EasyJet hand luggage questions

[abbey44]

I’ve never flown on easyJet before, and never travelled with hand luggage only, but I’m booked to go away with a group next month and that’s the deal. I’m fine with it - looking forward to a break, actually, as I haven’t had a holiday since 2018 - but I’m a bit confused about making sure I don’t contravene the rules inadvertently.

The liquids one - 10x100ml….how do you take everything you need for a week in that? I’ve got some travel sized shampoo and conditioner, but it doesn’t look enough for shower gel for a week, and what about sun cream? Does that count as a liquid? Can I buy these after security in Gatwick?

Medications - I have a lot, insulin, tablets and eye drops in single-dose capsules. I can see on their website that I can take my insulin pens ok, but do I need to count the eye drops in the liquid total? And do I need a doctor’s certificate for my medication, or will taking a copy of my prescription be enough (it was the last time I flew).

If anyone can point me in the right direction, I’d really appreciate it, as I don’t want to get to security and be That Person who looks a complete twat in front of everyone. Thanks 🙂

First, ignoring the liquids question for now, Easyjet standard hand luggage allowance is for a smallish bag so unless you've paid for additional hand luggage, look VERY carefully at dimensions. If you turn up on the day with something too big, they'll charge you £60 to stick it in the hold. You can pay for a seat in advance that gives you a second 'normal' sized bit of hand luggage.

Liquids - you can buy everything you want after security. There's a Boots at Gatwick, and duty free for posher stuff. Can be much easier than cramming things into a plastic bag. Everything liquid or paste counts as a liquid, including make up, so best to play safe and include anything in your plastic bag rather than risk confiscation.

Medications need a prescription if bigger than 100ml, although the pharmacist's label is usually enough proof. For non-prescription eye drop capsules I usually stick them in my liquids bag - if you're not taking anything else, you won't have a problem. If prescription, take them through separately, again with proof.

Thanks. I’ve found a bag on Amazon that’s the right size for easyJet and as I’m only going for a very casual week, I reckon I’ll be able to squish everything into it. Going to Boots after security sounds perfect, so I’ll do that for a couple of things. Thanks for the advice bout the medication too - you’ve put my mind at rest a bit.

Oh, one more thing…. Am I allowed to take a handbag as well as the 45x36x20 carry-on bag…?

I booked seats that allow you the extra cabin baggage. My auntie & I took one cabin suitcase, one under seat bag and a smallish handbag each with no problems.

I'm also diabetic and the airline will allow you to take an extra bag for medication free of charge if needed.
Do check exactly what you have booked re a bag/small case.
Have you booked and paid for a cabin case/bag?

Technically, you can't take a handbag as well. Rules say one bag, which should fit under the seat in front (unless you have paid extra - there are all sorts of options for various "upgrades")

This isn't always enforced , it wasn't the last time I flew, but if it is a particularly busy flight or the staff are having a bad day then you will be asked to put your handbag into your cabin bag.

On just to add you have to contact them in advance re additional allowance for medication

Take medications in separate bag, with proof such as prescription.

Buy anything you can’t squeeze in to the liquids bag like sun cream after security. Leave it behind in the way back home if necessary. Though you may have made space in the liquids bag by using up the travel sizes you took out.

We both had cabin bag and handbag/man bag. Check your details. The smaller bag has to fit under the seat in front.

If you haven’t got speedy boarding it can be a scrum to get a place for the cabin bag in the overhead locker. You will need to have your wits about you.

If you haven’t booked the large cabin bag option then you won’t be able to take a handbag as well. Make sure you can fit everything you need into the small bag, it’s really not a lot of room and they do check. I upgraded in the end as there were three of us and it was just easier.

I took a bottle of HRT gel which was more than 100ml. They asked me about security to put it into a separate sealed bag and to have the box with the prescription label ready to show. Nobody looked at it.

Thanks, that’s good to know - I’ll see if I can get through tomorrow to clear that.

I’m booked in a basic seat, with just the 45x36x20 bag (which I’ve got) and if I pack with more thought than I usually do (!) I should be able to fit everything in. It’s an early morning flight on a Sunday, so I don’t know how busy it’s going to be…I know I’ll be half asleep as the taxi is picking me up at 5.30.

You can do a collect in store order to boots airside or go to the local supermarket for shower gel / shampoo / deo.
muse the liquids bag for things you are precious about

Yes I take my beach bag with my handbag inside it and it goes under your seat

Not all shops airside will open in time for a very early flight. Suncream will count as do any gels or pastes. You need to allow space to pack purchase as they will not allow a carrier bag as well. You can buy extra cabin luggage but best done in advance,

Depending on to where you're travelling, just buy showergel and suncream from a local shop once you arrive. I take a pack-down rucksack or tote in my hand luggage to use whilst away.

No you can't, and if they are feeling bastardly they'll make you put it into your hand luggage, which given that's no bigger than small rucksack, you may struggle with. If you're going for a week, I'd upgrade to speedy boarding if you can as it gets you another larger case.

EasyJet can be absolute bastards about bags and very strict about one bag - far more than other carriers - so I wouldn’t risk it, whatever others say. This comes from two years of weekly commuting with them.

Unless they have changed rules very recently though (totally possible though) they have always allowed a carrier bag from airport shops. Into which you can stick an extra small bag, under your sun cream. Not that I told you that. But do double check that those rules haven’t changed.

Thanks for all the help - I decided it’d be safer to add a large cabin bag to my booking and do away with any uncertainty, so that’s all sorted now. I’m good to go!

Good plan re the second bag, worth it for the extra allowance in my experience.

You might be able to share shower gel/suncream etc with the rest of the group so you're not all buying and wasting most of full size products that you can't bring home with you, but I've always found 100 ml of shower gel more than enough for a daily shower for a week anyway and prefer to decant whatever we have at home into travel bottles - you can get packs of empty bottles from Amazon/eBay/Boots/Primark/Ikea etc.

Boots at Gatwick North is very well stocked. The queue looks enormous as it snakes through the shop but it moves really quickly.
Don't forget to put your luggage on its side when you stow it in the overhead locker.
The toilets are huge cubicles so easy to wheel your bag in with you.

OP, you will need to ditch any leftover liquids on your return flight if they are in containers/bottles over 100mls.

I flew with easyjet on Monday and I was able to take a small crossbody bag aswell as the underseat cabin bag. I also had a plastic bag with food in, no one checked anything. I was flying back from Tel Aviv.

DH and I bought wheelie rucksacks from Amazon that fit under an EasyJet seat and they are doable for a few days.

The Ryanair ones are not! Unless you pay for another bag it would be clean undies only.

Also, you'd be surprised how long the holiday sized shampoo and suncream last.

Thanks for all the tips. I’ve bought some 100ml travel bottles to decant tuff into, and I think the only thing I might need to buy is suncream, and I’m happy to leave behind anything that’ll put me over the limit on the way back, although as I’ll have been using stuff that might not be necessary.

I think now I’ve added the larger cabin bag I’ll be fine with getting everything in - now all I have to do is plan my perfectly coordinated holiday wardrobe…!

Use solid shampoo bars, zero liquids
The really nice smelling ones you can use all over

Take soap bar instead of shower gel

Take a small suntan lotion or buy it there

You can buy solid toothpaste tablets too

The liquids one - 10x100ml

Can you link to that rule OP as my understand is that it's 1000 ml in total, max size 100ml and must fit in a clear resealable bag max size 20cm x 20cm. I've not seen it written that it is max 10 items?