Airport Security and Flight Safety

You know you're on your holidays when you arrive at the airport with your luggage and join the endless queues for checking in. But what would you do if you got to the security desk, only to be told your hand luggage is outside the safety guidelines?

The allowed size for hand luggage is 56cm x 45cm x 25cm, including external fittings such as wheels and handles. Some airports allow more than one piece of hand luggage, so check before you pack. Liquids should be kept to a minimum, and should be stored in a transparent, re-sealable bag, no bigger than 20cm x 20cm or 1 litre in capacity. The individual containers of liquids – which can include creams, deodorants, hair gel, toothpaste and lip balms – can exceed no more than 100ml. each passenger can have just one of these bags in their hand luggage, and should be prepared to take it out for security to inspect the contents.

Medicines and baby foods will need to be verified, either by documentation or, in the case of baby foods, tasted by the accompanying adult. The same goes for dietary foodstuffs such as glucose tablets or liquid fortisips. Where possible, store these items in your hold luggage, and just carry enough to last your journey. Anything which could be deemed a weapon such as nail files, tweezers or hair styling tongs must be kept in the hold luggage.

Once you are past all the security checks, and on the plane, you can relax a little. Secure your hand luggage in the overhead compartment, and never leave anything sitting in the aisle. Pay attention to the in-flight briefing regarding the emergency exits, no matter how often you've heard it before. Count how many rows of seats are between you and the nearest exit; if the cabin fills with smoke in a fire this will aid your escape. Fasten your seatbelt as soon as you sit down, and only remove it if you need to stand up. If the flight attendant offers you a hot drink, let them pour it; they are trained to handle hot liquids mid-flight, and are much less likely to spill and scald. Try to avoid too much alcohol; the air pressure in the cabin of a plane means that alcohol will affect your system more than at ground level.

On a long flight it's recommended that you walk around a little to keep the blood flowing to your legs. If this isn't feasible, rotate and flex your ankles and feet regularly to avoid your joints stiffening and reduce the chances of developing Deep Vein Thrombosis. It can be a good idea to take a 75mg aspirin the day before and the day of travelling to minimise the risk of DVT, but check with your doctor or pharmacist first as aspirin isn't suitable for everyone, and never give it to a child under 16.