List of prohibited articles

European Union has adopted new security rules for passengers and their hand luggage. The new rules apply from Monday, 6th November 2006 at all airports in the European Union until further notice.
ransparent re-sealable plastic bag
The new rules restrict the amount of liquids that you can take through security checkpoints. They apply to all passengers departing from airports in the EU whatever their destination.

  • Passengers are only allowed to take small quantities of liquids in their cabin luggage or on your person.
  • These liquids must be in individual containers with a maximum capacity of 100 millilitres each.
  • These containers must be packed in one transparent, re-sealable plastic bag of not more than one litre capacity. The contents of the plastic bag shall fit comfortably and the bag shall be completely closed.


Liquids include gels, pastes, lotions, liquid/solid mixtures and the contents of pressurised containers, e.g. toothpaste, hair gel, drinks, soups, syrups, perfume, shaving foam, aerosols and other items of similar consistency.

Exemptions may be granted if the liquid is:

  • to be used during the trip and is either required for medical purposes or a special dietary requirement, including baby food. When requested to do the passenger shall provide proof of authenticity of the exempted liquid;
  • or obtained airside beyond the point where boarding passes are controlled from outlets that are subject to approved security procedures as part of the airport security programme, on condition that the liquid is packed in a bag that is both tamper evident and displays satisfactory proof of purchase at that airport on that day; or
  • obtained in the security restricted area from outlets that are subject to approved security procedures as part of the airport security programme; or
  • obtained at another Community airport, on condition that the liquid is packed in a bag that is both tamper evident and displays satisfactory proof of purchase at airside at that airport on that day; or
  • obtained on board an aircraft of a Community air carrier, on condition that the liquid is packed in a bag that is both tamper evident and displays satisfactory proof of purchase on board that aircraft on that day.

Please see also the guidance material developed by the European Commission.

1) Prohibited articles in hand luggage:

Guns, Firearms & Weapons
Any object capable, or appearing capable, of discharging a projectile or causing injury, including:

  • All firearms (Pistols, Revolvers, Rifles, Shotguns etc)
  • Replica and imitation firearms
  • Component parts of firearms (excluding telescopic sighting devices and sights)
  • Air pistols, rifles and pellet guns
  • Signal flare pistols
  • Starter pistols
  • Toy guns of all types
  • Ball Bearing Guns
  • Industrial Bolt and Nail Guns
  • Cross bows
  • Catapults
  • Harpoon & Spear Guns
  • Animal Humane Killers
  • Stun or shocking devices e.g. cattle prods, ballistic conducted energy weapons (taser) Lighters shaped like firearms


Pointed/edged Weapons & Sharp Objects

  • Pointed or bladed articles capable of causing injury, including:
  • Axes & hatchets
  • Arrows & darts
  • Crampons
  • Harpoons & spears
  • Ice axes & ice picks
  • Ice skates
  • Lockable or flick knives with blades of any length
  • Knives, including ceremonial knives, with blades of more than 6 cm, made of metal or any other material strong enough to be used as a potential weapon
  • Meat cleavers
  • Machetes
  • Open razors and blades (excluding safety razors with blades enclosed in cartridge)
  • Sabres, Swords & swordsticks
  • Scalpels
  • Scissors with blades of more than 6 cm in length
  • Ski and Walking/Hiking poles
  • Throwing stars
  • Tradesman’s tools that have the potential to be used as a pointed or edged weapon e.g. drills and drill bits, box cutters, utility knives, all saws, screwdrivers, crowbars, hammers, pliers, wrenches/spanners, blow torches

Blunt instruments

  • Any blunt instrument capable of causing injury, including:
  • Baseball and softball bats
  • Clubs or batons – rigid or flexible – e.g. Billy clubs, blackjacks, night sticks & batons
  • Cricket Bats
  • Golf Clubs
  • Hockey sticks
  • Lacrosse sticks
  • Kayak and Canoe paddles
  • Skateboards
  • Billiard, snooker and pool cues
  • Fishing rods
  • Martial arts equipment, e.g. knuckle dusters, clubs, coshes, rice flails and num chucks, kubatons, kubasaunts

Explosives and flammable Substances

  • Any explosive or highly combustible substances which poses a risk to the health of passengers and crew or the security / safety or aircraft or property, including:
  • Ammunition
  • Blasting caps
  • Detonators and fuses
  • Explosives and explosive devices
  • Replica or imitation explosive material or devices
  • Mines and other explosive military stores
  • Grenades of all types
  • Gas and gas containers e.g. butane, propane, acetylene, oxygen – in large volume
  • Fireworks, flares in any form and other pyrotechnics (including party poppers and toy caps) Non safety matches
  • Smoke generating canisters or cartridges
  • Flammable liquid fuel e.g. Petrol/gasoline, diesel, lighter fluid, alcohol, ethanol
  • Aerosol spray paint
  • Turpentine and paint thinner
  • Alcoholic beverages exceeding 70% by volume (140% proof)

Chemical and Toxic substances

  • Any chemical or toxic substances which poses a risk to the health of passengers and crew or the security / safety of aircraft or property, including:
  • Acids and Alkalis e.g. spillable “wet” batteries
  • Corrosive or Bleaching Substances – e.g. mercury, chlorine
  • Disabling or incapacitating sprays including mace, pepper spray, tear gas
  • Radioactive material. – e.g. Medicinal or commercial isotopes
  • Poisons
  • Infectious or biological hazardous material. – e.g. infected blood, bacteria and viruses
  • Material capable of spontaneous ignition or combustion
  • Fire extinguishers

individual pieces of cabin baggage greater than 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm.
The dimensions shall include handles, straps, pockets, wheels and any other protruding items, including contents of the bag.
Exemptions may be granted for oversized cabin baggage containing an item or items which are too large to fit within the permitted bag size and are valuable or fragile. Such oversized baggage shall be presented by the passenger for approval at check-in and at the screening point for examination. Oversized cabin baggage shall be screened by at least a hand search. 

  • A passenger may be exempted from the requirements listed above that:
    1) the appropriate authority (Estonian Civil Aviation Administration) has been informed in advance and given consent that the article(s) may be carried; and
    2) the Captain of the aircraft has been informed about the passenger and the prohibited article(s) he/she is carrying. Where appropriate the prohibited article(s) shall be placed in secure conditions. 
  • Articles listed above may only be taken aboard aircraft on the following conditions:
    1) the passenger has no unsupervised access to such baggage from the point at which the baggage is checked in to the point where it is reclaimed at arrival and
    2) these items are not mentioned in the list of prohibited articles below. Prohibited articles in hand luggage and hold luggage:
    Explosives, including Detonators, fuses, grenades, mines and explosives
    Gases: Propane, butane
    Flammable liquids, including Gasoline, methanol
    Flammable solids and reactive substances, including Magnesium, firelighters, firework, flares
    Oxidizers and organic peroxides, including Bleach, car body repair kits
    Toxic or infectious substances, including Rat poison, infected blood
    Radioactive material, including Medicinal or commercial isotopes
    Corrosives, including Mercury, vehicle batteries
    Vehicle fuel system components which have contained fuel 
  • Security staff may refuse access to a security restricted area and the cabin of an aircraft any passenger in possession of an article not contained in the list of prohibited items over which they have concern