Baggage screening at airport question

bk109

Hey guys,just wondering if anyone can tell me what the maximum dimensions are for electrical devices that can be screened without getting them out of a cabin bag?

robinph

Some airports ask you to remove laptops from your cabin bag, some airports don't. Some screeners looking at the remaining electrical gadgetry left in your bag after removing the laptop may let it pass and be able to figure out what it all is, some may not.

There is no specific dimensions for the size of electrical items, once it fits through the scanner and is within the airlines size requirements then you can take it. If the screener wants to have a closer look or not is entirely up to them on the day.

undo

It sounds a bit to me like OP is trying to transport some kind of electric device that would be embarrassing when shown to the traveling public. As robinph said, you can never be sure.

From my own observations, the main obsession seems to be with batteries. They want you to take out your laptop because they want to get a clearer X-ray picture of its battery. Just last week, I removed my laptop as usual but left its battery in the bag. This prompted staff to search my bag and only once they had identified the laptop battery did the let me pass.

So, I guess you can increase the chances of not having to take out from your bag whatever you are hiding in there by removing any batteries and having those scanned separately.

Best of luck.

bk109

Yeah,I know laptops are always scanned outside a bag and just for a safe measure I'm also going to put it out with both batteries for it, but for other electronic appliances at least according to WizzAir and Ryanair, they only have to be scanned separately if they are bigger than a " large hairdryer " ... I'm just checking to see if there is a bit more precise size available somewhere,because as I'm travelling with only a cabin bag I have to carry some gifts and I want to know what packing to choose(the thing I'm most concerned about is a car stereo).
If I was carrying something "embarrasing",undo, I would've just sent it via AnPost ... That way I might be able to avoid the worst of it

undo

I have headphones with a spiral cord. Security made me take these out of my bag because the spiral shape looked suspicious to them... The airlines can give you guidelines, saying small electronics should generally be fine - but you can never be certain. With gifts, it is normally a good idea to leave off the gift wrap until after you arrive at your destination. It would be a shame if they asked you to open the packaging for inspection and you would have to rip apart gift wrap...

bk109

Well,it's more of a protective wrapping,but I'll probably use resealable boxes and just to reeeaaly err on the side of caution I'm going to print out and label each box' contents to make the security guys' job a bit easier

robinph

bk109 wrote: »

Yeah,I know laptops are always scanned outside a bag and just for a safe measure I'm also going to put it out with both batteries for it, but for other electronic appliances at least according to WizzAir and Ryanair, they only have to be scanned separately if they are bigger than a " large hairdryer "

Laptops do not always have to be taken out of your bag, depends on the airport, and the airline has no say in what may, or may not, be required of you at the security checkpoint.

Don't take any presents pre-wrapped though or they are more likely to want to open them. Just be prepared for them to open everything, then hope they don't.

Fratton Fred

I always have my DS with me when I fly and it has never been taken out of my bag.

I flew through Southampton a few weeks back and was carrying a birthday cake wrapped in foil, again it is something I have do.e before with no problem.

However, this time my DS was in a separate compartment and all security could see was an electrical device on top of a metallic object, apparently the classic appearance of a bomb.

You can never be too certain with security and you have no right to complain, so you just pays yer money and takes yer chance.

bk109

I'm far from criticizing the dedicated people at Dublin(and other) airport security As for the whole "big hairdryer" i found it in the original Euro-wide directive,so fat chance of ever finding out what the guideline is.. Either way,I just got some transparent bubble-wrap pouches,so it's going to be both "safe" and security-friendly.Frankly I think I might've taken this thing a bit overboard, but as I'm flying out after the winter finals I'll be a bit too dazed and confused for my own good