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Baggage and security at Leeds airport

Leeds Bradford airport has very strict baggage arrangements in place to ensure the safety of you and your fellow passengers. It is essential to understand these before arriving at the airport to ensure you do not cause delay for yourself, the airport and your fellow passengers. Please take the time to read an outline of the security arrangements as suggested by the airport.

Bag Packing

Ensure that you pack your own bag. By doing this you can ensure that you know exactly what is inside and that nobody has had the chance to tamper with it. Each piece of baggage should have your name and address clearly marked on it. This will allow the luggage to be returned to you if it were to be lost or misplaced.

Overweight Baggage

Check the baggage weight allowance for your flight either by contacting your airline or checking your ticket (if you have an e-ticket then the baggage allowance should be printed on your confirmation slip). If when you have packed your bag you are not sure of the weight then we would suggest purchasing an inexpensive set of scales to allow you to check the weight of your baggage. This will be a small financial outlay that could save you a considerable amount of money in overweight baggage charges at the airport.

Hand Luggage

Leeds Bradford airport stipulates on its website that only one item of cabin baggage is permitted on flights operating from the airport. This hand luggage must not exceed the dimensions of 56cmx45cmx25cm including protruding pockets and wheels. Please ensure that you adhere to this regulation as bringing more than one item of hand luggage or a single item outside of the designated dimensions will cause delay for yourself and your fellow passengers.

Airport hand luggage limits

Liquid Restrictions

Liquid restrictions in place at Leeds Bradford airport are to ensure your safety. It is important that you understand the requirements of these regulations before you arrive at the airport. A relaxation in security restrictions now means that passengers are permitted to take liquids through security areas however there are still tight regulations surrounding this.

Liquids may only be transported in hand luggage in containers of 100ml or less. All containers must be placed inside a clear re-sealable bag with dimensions of 20cmx20cm or less and a capacity of 1 litre or less.

We have listed below some of the most common definitions of liquids that can cause confusion at the airport.

Liquids Include:

  • Drinks such as water, fizzy pop, soup and syrups.
  • Lotions, creams. make-up (even mascara), oils and perfumes.
  • Sprays and creams in pressurised containers such as deodorants, shaving foam and hairspray.
  • Pastes such as toothpaste and creams such as face cream and moisturiser.
  • Gels such as shower gel, and shaving gel.
  • Other solutions and items of similar consistency are all included in the regulations.

If you require special medicines to be taken onboard in your hand luggage in liquid form then you must obtain written confirmation from a doctor explaining your need for it. If you require baby food to be taken onboard in hand luggage in liquid form then you will be required to taste it yourself in front of security staff.

Banned Objects In Hand Luggage

There are many items that are banned in hand luggage on flights operating from Leeds Bradford airport. We have listed some of the most common below however is by no means a definitive list. If you have an item that is not listed below and you are unsure then we would suggest contacting the airport or airline before arriving.

  • Household cutlery
  • any knives
  • razor blades
  • tools
  • scissors
  • hypodermic syringes
  • knitting needles
  • corkscrews
  • sporting bats

Checking-In

When checking-in at Leeds Bradford airport please ensure that you have allowed enough time to make your flight in plenty of time. If you are departing on a long haul flight then we suggest checking in 2 to 3 hours before your flight is due to depart. With increased security the process of checking-in at UK airports takes longer than it used to so please be aware of this. Allowing plenty of time to make your flight will ensure that you actually make the flight as well as being able to go through the process in a relaxed manner and not having to rush.

Bag Searching

Please expect to have your bags searched at the airport. Any person can have their hold and hand baggage searched at any time so please do not be offended if you are chosen to be searched. If items in your hand baggage cannot be clearly seen by the X-ray machine then it is certain that it will need to be hand searched by security staff.

Locked Suitcases: When you are travelling from the UK it is generally accepted that you lock your suitcase. You may be called upon to open up a bag where the contents are unclear.

If you are flying from the USA, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) asks that bags be left unlocked to make the job of security screeners easier and quicker. The TSA has recently listed on its website ( www.tsa.gov ) a number of brand names- that have "accepted and recognised locks". These are locks that airport security screeners can open and relock. The list also contains the names of several makes of travel padlocks that screeners can open and relock.