Can I take Christmas goodies in my hand luggage?

2012-12-14 — /travelprnews.com/ — As a rule, we recommend that you pack all foods in the hold luggage when flying to your Christmas holiday destination. But what if you plan to travel with hand luggage only?

“For reasons of flight security, the Finnish Transport Safety Agency Trafi has issued clear guidelines on which items passengers are allowed to take onboard a flight as hand luggage. Finavia complies with these guidelines at all its security check points in Finland,” says Jari Amnell, Finavia’s security expert.

According to these guidelines, the following food products may not be taken to the cabin as hand luggage:

– pureed foods or foods of similar soft consistency, such as soft cheese
– all tins or cans larger than 100 ml in volume regardless of content
– jellied foods
– all foods of foamy or whipped consistency, such as layered cakes
– various spreads and pastes
– all frozen foods

The foods listed above are classified as liquids, the quantity of which is restricted in hand luggage.

A useful rule of thumb when deciding whether certain foods can be carried in hand luggage : If it can be spread with a knife, it is a liquid. That is why foods such as butter and margarine as well as purees and pastes are forbidden. Frozen foods are also regarded as liquids.

You may carry some foods with a minor amount of liquids in them, such as jam-filled tarts, sandwiches with a thin layer of butter, or filled chocolates.

Note that you may carry a restricted amount of liquids in your hand luggage. The liquids must be in containers 100 ml in volume or smaller each and they must be packed in a transparent plastic bag no larger 1000 ml in volume.

Passengers can carry one such bag containing a reasonable amount of small packages. The bag should be placed on the conveyor at the security check to be X-rayed, along with overcoats, computers and large electronic devices.

“If you are flying to your Christmas holiday destination and are planning to bring Christmas foods and baked goods with you, please follow the liquid restriction guidelines. This will help avoid delays and make your journey smooth and comfortable,” Amnell says.

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