Useful Information for Travellers: A Change of Carry-on Baggage Requirements

Useful Information for Travellers: A Change of Carry-on Baggage Requirements

From now on, passengers who are about to depart will not be allowed to have a medical thermometer that contains mercury in their carry-on baggage. This requirement, which was introduced according to the amended Dangerous Goods Regulations of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), came into force in airports worldwide and in Lithuania on 1 January 2017.

'Although mercury thermometers have not been sold for several years, until now there was no prohibition against carrying them in carry-on baggage provided they were safely packaged. However, these thermometers break often, and the substances contained in them are hazardous to our health. From the beginning of 2017, mercury thermometers can no longer be carried in carry-on baggage; this is done to avoid accidents during the flight and to ensure that the passengers are safe,' says Indrė Baltrušaitienė, the Head of Communication and Marketing Division of Lithuanian Airports.

The prohibition against transporting mercury thermometers applies to all aeroplane passengers and crew members. Such a thermometer may only be transported in checked baggage and only if it is safely packaged, i.e. put in a separate sealed package between soft objects, for example, clothes, in a suitcase.

This prohibition does not apply to other medical thermometers that do not contain mercury, i.e. digital, remote, or galinstan-based; therefore, passengers may safely transport the latter in carry-on as well as checked baggage.

I.Baltrušaitienė reminds that weapons, various sharp and blunt objects, explosives, flammable, chemical and toxic substances are not allowed in the cabin of an aircraft. Meanwhile, liquids transported in carry-on baggage should be poured before the trip into containers not exceeding 100 ml. All these containers should fit into a plastic resealable 1 l bag.

The following products are classified as liquids: pastes, lotions, hair gel, shampoo, various drinks, including water, juice, lemonade, and soups, yoghurt, syrup, shaving cream and other products of similar viscosity.