.”
If you want to get a jump on your party planning, it’s tempting to buy christmas crackers and decorations and bring them with you, but as Berk explains this is a bad idea.
Fun holiday items like Christmas crackers contain small explosive components, and are strictly banned on most flights due to safety concerns. Similarly, sparklers and oversized snow globes (which exceed liquid limits) often don’t make the cut.
If you still want to bring some Christmas cheer, consider electronic or paper decorations can still spread the holiday spirit while staying airport security-compliant. “Think lightweight and easy to pack,” says Berk.
If you’ve got rambunctious nieces and nephews who would love a toy weapon like a sword or gun for Christmas, make sure you buy these when you reach your destination as airport security do not like to play with them.
Toys that resemble firearms or other weapons, no matter how harmless, can lead to delays—or worse, confiscation. Even items like realistic-looking water guns have caused unnecessary chaos at checkpoints.