Airport security discarded ALL my frozen expressed milk before our flight

[Nadsthakur]

During security screening, approximately 25 ounces of my frozen expressed breast milk was confiscated and discarded. I was told that because it was frozen, it could not be tested and therefore could not be taken through security.

I explained several times that this milk was for my 8-month-old daughter, who is unable to latch and is exclusively fed expressed breast milk. This was not simply a drink or an inconvenience, it was my daughter's only prepared source of nutrition for our journey. Despite explaining this, I was told there was nothing that could be done, and I had to stand there and watch as the milk was thrown away.

I cannot put into words how upsetting this was. Expressing 25 ounces of breast milk takes an enormous amount of time, dedication and physical effort. It means pumping throughout the day and night, carefully storing every bottle and planning ahead. Every ounce represents hours of work. To have it thrown away in front of me, after explaining exactly how important it was, was absolutely heartbreaking.

What made the situation even worse was the attitude of the officers involved. Throughout the interaction, I felt they showed very little empathy or understanding of how serious this was. I was clearly distressed and repeatedly explained that they were taking away my baby's only food for our journey. Rather than trying to help, showing compassion or explaining whether there were any alternative screening options, my concerns were simply dismissed.

After my daughter's food had been thrown away, I was handed a customer feedback card and sent on my way. It genuinely felt as though nobody cared that an 8-month-old baby had just lost the only food I had prepared for her. The complete lack of compassion shown towards me as a mother was deeply upsetting and made an already distressing situation even worse.

Instead of looking forward to our holiday, I boarded an international flight feeling anxious and devastated, worrying about how I was going to feed my daughter while we were away. No parent should ever be put in that position.

Before travelling, I checked the guidance available to passengers. Ryanair's website clearly states that parents travelling with an infant can bring as much baby milk as needed for the flight, provided it is presented for inspection. I relied on this information when preparing for our journey. At no point was I made aware that frozen expressed breast milk could be refused because it could not be tested, and I was given no alternative option when I reached security.

I do not know the names of the officers involved, but im sure they can be identified through CCTV footage and staff rosters for the security checkpoint.
I want Manchester Airport to provide a full explanation of why my daughter's expressed breast milk was confiscated.
The specific policy or security procedure that required it to be discarded.
An explanation of why no alternative screening method. The time and physical effort it took to express and store it, and the significant distress, anxiety and disruption this caused to both me and my family.im supposed to enjoy my holiday and now im stressed in morroco about how I will feed her. She doesnt latch and only has expressed milk. Besides complaining to the Airport what else can I do so no other family goes through this.

25oz, so about 3 or 4 bottles, what were you planning on feeding her the rest of the time?
Just get some formual?

I was going to ask whether you could buy formula in the airport? Have you not started weaning at all or is there a medical reason you have delayed it?

I’m sorry you’re in this situation, a quick googl shows it is a UK wide rule for breast milk being carried as hand luggage.

www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/baby-food-and-baby-milk

No she has 4oz each time so let's say 6 bottles. I usually express. Plus I had some that were refrigerated. My child has never had formula. But I just cant believe security would do this. This isn't something a mother should stress about. Ryanair even stated that there wasnt a limit on the amount of milk we can bring on board.

https://www.gov.uk/hand-luggage-restrictions/baby-food-and-baby-milk as another poster already put.

Airport staff cannot make exceptions to the security rules, not even for a nursing mother.

In future, you now know that you can take frozen breast milk in your checked luggage.

How did you think they would check it?

Frozen breastmilk must be checked in as hold luggage only liquids can be taken into the cabin, this is the same for all airlines and airports. Was there no option to exit security, go back to the desk and check in the bag?

I’m also an exclusive pumper and had a poor experience at Manchester Airport. The website stated ‘gel’ freezer packs rather than the traditional freezer blocks so this is what I purchased. I went into security before checking my suitcases in so I could swap the freezer packs for blocks if needed and no one could give me a straight answer as to what was allowed.

They confiscated them and left me with nothing. It was horrendously busy, the baby was crying to fed, I was crying and boiling hot. We asked for ice in duty free and onboard the plane but the milk curdled and had to be chucked. They also had no feeding facilities, even after I enquired so I ended up pumping and feeding the baby on the floor in a corner as all the seats were full! I am now pumping for my second child and will not fly from there again.

Unfortunately frozen milk is not permitted. I don’t believe it ever has been. It has to be in liquid form.

I know it seems petty, and splitting hairs. But they will define milk as liquid, not a solid.

I’ve worked in food testing for decades and a lab can’t physically test a frozen solid product, a soft whip ice cream is the exception. Anything else has to be defrosted. On-site testing would be even more limited I’d imagine.

It’s a shame it wasn’t suggested to you to pop to the food hall, get a glass of hot water and defrost one of the milks in the cup of hot water, to make it suitable for testing. This is what I would have suggested to you in their position.

She is being weaned but shes not really a big eater. Would only have few spoons of food. Mainly milk. Ive never given her formula. I had just enough for two feeds then I would need to express again. But travelling isn't easy with 3 other young kids too.

I’m sorry I know how upsetting that would have been, and how much effort goes into pumping.

However with airport security, no rules can be bent for any reason, it doesn’t seem fair to you at the moment and I get it, but they didn’t have a choice.

As you’ll have seen from others, the guidance is clearly written too. You cannot make a complaint, you already have the clear reasons as to why it was confiscated, as horrible as it is, it is your fault, a quick google would have told you no in seconds.

I hope you manage to express enough but if not, a little bit of formula won’t hurt (well formula completely wouldn’t hurt). It is better she is fed.

I hope you have a lovely holiday.

No. She’s a breast-fed baby. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that she would continue pumping during the trip too. Hope that helps.

OP, I’m really sorry that happened, I would’ve found that so destroying as well.

Breast milk has to be in liquid form so that it may be tested.

oh OP I’m sorry, that sounds terribly distressing.
I was in Heathrow transferring from international arrival to domestic transfer in Dec 2024. My firstborn would not take a bottle and was exclusively breastfed, also 4 months old at the time. Security flagged my bag because I hadn’t taken out a framed picture I was giving to my parents for Christmas. Baby was screeching as overdue a feed and I needed to get my boob out for her. I almost begged the woman, in tears, to please move with a bit more haste as my baby was hungry and I needed to feed her before boarding our connecting domestic flight- she didn’t even acknowledge me, just sauntered about at what was an obvious dawdle unpacking my entire case in front of me. It took ages and my child was very distressed, so was I. I know she was just just doing her job but it’s seemed unnecessarily cruel given she could see and hear the distressed baby and it wouldn’t have hurt her to move a bit faster so I could go and get her fed. It left me quite traumatized to be honest. I really get it - years later that memory still gets me riled up. Try to be kind to yourself OP, it’s upsetting but you can’t control the lack of compassion in others.

I’m sorry you are upset too but not sure why you are keen to find out the names of the staff involved. Sounds like they were just doing their job. Unfortunately you have to research things like this quite carefully.

Horrible thing to happen but thems the rules, and the gov website is explicitly clear. Their focus is on the safety of every person on that plane and we should be thankful they don’t just turn a blind eye arbitrarily.

Theres no point gunning for the security officers (just doing their job) or Ryanair (not in charge of security). Hope you and baby are back in a feeding routine asap but do encourage other foods and milks. Have a lovely holiday, this too shall pass.

You’re not going to get any explanation other than the staff followed the rules and did their job. You can’t bring frozen breast milk through security.

How long was the flight?

The security officers didn't do anything wrong.

Manchester airport should make it clear on their website though and I'm not sure why they haven't done so, surely this issue has arisen plenty of times.

OP I'm so sorry that you lost your expressed milk and totally understand the trauma of throwing that away, but unfortunately the staff haven't actually broken any rules. A really quick google gave the rules regarding breast milk.

I think you are going to have to try and move past this, no-one was at fault here. As I said, I totally get it though and empathise, I remember spilling an 8oz bag of expressed milk once and quite literally crying over spilt milk.

Try and remember the staff are not allowed to bend the rules, it's one of few places where protocol is absolutely black and white with unfortunately no 'case by case' outlook.

It’s expressly written into the rules for hand luggage. Did you read them? They staff followed the law, they couldn’t deviate because it’s the law , the don’t get to choose. You can carry enough for the journey in liquid form, that’s it. This isn’t Ryan Air or Manchester Airport being mean to you.

I think this is really sad. I would have been terribly distressed. This is just awful. I’m so sorry OP I get why you feel this way

Poor you, I would have been so upset. I know first hand how much time the pumping takes

Sorry op this is absolutely ridiculous and pointless security theatre.

I get why this would have been upsetting, but you’re not going to get anywhere with complaining as it’s the airport security rules. As others have said Ryanair are not in charge of airport security, their information you looked at didn’t have to cover this. Try and move on and enjoy your holiday.