If you’ve got travel plans booked make sure to check gadgets such as phones and laptops before you leave – or you could risk having them confiscated
Whether you’re flying with the likes of TUI, easyJet, Ryanair or Jet2, airlines let you bring a number of gadgets onboard, and nowadays almost every passenger will be travelling with either at least a phone or laptop.
However, there’s a little-known rule at UK airports that could see your gadgets confiscated at security, and all down to one simple mistake that can be avoided with a bit of pre-holiday planning.
The UK government has a warning for passengers on its website, specifically in its guidance around hand luggage. “Make sure your electronic devices are charged before you travel,” it explains. “If your device does not switch on when requested, you will not be allowed to take it onto the aircraft.”
If you’re travelling to the airport with gadgets about to lose battery and assume you can just charge them when you’re through airside, it could be a costly mistake. That’s because airport security staff may ask you to show that you can power up gadgets such as phones and laptops. If you’re unable to show that those gadgets are working, it’s likely that they will be confiscated by the authorities, and as the guidance warns, you won’t be allowed to take them with you onto the airplane.
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The fix is easy; make sure the gadgets you’re planning to travel with are charged before you set off for the airport at all. It’s worth noting that it’s not just UK airports which implement this policy; a number of European and US airports also have the rule in place.
It’s also worth checking your airline’s rules on which gadgets they will allow onboard. For example, the majority of airlines allow you to pack the likes of mobile phones, laptops, tablets, hairdryers and electric shavers in your luggage, but rules can differ on what you can take in your hand luggage depending on your airline’s policy.
Meanwhile lithium batteries have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, with most airlines having strict rules about gadgets being in hand luggage rather than hold luggage. According to safety specialists at the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), lithium batteries present a hazard on aircraft, chiefly due to their susceptibility to “thermal runaway”. As a result, airlines including TUI, easyJet and Ryanair have strict policies on what you can pack in your hold luggage, and what needs to be with you in your cabin bag.