Restricted Items

Banned, restricted and dangerous goods are articles or substances capable of posing a risk to health, safety, property or the environment. If you wish to travel with any such goods or materials, please be aware of the restrictions or steps you may have to take to travel on one of our flights.

If you’re in any doubt about restrictions on an item you want to bring on board, please review our guidelines before arriving at the airport.

View our Guide to Dangerous Goods

To ensure the safety of the aircraft and those onboard, neither checked-in nor carry-on bags may contain articles or substances that could pose a danger during transport (some exemptions apply). These articles and substances include:

Lighters & Matches

Flammable Liquids

Toxic

Oxidizer

Flammable gas

Corrosives

Compressed Gas

Organic Peroxide

Radioactive materials

Explosives & Ammunition

Lithium batteries

Power banks

Infectious substances

This section outlines prohibited items in the Security Restricted Area of the airport, on board aircraft as cabin baggage and in checked baggage on Aer Lingus flights.

Without prejudice to applicable safety rules, passengers are not permitted to carry the following articles into security restricted areas and on board an aircraft:

View EU Liquids Guide

 

Prohibited items on all Aer Lingus aircraft (includes Aer Lingus Regional flights)

Guns, firearms and other devices that discharge projectiles-devices capable, or appearing capable, of being used to cause serious injury by discharging a projectile, including:

  • firearms of all types, such as pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns
  • toy guns, replicas and imitation firearms capable of being mistaken for real weapons
  • component parts of firearms, excluding telescopic sights
  • compressed air and CO2 guns, such as pistols, pellet guns, rifles and ball bearing guns
  • signal flare pistols and starter pistols
  • bows, cross bows and arrows
  • harpoon guns and spear guns
  • slingshots and catapults

Objects with a sharp point or sharp edge -objects with a sharp point or sharp edge capable of being used to cause serious injury, including:

  • items designed for chopping, such as axes, hatchets and cleavers
  • ice axes and ice picks
  • razor blades
  • box cutters
  • knives with blades of more than 6 cm
  • scissors with blades of more than 6 cm as measured from the fulcrum
  • martial arts equipment with a sharp point or sharp edge
  • swords and sabres

Stunning devices - devices designed specifically to stun or immobilise, including:

  • devices for shocking, such as stun guns, tasers and stun batons
  • animal stunners and animal killers
  • disabling and incapacitating chemicals, gases and sprays, such as mace, pepper sprays, capsicum sprays, tear gas, acid sprays and animal repellent sprays

Workmen's tools-tools capable of being used either to cause serious injury or to threaten the safety of aircraft, including:

  • crowbars
  • drills and drill bits, including cordless portable power drills
  • tools with a blade or a shaft of more than 6 cm capable of use as a weapon, such as screwdrivers and chisels
  • saws, including cordless portable power saws
  • blowtorches
  • bolt guns and nail guns

Blunt instruments-objects capable of being used to cause serious injury when used to hit, including:

  • baseball and softball bats
  • clubs and batons, such as billy clubs, blackjacks and night sticks
  • martial arts equipment;

Explosives and incendiary substances and devices-explosives and incendiary substances and devices capable, or appearing capable, of being used to cause serious injury or to pose a threat to the safety of aircraft, including:

  • ammunition
  • blasting caps
  • detonators and fuses
  • replica or imitation explosive devices
  • mines, grenades and other explosive military stores
  • fireworks and other pyrotechnics
  • smoke-generating canisters and smoke-generating cartridges
  • dynamite, gunpowder and plastic explosives.

Segways are strictly prohibited both as checked or cabin baggage aboard Aer Lingus aircraft. Segways are small two wheeled motorised vehicle used as a convenient mode of transport. There are many names and brand names associated with such vehicles - Segways, Swagways, Swegways, Mini Swegways 'Hoverboards' etc. All such vehicles are strictly prohibited.

Prohibited items on all Aer Lingus checked baggage (includes Aer Lingus Regional flights)

Passengers are not permitted to carry the following articles in their checked baggage:

Explosives and incendiary substances and devices-explosives and incendiary substances and devices capable of being used to cause serious injury or to pose a threat to the safety of aircraft, including:

Additional prohibited items on Aer Lingus Regional flights (flight numbers 3000-3999 operated by Emerald Airlines)

Aer Lingus Flights

Smart Luggage is a bag (rucksack, suitcase or similar) that may contain a lithium battery/power bank. This device is often used to recharge personal electronic devices (PEDs) i.e. phones, tablets, laptops etc. or provide electro-motive power that provides propulsion to the suitcase.

Smart Luggage will not be accepted on flights if:

  1. If the lithium battery/power bank cannot be readily removed by the passenger
  2. If the wattage rating (Wh) of the lithium battery/power bank is more than 100Wh, or the Wh rating cannot be determined (e.g. not marked on the battery/power bank case)

If the lithium battery/power bank can be removed, the smart luggage is permitted for carriage, subject to the following conditions;

  1. The lithium battery must be removed and carried in the aircraft cabin with the terminals protected against short circuit.
  2. The lithium battery must have a capacity of less than 100Wh.

Electric bicycles may only be carried if the battery is removed and will then be checked in as a normal bicycle and the rules above will apply.

Electric Scooters are not permitted for carriage unless the scooter is being used as a genuine mobility device. Passengers will have to provide a doctor's letter confirming a genuine need for this. If a scooter's battery is non-removable it will be secured safely on the aircraft. If the scooter cannot be secured in the cargo hold it will be carried in the cabin.

Aer Lingus has been advised that the U.S. Department of Transportation has issued an emergency order banning all Samsung Galaxy Note7 smartphone devices from air transportation in the United States and Canada. Passengers who own or possess a Samsung Galaxy Note7 device may not transport the device on their person, in carry-on baggage, or in checked baggage on flights to, from, or within the United States.

As directed by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA), if you are flying to the U.S., there is a limit on the quantity of powder substances (eg. flour, sugar, coffee, spices, powdered milk or cosmetics) you may take in your cabin baggage. Passengers who wish to take more than 350g/350ml/12oz of powder substances to the US, must pack them into their checked baggage.

Loose batteries: Batteries can short circuit and catch fire if they are carried loose in your bag. Loose batteries must be protected against contact with other metal items (e.g. by being in their original packaging or own protective case) and carried in your hand baggage.

Aer Lingus Regional flights

Items acceptable as checked baggage on Aer Lingus Regional Flights (flight numbers 3000–3999 operated by Emerald Airlines)

The following items will not be accepted for carriage in the cabin of an Aer Lingus Regional aircraft, but can be accepted in the hold once suitably packed:

  • Catapults
  • Cutlery and knives with blades of a length under 6cm
  • Razor blades (both open bladed and safety razors)
  • Tradesmen's tools
  • Darts
  • Scissors
  • Hypodermic syringes (unless required for medical reasons)
  • Knitting needles
  • Large sporting bats and clubs
  • Billiard, snooker or pool cues
  • Ski and walking/hiking poles
  • Other articles deemed to be unsuitable for carriage as cabin baggage

Any sharp objects in checked-in baggage should be security wrapped to prevent injury to screeners and handling personnel.

Restricted items requiring advance notification to Aer Lingus (48 hours)

  • Non-spillable batteries
  • Spillable batteries or lithium batteries
  • Lithium ion batteries (collapsible)

Camping stoves and fuel containers that have contained a flammable liquid fuel - fuel tank/container must be empty.

Lithium ion batteries with a watt-hour rating exceeding 100 Wh but not exceeding 160 Wh:

  • Contained within security-type equipment
  • Spare lithium ion batteries - maximum of two spare batteries per person

barometers, thermometers, etc.

must be packed with pressure relief valves and in a manner that it can’t be accidentally activated

Solid carbon dioxide or dry ice

underwater torches (diving lamps), soldering irons, etc.

cylinder must have a gross weight of under 5 kg

containing small non-flammable gas cylinders (containing suitable gas in division 2.2)

Automated External Defibrillators (AED), Nebulisers, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) containing lithium batteries, etc. See special assistance section section

  • Your local reservations office must receive the following details at least 48 hours before travel
  •  

    Firearms:

    • Quantity
    • Type (handgun, rifle, shotgun)
    • Make/model

     

    Ammunition:

    • Quantity (weight) and calibre
  • Upon presentation at the airport:
    • Sports guns are dismantled and packed one per case
    • Sports guns, when dismantled, are to be loaded with checked baggage. The containers must be locked and labelled as firearms
    • Sports guns, ammunition and cartridges must be packed separately from other baggage
    • Sports guns, ammunition and cartridges must be available for inspection by security
    • Ammunition is limited to a maximum of 5kg per passenger, inclusive of all packaging
    • Ammunition must be packed in containers of wood, metal, or fireboard with the contents protected against any movement. The containers must be locked and labelled as firearms
    • Only the licensed firearm owner may check in a sports gun upon presentation of their valid firearm license at check-in
    • Sports guns are subject to an extra charge for flights within Europe. Only the licensed firearm owner may check in a sports gun upon presentation of their valid firearm license at check-in
    • Note: Sports weapons/firearms/ammunition can't be carried on Aer Lingus Regional flights.

      Note: Transport of Firearms/ammunition other than those defined as sporting weapons are subject to government approval. International firearm regulations vary by destination and transiting country. Contact appropriate consulates or embassies to obtain specific entry requirements applicable to destination(s).

Aer Lingus guide to dangerous goods

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EU aviation security regulations (liquids restrictions)

Read More

TSA security rules on cabin baggage

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