MSE News: Hand luggage rules – is lipstick a liquid?

MSE_Laura_F
MSE_Laura_F Posts: 1,612 MSE Staff
Sixth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
edited 20 August 2024 at 4:09PM in Flights, currency & car hire
If you're packing hand luggage for a flight, most UK airports expect you to put certain toiletries in a clear 'liquids' bag when you go through security. Yet the rules on what counts as a liquid can vary by airport, and some have even done away with the bags, MoneySavingExpert.com research has found.

Read the full story:
'Revealed: Hand luggage rules – which UK airports let you leave liquids in your case? And is lipstick a liquid?'

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Comments

  • I flew from Heathrow last week and they took my mascara out and told me it was liquid. I didn’t know this as I haven’t flown since 2019. It was swabbed and all sorts. Luckily it was ok but just a word of warning. Also I put my lipstick in my pocket so it went thru ok. 
  • Pollycat
    Pollycat Posts: 35,633 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Savvy Shopper!
    It makes sense to check the rules for the airport you're flying from EVERY time you fly.
    Don't just assume what is OK at MAN is OK at LHR.



  • eskbanker
    eskbanker Posts: 36,747 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Pollycat said:
    It makes sense to check the rules for the airport you're flying from EVERY time you fly.
    Don't just assume what is OK at MAN is OK at LHR.
    And, despite their best intentions, don't rely on articles by third party journalists!
  • In 2019 I went to Tenerife with my (now late) mum. She made us a packed lunch to eat at the airport before our flight. The person on the xray machine objected to the yogurt pots.

    My fondest memory of her is arguing with them that it wasn't yogurt, that's obviously liquid. That's why she'd bought chocolate mousse instead. Mousse is solid! I can't fault her logic tbf! 
  • Kerry2172 said:
    I flew from Heathrow last week and they took my mascara out and told me it was liquid. I didn’t know this as I haven’t flown since 2019. It was swabbed and all sorts. Luckily it was ok but just a word of warning. Also I put my lipstick in my pocket so it went thru ok. 
    It wasn't because it was liquid - mascara is way under the volume limit! I had all my make up swabbed at Belfast Airport and accepted that they were looking for drugs in my half used bronzer and face powder. Not explosives.

    Talking of swabbing, at Istanbul Airport this March everyone had their cary on swabbed, and they swabbed everyone's shoes too! 
  • MoneyWorry
    MoneyWorry Posts: 232 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts
    Also, total confusion in what constitutes a container. In Manchester, you are not allowed to decant into your own containers which usually don’t have the amount of ml on them. In Liverpool, they assume every item is 100ml so will not allow you to take more than 10 items. 
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