Regulations aboard

The European Union has adopted a regulation restricting the liquids that passengers can carry in their hand luggage past screening points and then onto aircraft. This comes as a reaction to another threat to civil aviation security stemming from home made liquid explosives. The regulation applies as from november 6 2006 within the EU/EES. For more information please visit

Guns and other weapons

  • Any object that can or appears to be able to shoot a projectile or cause injury, including the following: 
  • All types of firearms (pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, etc.)
  • Replicas or imitations of firearms
  • Components of firearms (with the exception of telescopic sighting devices and sights)
  • Air pistols, air rifles and pellet guns
  • Signal flare guns
  • Starter pistols
  • Toy firearms of all types
  • Ball bearing guns
  • Industrial bolt and nail guns
  • Crossbows
  • Slingshots
  • Harpoons and dart guns
  • Animal humane killers
  • Stun or shocking devices such as cattle prods and ballistic electric shock weapons (tasers)
  • Lighters shaped like firearms

Sharp/pointed weapons and objects, or objects with a sharp tip or sharp blade that may cause injury, including:

  • Axes
  • Arrows and darts
  • Crampons
  • Harpoons and spears
  • Ice axes and ice picks
  • Ice skates
  • Lockable or flick knives with blades of any length
  • Knives, including ceremonial knives, made of metal or any other material strong enough to be used as a potential weapon.
  • Meat cleavers
  • Machetes
  • Open razors and blades (excluding safety or disposable razors with blades enclosed in a cartridge)
  • Sabers, swords and swordsticks
  • Scalpels
  • Scissors
  • Ski and walking/hiking poles
  • Throwing stars
  • Tools that can be used as a pointed or edged weapon, such as drills and drill bits, box cutters, utility knives, all saws, screwdrivers, crowbars, hammers, pliers, wrenches/spanners, blow torches.
  • Sharp objects of any length, which can be used as a pointed or edged weapon. Syringes for medical use are exempted (This is an additional regulation applicable in Sweden and many other countries).

Blunt instruments

Any blunt instrument capable of causing injury, including: 
  • Baseball and softball bats
  • Clubs or batons. rigid or flexible, such as billy clubs, blackjacks, night sticks and batons
  • Cricket bats
  • Golf clubs
  • Hockey sticks
  • Lacrosse sticks
  • Kayak and canoe paddles
  • Skateboards
  • Billiard, snooker and pool cues
  • Fishing rods
  • Martial arts equipment such as knuckledusters, clubs, coshes, rice flails, numchucks, kubatons and kubasaunts

Explosives and flammable substances

Any explosive or highly combustible substance that poses a risk to the health of passengers and crew or the security/safety of aircraft or property, including: 
  • Ammunition
  • Blasting caps
  • Detonators and fuses
  • Explosives and explosive devices
  • Replica or imitation explosive material or devices
  • Mines and other explosive military devices
  • Grenades of all types
  • Gas and gas containers, including butane, propane, acetylene, oxygen (in large volume)
  • Fireworks, flares of any type and other pyrotechnics (including party poppers and toy caps)
  • Non safety matches
  • Smoke generating canisters or cartridges
  • Flammable liquid fuel such as petrol/gasoline, diesel fuel, lighter fluid, alcohol, ethanol
  • Aerosol spray paint
  • Turpentine and paint thinner
  • Alcoholic beverages exceeding 70% by volume (140 proof)

Chemicals and toxic substances

Any chemicals or toxic substances that pose a risk to the health of passengers and crew or the security/safety of aircraft or property, including:
 
  • Acids and alkalis, such as spillable “wet” batteries
  • Corrosive or bleaching substances such as mercury and chlorine
  • Incapacitating sprays such as mace, pepper spray and teargas
  • Radioactive materials such as medical or commercial isotopes
  • Poisons
  • Infectious or biological hazardous materials such as infected blood, bacteria and viruses
  • Materials capable of spontaneous combustion
  • Fire extinguishers

The following articles may not be placed in the hold baggage

  • Explosives, including detonators, fuses, grenades, mines and explosives
  • Gases: propane, butane
  • Flammable liquids, including gasoline and methanol
  • Flammable solids and reactive substances such as magnesium, fire-lighters, fireworks and flares
  • Oxidizers and organic peroxides, including bleach and car body repair kits
  • Toxic or infectious substances, including rat poison and infected blood
  • Radioactive materials, including medical or commercial isotopes
  • Corrosives, including mercury and vehicle batteries
  • Vehicle fuel system components that have contained fuel