Here's What Not To Pack In Your Carry-On Luggage To Avoid Drama At The Airport This Summer
Travelling? Get prepared.👇
An Air Canada plane. Right: A person holds a Canadian passport.
Got a vacation coming up? In order to streamline your experience at the airport, you'll want to make sure you're following the guidelines of Canadian airlines when it comes to what not to pack in your luggage.
There are certain items you might want to keep in your carry-on luggage, while others will need to be in your checked baggage. Some, you better not bring at all.
Here's an easy breakdown of what to keep in your carry-on, what to stow in your checked bag, and what to leave at home the next time you travel.
What is not allowed on a plane in your carry-on in Canada?
There are many items that you can't bring with you in your carry-on luggage when flying in Canada.
They include guns, firearms, devices that can stun (like a Taser) sharp objects like box cutters or swords, explosives and incendiaries.
Most of these may sound like common sense, and you probably weren't planning on packing them anyway. However, under some of these restricted categories, you'll find everyday items that seem like they'd be OK in a carry-on bag but aren't.
Some examples include:
- Animal repellant (leave the bear spray in your checked bag)
- Some sports equipment, including ski poles, baseball bats, cricket bats, golf clubs, billiard cues and hockey sticks
- Liquids, aerosols or gels that are in a container larger than 100 millilitres or 100 grams and can't fit in a 1-litre plastic bag (leave your soup behind, folks)
- Items that look like weapons -- again, this might sound like common sense, but you'd be surprised by the amount of everyday items like perfumes, belt buckles and pens that look like guns or grenades
- Powder or granular substances of 350 millilitres or more. Bringing some baby powder or sea salt? Put it in your checked baggage.
What is allowed in your carry-on luggage?
On the flip side, there are plenty of things you can (and in some cases, should) pack in your carry-on.
Some of the things you'll want to make sure you pack in your carry-on luggage are things like personal electronic devices (laptops, phones), as some airlines have restrictions about carrying fragile items or items containing lithium batteries in checked luggage.
Other things you can bring in your carry-on bag include:
- cameras, camera equipment and camcorders
- E-readers
- MP3 players, portable CD players and portable DVD players
- portable handheld gaming devices, like PSPs or Nintendo 3DS and video game consoles
- tablets, like iPads
- baby food, baby formula and breast milk
- candles
- hair dryers, flat irons and curling irons
- pinatas
A full list of items can be found on the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority's website.
What items are prohibited in checked luggage?
In Canada, items that aren't allowed on all flights include anything that’s illegal under the Criminal Code, explosive substances and devices that can ignite.
Some airlines, however, have their own regulations for what isn't allowed in checked luggage on board, so it's important to make sure you understand the rules before travelling.
For instance, Air Transat outlines several items that it says will not be accepted in checked baggage. Air Canada also advises travellers to always place items such as laptops, medication and jewelry in their carry-on bag.
Happy travels!
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