As most people know, travelling can be stressful, and one of the most complicated tasks can often be packing suitcases. If you’re planning on escaping the winter chill to get some much needed sun then you may want to freshen up your travel knowledge as British Airways has urged travellers to stop placing a particular item in their hand luggage. 

If you’re wondering what you can pack, there are actually a few rules you need to follow, but some things should never be placed in your hand luggage. The topic recently came up on Reddit when a social media user admitted he made a key mistake which resulted in him nearly missing his flight while travelling on a plane.

It turns out, there are items that are banned, and some may be more obvious than others. In fact, there are a few things you should never pack in your hand luggage. 

However, British Airways has detailed one item that can cause a particular problem, as people often innocently place it in their bag. The topic came up on social media, when a person said: “You can’t fly with razor blades.

“Just started using a DE razor and nearly missed my flight because I had my toiletry bag in my carry-on. How do you all fly with yours?”

The question got a lot of people talking, as one person replied: “I don’t because it seemed obvious to me that you couldn’t take a razor blade on a flight. If I’m travelling with just a carry-on, I get a decent cartridge razor (it’s not like it’s that long a trip anyway).”

Another added: “I would just bring my electric. Less to pack instead of razor, soap, brush and aftershave.” A third replied: “If I’m travelling longer than four to five days then I check my luggage in anyway.

“It’s not a problem if it’s in checked luggage. Just can’t be in your carry-on.” Meanwhile, a fourth also commented: “Yeah. I just put it in my luggage. No knives, weapons or blades with you in the cabin.”

What does British Airways say?

On the website, British Airways states: “Any item with a sharp point or cutting edge that could cause serious injury must be packed safely in your checked baggage in the hold. These items are not permitted in the cabin either on your person or in your hand/cabin baggage.”

• Items designed for chopping, such as axes, hatchets and cleavers
• Ice axes and ice picks
• Loose razor blades
• Box cutters
• Knives with blades of more than 6cm
• Traditional ceremonial knives such as the Scottish Skean Dhu (Sgian Dubh), the Sikh Kirpan or the Gurkha Kukris
• Scissors with blades of more than 6cm as measured from the fulcrum
• Martial arts equipment with a sharp point or sharp edge
• Swords and sabres

Why you should avoid them

Little you may know, you can generally put most razors in your hand luggage, but these must be disposable, cartridge or electric razors. Anything like loose blades, straight razors or safety razor blades must be placed in checked luggage.

The key rule you need to remember is that sharp or exposed blades are prohibited in carry-ons. To get through the airport without any problems, you need to make sure disposable razors have covers and cartridges are attached to their handles.

Alternatively, you could also just place them in your hold bag. Rules can vary slightly between airlines, so it’s always best to check the guidelines that apply to you when travelling.

If you want to avoid any potential issues at security then it’s best to remove the blade and pack it in your checked luggage. Taking a disposable razor may also be easier.

More details can be found at the website. There are various rules in place when it comes to luggage safety.