When going through security do you have to take everything out of your hand luggage?

[PinkBump2022]

I haven’t been on holiday for years and Iv forgotten. When going through the security and you have your hand luggage with you, do you have to Empty your full bag onto the scanner or just put your bag through the scanner ?

Put your bag through the machine that x-rays it. Sometimes shoes too. Then if they see something suspicious or that they can't understand what it is then then ask you to empty it to show its content.

Just put the bag through but you need to take electrical and liquids out and put them through separate

You need to take out laptops, iPads, and liquids. Liquids should be less than 100ml and in a clear bag. Today I also had to take off my Fitbit watch and shoes.

As above plus remove a kindle if you use one and sometimes you will need to remove your belt, watch and jacket / hoody.

Err on the side of caution and take out e.g. chargers even if they say you don’t need to, because if they do pull your bag to search it it takes absolutely ages

Any liquids/paste in a clear plastic bag, electronic items - phone,tablet, laptop - coat, belt , sometimes shoes

Electricals and your liquids bag and your belt, keys, phone, etc need to come out. Then the bag and everything goes through the scanner. We used loads of trays between the 4 of us when we went away a few weeks ago.

Electronics and liquids need to come out, I'd pack hand luggage so those things are easy to get out and put back in. DH didn't do that and got all flustered and lost something, he was furious with himself.

and if you have nappies you'll likely be asked to empty the bag or they'll check your bag.

No. You just have to remove your liquids bag (liquids, pastes & gels in a clear, resealable plastic bag, no more than 100ml in each container & no more than 1 litre in total) plus your electronic devices, which have to be charged up as you may be asked to turn them on. Everything else stays in the bag when it goes through the x-Ray machine.

The security staff will ask you to remove your belt & shoes if required. I always remove my watch & empty my pockets into my bag while I’m in the queue.

Enjoy your trip!

Thanks everyone! What about medications? They stay in the hand luggage and will they all need to come out and be checked? I’m on some medication for my pregnancy, iron, stomach acid pills.

I put DD’s medication in a clear bag and put it through separately

They did take it out the tray, but presumably they saw the prescription sticker on it as they didn’t question me

I believe that medications remain in the hand luggage. I recently included blister packs of daily disposable contact lenses with my liquids - the security staff informed me that these counted as medication, so could stay with my hand luggage.

Not every airport security has the same procedures, travelled through a small regional airport the other day and they have a new scanner which requires you to leave everything in your bag!

As well as liquids and medication I put my electronics in a larger clear zip lock bag. This makes it so much easier. I pull 3 bags out of my hand luggage and put them in trays and there's no faffing. Have the prescription in with the meds and the chargers in with the electronics.

Fab concise summary. Only thing I would add is remove any inhalers too. Not a liquid etc but some airports/individuals seem to randomly assign them as such.