Flying out from London City Airport

[sunama]

Hi,

I shall be flying out to Italy soon and its been a while since I've been abroad so, I've got a few questions regarding airports and air travel.

1. What sort of items (apart from drugs), are banned from travel? Can I take an aerosol can? Can I take food -sandwiches, on board the plane/airport? Can take water?

Is there anything, which is not obvious, that I have to be wary of.

2. I want to take my laptop with me - is that permitted on a plane? And do airports have plug sockets which allow travellers to power up their laptops from?

3. Where is the best place to get Euros...can I get Euros from inside airports and is their commission competitive? Or should I just take money out of an ATM when I get to Italy (charges apply)?

I am flying out from London City Airport and shall be stopping at Milan for a few hours.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Henrysaunders1]

Hi sunama,

You are allowed to take aerosols and other 'cosmetics' with you but they can not exceed 100ml and I believe they put them in clear bags for the flight. There is a list of the luggage you can and can't take here http://www.londoncityairport.com/AirportInformation/Security.aspx

I took my net book on the plane and they didn't seem to have a problem with it. I was travelling inside the EU so you should be allowed to as well unless Italy specifically states otherwise.

 

[PieMaster]

City airport has free wifi and power sockets all over the place, I go through there reasonably regularly. Laptops are fine on planes, just remember to take it out of your bag in security.

You'll get ripped if you get currency at an airport - it's much better on the high street, or even just paying on your credit/card abroad, depending on your bank.

 

[sunama]

Blimey, 100ml in liquids is very little.
What do people do for hygeine products, such as shampoo, toothpaste and perfumes, etc?

 

[Henrysaunders1]

Just to clarify I mean 100ml per item.
I'm sure you can put bigger in if its not in hand luggage, if not well... I suppose you will have to buy some there.

 

[Van Hellseek]

Water is fine. I took two 500ml bottles with me on the plane when I flew in March.

 

[sunama]

Just to clarify I mean 100ml per item.
I'm sure you can put bigger in if its not in hand luggage...

So I can take more if I put the items in hold luggage? I don't need to take things like toothpaste in my hand luggage, but it would preferable if I could take some toothpaste, shaving foam etc, in my hold luggage.

 

[buckeejit]

So I can take more if I put the items in hold luggage?

correct

 

[Henrysaunders1]

Yeah water seems fine:
"As a preliminary step from April 2011, bottles of duty free drinks and perfumes bought at third country airports or on board third country airlines and carried in tamper-proof bags will be allowed and will be screened."

Good news you will be able to shave and brush your teeth. I've just double checked. Liquids of any amount can be carried in hold luggage.

 

[sunama]

Good news you will be able to shave and brush your teeth. I've just double checked. Liquids of any amount can be carried in hold luggage.

Good news indeed. Thanks for that info.

Water is fine. I took two 500ml bottles with me on the plane when I flew in March.

Out of interest, those 2 bottles of water - did you buy them from the airport or did you bring them in, from outside the air port? I'd much rather buy 2 x 1.5L bottles from a supermarket, rather than work with mickey mouse 500ml bottles from an airport. The cost would also be significantly cheaper from a supermarket.

 

[pingwing]

Im pretty sure you cant take aerosols on the plane as its a compressed can.

Euro's are best to get over here, sometimes using a cash machine can get you better conversion rates but with the Euro going to something like the Post office or M&S to get commission free gets you the best deal.

Laptops are fine on the plane (cant have wifi on when your flying) just remember you have to take it out separately to get it xrayed on its own.

City airport is sort like a james bond film which is pretty cool, dont know if they have finished it

With liquid they used to say 1L max and 100ml per item but im not 100% sure if they keep that up

 

[A2Z]

Im flying from City airport for the first time on Tuesday, for some reason I thought you only needed to be there 15 mins before the flight, but seems its the usual 45 mins as everywhere else.

Kinda sucks as the airport is in such an awkward location..for someone in West london anyway where Heathrow is just down the road

 

[Ahleckz]

You can't take any liquid that is in a bottle over 100ml. The only exception if you buy it in the airport departure lounge and it is in a tamper proof bag (not all shops/airport will give you this). So, you can not bring water in from a supermarket. It'll get taken off you at security.
You can take deodorant if it's under 100ml.

If you're taking hold luggage, just put your liquids and what not in there. You can carry pretty much anything (as long as it isn't dangerous) in there.

They'll likely take food off you at security, unless it's for a specific dietary need.

You can take your computer with you, but it has to fit inside your hand luggage. You'll likely only be able to take one bag. So your computer and any other carry ons will have to all fit in the one. Most airports will have plugs that you can use.

Get Euros from the Post Office or M&S. Don't ever use the airport currency services, they give awful rates.

 

[PapaLazaru]

Blimey, 100ml in liquids is very little.
What do people do for hygeine products, such as shampoo, toothpaste and perfumes, etc?

Just go to a decent sized Superdrug. Manufacturers have all cottoned on to this idea and in there you can buy pretty much anything in mini, flight friendly size, though, of course, at a premium.

 

[K.C. Leblanc]

Get Euros from the Post Office or M&S. Don't ever use the airport currency services, they give awful rates.

I find the best way is instead of comparing rates just decide how many money you're going to change and then ask how many euros I'll get for that amount.

Also if you want to buy your currency with a debit card they will ask to see photo I.D.