LJLA asks passengers to think carefully about Christmas gifts in hand luggage

With the Christmas getaway just a few weeks away, Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) is reminding passengers who may be travelling with presents for friends and relatives, to think carefully about what items they put in their hand luggage, in order to avoid the disappointment of prohibited items not being able to be taken with them.

Management at the Airport want to ensure that passengers have a great experience ahead of their festive departure and are once again keen to remind all passengers that restrictions on liquids carried in hand luggage are still in place. Passenger are asked to think carefully about what items they are intending to pack in hand luggage and to check with their airline before they set off for the Airport - especially those who are travelling with presents for friends and relatives.

To avoid disappointment at the security search point and to help keep security queues to a minimum, passengers should also keep presents unwrapped if they are to be carried in hand luggage, as items may need to be opened in order to satisfy security personnel that goods comply with the security restrictions in place.

The Airport has already had to refuse permission for large numbers of items to be carried in hand luggage. These have included Christmas gifts - in particular liquid snow globes, bottles of spirits, perfumes and also certain children’s toys, since these items are either in excess of the current liquid size restrictions or have the potential to cause or appear to be able to cause, harm to passengers or airline crew. Christmas crackers are also prohibited by the Airport from being carried in hand luggage.

Most of these items are, however, permitted to be carried in a suitcase and placed in the aircraft hold if passengers wish to take such presents away with them. However, some airlines also ban Christmas Crackers from hold luggage too.

Passengers are also reminded to allow plenty of time to pass through the Airport during busy periods over the coming weeks.

David Briggs, Head of Customer Care, Terminal and Landside Operations for LJLA commented, "We pride ourselves for being faster, easier and friendlier and would like to remind all passengers about the restrictions in place and to help us to help them by avoiding some of the disappointment we have seen in previous years when passing through airport security. Allow plenty of time, come prepared and think carefully about what you are carrying in your hand luggage.

We would strongly recommend that passengers unsure as to what may or may not be permitted in hand and hold luggage, should check first with their airline, before setting off for the airport."

Further information regarding hand luggage restrictions is also available online: www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions