London City Airport reveals items most commonly confiscated from hand luggage in the past 12 months

• London City Airport has revealed the top 10 most common and most unusual items confiscated from hand luggage in the past year, including dog shampoo, horse treats, fluffy handcuffs and a John West tuna 4-pack in sunflower oil
• Approximately 1 in 8 people (13%) in the UK have had an item confiscated at airport security according to a recent YouGov survey commissioned by London City Airport
• Confiscated items from the airport are regularly passed on to the local Newham food bank or used for charity hampers

LONDON, 2016-May-12 — /Travel PR News/ — London City Airport has revealed estimates for the items most commonly confiscated from hand luggage by its security team in the past 12 months, and it may give you a chill.

The top spot has been clinched by snow globes, a popular souvenir for London visitors, which contain a water-based solution and therefore breach UK hand luggage restrictions for liquids and gels. Approximately 12 snow globes per month get picked up during security screenings.

In joint second place are Harrods and Fortnum and Mason jams and spreads, with hundreds of passengers accidentally bringing the luxurious edible items from the iconic London department stores in their hand luggage – including cognac butter, cranberry sauce and marmalade.

Further down the table, at number 10, fluffy handcuffs were frequently confiscated from more adventurous passengers, with an average of approximately 2 pairs of cuffs per month.

The London City Airport details have been revealed following a YouGov survey of over 2,000 Brits which found that 13% (approximately 1 in 8 people) have had an item confiscated at the airport.

Declan Collier, Chief Executive Officer at London City Airport, said: “Last year the airport welcomed 4.3 million passengers along with an eclectic range of restricted items. Snow globes continue to be a favourite souvenir, perhaps as a paper weight for the business travellers who make up more than half of our passengers. Unfortunately, these and other liquid items aren’t allowed on board and it’s best to pack them safely in the hold luggage.”

To complement the list of common items, the airport has also assembled a list of the weird, wonderful and unusual items which were confiscated from hand luggage in the past year.

The top oddity was a find by a member of the security team in April 2016 who identified a dark mass on the x-ray screen as undeclared cash, which was later found to total £40,000.

Other unusual finds include four cans of tinned John West tuna in sunflower oil, four pots of horse treats called ‘Horselyx’, potato forks for fondue, Waitrose gherkins in vinegar, and luxury dog shampoo by Aesop, which retails at £25 for 500ml.

The majority of unused items are collected by airport teams who distribute them to local charities and food banks.

The top 10 most unusual items confiscated at London City Airport

1. £40,000 cash
2. Aesop Animal soap 500ml (dog shampoo)
3. Hamleys Bubble-ator with bubble fuel
4. Horselyx (horse food treats)
5. Play-Doh My Little Pony Make ‘N Style ponies
6. Potato forks for fondue
7. Waitrose pickled gherkins in vinegar 680g
8. John West tuna chunks in sunflower oil 4-pack 185g
9. Belt made of bullet casings (fashion accessory)
10. Wooden meat hammer

The top 10 most commonly confiscated items at London City Airport

1. Snow globes
2. Harrods and Fortnum and Mason jams and spreads
3. Toiletries
4. Nutella chocolate spread
5. Jarred chutneys and pickles
6. Olive oils
7. Wine
8. Spirits
9. Marmite
10. Furry handcuffs