Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

‘Just take two liquid bags’: please don’t

81 replies

OMGitsnotgood · 15/03/2025 09:18

I’ve just been browsing a FB travel group relating to our local airport. Someone travelling with hand luggage only was asking how on earth people manage to fit all their toiletries into the allowed size plastic bag and included a photo of all the stuff they had, which would only fit in two bags. More than one person said ‘I just take two bags and put them in separate trays so security doesn’t know you’ve two bags’ Lots of ‘oh wow great idea, I’ll try that’ comments. Unfortunately commenting appears to have been switched off in that thread so I can’t respond. I am guessing the original poster on that thread wasn’t an experienced traveller as they hadn’t considered that they didn’t need 100ml shampoo/conditioner/shower gel etc for a 3 day trip and could decant, they also had non-liquid items in those bags. Lots of good advice helped them get it down to one bag, but the ‘just take two bags’ comments concerned me.
I am a very frequent flier from that airport. I have absolutely no idea how people have managed to get two liquid bags even into separate trays as you are watched like a hawk, the security guys tend to check tbe trays, and I have seen people have second bags taken off them on many occasions. Part of me doubts that people have actually managed this, but even if they have, I definitely wouldn’t recommend it.

I had an. awful vision of inexperienced travellers who are perhaps nervous anyway having toiletries taken off them thanks to some duff advice from a random internet person so thought I’d pop it on here in the unlikely event someone had read that thread, and was planning on doing it without fully thinking it through.

OP posts:
knephew · 15/03/2025 22:52

You sound a bit deranged! ‘Awful visions’…

OverTheRaincloud · 15/03/2025 23:17

HundredMilesAnHour · 15/03/2025 17:07

City used to be the absolute worse for enforcing their own variation of the liquid rules. I remember being told (at some length) that I must put my lipstick in my clear bag as lipstick was considered a liquid at City. I used to travel internationally a lot with work and City was the only airport I’ve ever used that insisted lipstick is a liquid. Thank God those days are over!

Show quote history

Yes! I had this happen except with stick deodorant instead of lipstick. Fine everywhere else, but City had its own nonsensical rules.

RosesAndHellebores · 15/03/2025 23:25

minnienono · 15/03/2025 10:16

There is a very simple solution for those who wish to travel with lots of liquids, check your bag!

we just check one suitcase between us, costs the same as two carry ons on easyJet etc and means less hassle boarding as I only have my handbag.

its not sexist either as some suggest because men have to carry daily shaving kit which women do not, and you don’t need make up, certainly not that much for short breaks

This

Middleagedstriker · 15/03/2025 23:27

OMGitsnotgood · 15/03/2025 10:35

ok I get the message. To be clear, I don’t ‘hate’ people who do this. I do care about seeing people upset at getting bags taken off them (not just ‘a bit of shower gel’ but often expensive stuff) - and it really does still happen. Anyway, this was clearly an ill-judged post so will step back and leave you to mock my attempt to be helpful.

I've been on many flights over the last 20 years and never seen this happen.
We did get some kids scissors taken off us as we they were in the kids craft kit but nothing else.

Theywerebrilliant · 15/03/2025 23:35

OMGitsnotgood · 15/03/2025 10:35

ok I get the message. To be clear, I don’t ‘hate’ people who do this. I do care about seeing people upset at getting bags taken off them (not just ‘a bit of shower gel’ but often expensive stuff) - and it really does still happen. Anyway, this was clearly an ill-judged post so will step back and leave you to mock my attempt to be helpful.

Ignore all the nasty, sneery posters on here OP. Useful observation and other subsequent posters comments too.

People who comment about why start a thread on this, surely mnet wouldn't exist without half the conversations started on here?!

Theywerebrilliant · 15/03/2025 23:38

knephew · 15/03/2025 22:52

You sound a bit deranged! ‘Awful visions’…

Nasty, and I recognise your name from another thread where you were pretty spiteful too earlier on this evening...

niadainud · 15/03/2025 23:40

Do you by any chance run the local Facebook group and Neighbourhood Watch?

Rewis · 16/03/2025 00:16

Last time I flew gatwick (they seem to have new machines now) there was a family in front of me and they were absolutely flabbergasted that their liquids had to be in 1L plastic bag and take their laptop out and not wear coat. Apparently they travel a lot and this has never happened before.

I've witnessed so many time someone being upset when their liquid is confiscated. I can totally see the two bags working but need to make sure that important liquids are in one bag and you're prepared to throw the other away. My hack is to use the ikea 1.2l bags. You get extra 2dl and they can't tell. But yeah, the liquid rues are changing but it's not everywhere yer

whynotwhatknot · 16/03/2025 00:28

when i went away last october they told us to use two bags at security to spread it out

Reugny · 16/03/2025 05:16

Elektra1 · 15/03/2025 16:59

I once had a rude security woman insist that everything had to fit into the airport plastic bag - I’d put mine in a kitchen ziplock that was marginally larger than the airport one. She made me remove items until the airport bag could be closed and she retained the things that didn’t fit. It seemed unnecessary. But it does happen.

I had similar but over a decade ago when I was working abroad and flew regularly.

The security woman in the UK at Gatwick looked so angry when all my stuff fitted into one bag with space to spare.

I had put stuff into 2 bags which was previously fine for multiple journeys on both the UK side and foreign side. In fact the foreign side had given me the bags. I concluded she was just being a bitch if all the other security staff could see it was actually less than one bag full.

Reugny · 16/03/2025 05:23

whynotwhatknot · 16/03/2025 00:28

when i went away last october they told us to use two bags at security to spread it out

Because it's easier for them to see what your liquids are without doing a manual check.

Anyway at UK airports they have done away with the bags.

You just have to deal with staff who don't realise 70-100ml containers come in all shapes and lengths.

jellyfishperiwinkle · 16/03/2025 05:32

I had stuff taken off me at Dublin airport once when I had too much to fit in the tiny bag on a work trip. Luckily I was allowed to sacrifice the toothpaste and roll on deodorant rather than some expensive make-up.

Last time flying out a couple of weeks ago I could leave toiletries in my bag at London City, and had to put them in the tray at Dublin. If airports could get together and harmonise security practice it would be helpful.

jellyfishperiwinkle · 16/03/2025 05:40

Also at Dublin, one time my overnight bag went down the "bad egg" side of the chute, not because of liquids, devices or scissors, but apparently because my makeup bag triggered it- they opened it and scanned the "powder" on the inside. Then I was good to go (and gave the bag a good wash when I got home 😆). I'm grateful for their diligence, though have to say it did have some awful queueing times for security at one point.

ttcat37 · 16/03/2025 06:59

God I long for the day that there’s so little stress in my own life that I get this concerned about other peoples’ trivial issues

jellyfishperiwinkle · 16/03/2025 07:16

ttcat37 · 16/03/2025 06:59

God I long for the day that there’s so little stress in my own life that I get this concerned about other peoples’ trivial issues

A close relative I care for and love dearly is dying of cancer and I have plenty of stress and upset in my life just now. Talking about more frivolous things and threads like this really help. I wouldn't presume to judge what anyone else has going on.

WhatGoesHere · 16/03/2025 07:18

What do you think is going to happen?

stayathomer · 16/03/2025 07:24

ttcat37

God I long for the day that there’s so little stress in my own life that I get this concerned about other peoples’ trivial issues
we all have stress in our lives but when we’re going on holidays or coming back it’s these things that stress us/we have to think about, it’s not the same as everyday life because that’s what a holiday is surely!

RampantIvy · 16/03/2025 07:38

Why so many snarky posts?

One thing is clear though - different airports do things differently, even down to different terminals and different security staff working in them.

Surely, it is best to assume that the 1 litre bag with 100ml containers is the only way to take liquids until these measures are uniform everywhere?

I am pretty low maintenance and can easily fit my liquids allowance into a one litre clear plastic bag. Besides, I can easily buy toothpaste, deodorant and sun cream in Boots airside.

Tumblingthrough · 16/03/2025 07:40

What the hell are you all taking that you need that much stuff?

MoonWoman69 · 16/03/2025 10:39

I think you need to focus on your own business and leave others to theirs. Don't you have a hobby?

RampantIvy · 16/03/2025 11:31

Tumblingthrough · 16/03/2025 07:40

What the hell are you all taking that you need that much stuff?

I must admit I did wonder, but I am low maintenance. I never wear mascara and never take foundation on holiday. I never use shower gel, preferring a bar of soap. I take shampoo, conditioner, face wash, moisturiser, toothpaste, lipstick and eye drops. On warmer holidays where we go for longer we tend to use Jet2 and use our free luggage allowance as DH has a lot of medical stuff to carry as well.

I wish posters would leave off with the snarky remarks. They are boring and childish.

loadypoady · 16/03/2025 13:21

Thanks for the thread. I’m flying from Stansted tomorrow and it’s made me check the requirements there and according to their website it is take the clear plastic bag out of your bag and put in the tray.
I’ve flown from EMA and MAN quite recently and both places you could leave them in your bag and they are all the same group.
Roll on the day when this rule is abolished.

ToBeOrNotToBee · 16/03/2025 19:39

loadypoady · 16/03/2025 13:21

Thanks for the thread. I’m flying from Stansted tomorrow and it’s made me check the requirements there and according to their website it is take the clear plastic bag out of your bag and put in the tray.
I’ve flown from EMA and MAN quite recently and both places you could leave them in your bag and they are all the same group.
Roll on the day when this rule is abolished.

Edited

I flew from Stanstead this week. Liquids remained in my bag 🤷🏼‍♀️

TheNiftyHedgehog · 16/03/2025 19:45

I do this all the time, 2 or 3 bags, but I don’t think you need to take liquids out of your hand luggage at Heathrow anymore. Even when you did, as long as they were in the bag and each container less than 100mls, it was fine.

SnakesAndArrows · 17/03/2025 17:24

At Manchester, I’ve seen people told to throw away liquids that didn’t fit into a single plastic bag on several occasions. Unless things have changed in the last two months they don’t have the new scanners at every security checkpoint.