Ahead of the ‘busiest ever Christmas’, the Solihull airport shared guidance and ‘top tips’ for travelling over the festive period
Birmingham Airport has revealed some of the Christmas items you shouldn’t pack in your hand or hold luggage(Image: Getty Images)
Birmingham Airport has issued guidance over several banned items passengers should never try to take on board flights ahead of its ‘busiest ever Christmas’.
The Solihull travel hub shared top tips and guidance for holiday-makers as they prepare for over half a million passengers over the festive period.
Amongst the advice, the airport urged passengers to avoid gift-wrapping any presents, as security may have to unwrap them for screening. Passengers were told ‘do not pack’ several items, including vapes, e-cigarettes and power banks.
Party poppers are strictly not allowed, either in cabin or hold luggage. Replica toy guns or weapons – which may be gifted for Christmas – are also not permitted in any luggage.
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For security, the airport said:
- Do not pack vapes, e-cigarettes, power banks or devices containing lithium-ion batteries (such as DSLR cameras) in your hold luggage (checked bags). Whilst the majority of airlines permit such items to be carried in your cabin baggage (carry-on), some airlines do not. Always check the ability to carry e-cigarettes or vapes within their cabins, with your airline. Contact details of all the airlines that operate at Birmingham Airport can be found in the Airport’s Airline Directory.
- For passengers travelling with gifts please do avoid gift-wrapping any gifts as our security team may have to unwrap items to fully screen them.
- Whilst replica toy guns or weapons may be on some Christmas lists, they are not permitted through airport security in hand or hold luggage.
- Party poppers are not allowed in hold or cabin baggage.
- Crackers may be permitted in hold only luggage but check with your airline for conditions of carriage.
- You are allowed to carry liquids, pastes and gels in containers up to 2 litres in hand luggage, there is no limit on the number of containers that can be carried out of Birmingham Airport. Liquids do not need to be in plastic bags. However, passengers should always check the liquid restrictions with all airlines and airports that you will be travelling from and through on your outward and return journeys as not all airports permit 2 litres yet.
- Any dual skinned and vacuum flasks must be presented empty at security. These can be refilled at the complimentary water stations once customers have processed through security search.
It also unveiled the top destinations passengers are travelling over Christmas, including the most popular three: Dublin, Dubai and Amsterdam.
Krakow has seen the largest increase in popularity compared to last Christmas with a 38 per cent uptick in passenger traffic, the airport said.
Al Titterington, Terminal Operations Director of Birmingham Airport said: “We’re delighted to be forecasting our busiest Christmas period this year with over half a million customers opting to fly from Birmingham Airport.
“This milestone follows a record-breaking year of growth here at BHX with nine record months for passenger traffic and the announcement of our biggest ever capital investment plan totalling £76.5 million.
“As part of this significant investment into our airport, passengers may notice more hoarding than usual when travelling through, but customers can be assured that there is no impact on operations, and these works are essential for the continuous improvement of our facilities.
“We encourage all our passengers to review our top tips and guidance for travel over the festive period.”