Requirements
Liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGs)
Exceptions for medicines, baby products and dietary requirements
Airport shopping
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The measures are:
The measures only apply to international flights.
However, if your international trip begins with a domestic flight, then you will still need to be prepared ahead of time. Because your bags will be checked through to your final international destination when you check in for your domestic flight, you should ensure that the only liquids, aerosols and gels in your carry-on baggage are in 100ml containers in a one litre re-sealable plastic bag.
Once you have checked in for your domestic flight, you will not have access to your bags until you reach your final destination, and you won’t be able to repack any items from your carry-on baggage before going through security screening at the international airport.
The additional measures came into effect on 31 March 2007. Travellers on all international flights departing New Zealand, including flights that transit (that is, travel through) New Zealand, must comply with these measures.
Last August, UK authorities arrested a number of people they believed were planning to board aircraft with liquid explosives disguised as water bottles. These liquid explosives could have been used to construct an explosive device onboard the aircraft, which could have destroyed the aircraft mid-flight.
Since these events many countries have introduced restrictions on the amounts of liquids, aerosols and gels that can be carried into aircraft cabins on international flights.
On 1 December 2006 the International Civil Aviation Organization recommended that all countries introduce security measures to limit the quantity of liquids, gels and aerosols that can be carried onboard international flights. It recommended that countries implement the measures by 1 March 2007.
Australia implemented the measures for all departing and arriving international flights on 31 March 2007. New Zealand decided to implement the measures to all departing and transiting international flights from the same date.
These new measures will protect the safety of all flights and passengers departing and arriving in New Zealand.
Screening for liquids, aerosols and gels is becoming a permanent feature of international air travel. However, the actual screening procedures may change over time as technology is developed to detect liquid explosives.
These measures apply to any items that can be poured, sprayed or smeared or melt at room temperature. This includes, but is not limited, to:
These or similar items can only be taken in carry-on baggage on board aircraft in containers of 100ml or smaller, with all containers fitting into the single transparent 1 litre plastic bag. This bag must then be presented separately at the security screening point.
Passengers can still pack as many of these items as they like, in any quantity, in their hold baggage. The usual restrictions relating to dangerous goods still apply. See http://www.caa.govt.nz/ for further information or contact your airline.
If you are only travelling with carry-on baggage, you must still comply with these measures.
The measures apply to a wide variety of items as there are so many different types of liquids, aerosols and gels that could be used as explosives.
Existing technology for testing for liquid explosives is not developed enough to enable every liquid, aerosol and gel carried by passengers to be quickly analysed at the airport. Because it will be too slow to test every item, the new measures apply to all liquids, aerosols and gels except for those in quantities too small to make dangerous explosive devices.
The measures require passengers to pack any liquids, aerosols and gels that they wish to take in their carry-on baggage in a transparent and re-sealable plastic bag.
There are several reasons for this:
You can minimise the time it will take you to clear security screening by presenting at the screening point the correctly packed liquids, gels and aerosols that you wish to take in your carry-on baggage.
The additional security measures limit the quantity of liquids, aerosols and gels that can be carried on board an aircraft in carry-on baggage. By experiment experts have found that it is not possible to make explosives that could destroy an aircraft with small quantities of liquids, aerosols and gels. Therefore, the limit of 100ml per container is a security measure based on their advice.
For the purposes of the liquids, aerosols and gels rules, 100 grams is being considered the equivalent of 100ml.
You can take any creams, ointments, waxes, etc, in containers up to 100g.
Passengers can choose the type of bag that they wish to use as long as it meets the requirements of the new screening standards. The bag must be transparent, re-sealable and of a capacity not exceeding 1 litre (20cm x 20 cm or 15cm x 25 cm).
Bags of this type, such as re-sealable sandwich bags, are readily available at most local supermarkets.
Your bag must be free of large logos or motifs (where a bag does have a logo the reverse side must be clear). This is because they have the potential to obscure items in the bag. If Aviation Security Officers cannot quickly check the contents of the bag, you and other passengers will be delayed while your bag is opened and checked.
The white strip across the centre of many zip-lock bags is acceptable.
Yes, liquids, aerosols and gels in containers too large to be taken into the cabin as part of your carry-on baggage should be carefully packed in your hold baggage. The usual restrictions to carrying Dangerous Goods still apply. Check www.caa.govt.nz or contact your airline for further information on Dangerous Goods.
If in doubt the best advice to follow is to pack all non-essential items, that is, items that you will not require for the duration of your trip, in your hold baggage (the luggage you ‘check in’ and do not have access to during the flight).
You will not be able to board your flight if you have any liquids, gels and aerosols in your carry-on luggage, unless these items are in containers of no more than 100ml and are in a transparent, re-sealable plastic bag.
You will need to dispose of any items that do not comply with the measures before you can pass through screening.
Yes, you can transfer or decant liquids, aerosols and gels into other containers. However, the container that you use must have a volume no greater than 100ml. For example, you may not transfer or decant 100ml of a product, such as shampoo, into a container that holds 200ml. If you do this then you will not be permitted to take this item on board the aircraft with you.
It is important to remember that the normal restrictions for dangerous goods will still apply. More detailed information on the restrictions for dangerous goods is available on the CAA website at www.caa.govt.nz or you can also ask your airline.
Yes, you can take an empty bottle, and fill it up once you have been through security screening. Please note that you will not be able fill up your bottle prior to the security screening point. You will still be able to purchase ready filled containers of water after passing through the security screening process.
You can still bring food from home as long as it is solid in form. This includes, breads, fruit, vegetables, hard cheeses, biscuits cakes or muffins (without a cream, jam or liquid filling), or similar dry, firm or hard items.
You cannot bring food that is a liquid, jelly or a sauce, such as a casserole, stew, soup, curry, gravy, jams and preserves, pickled foods, honey, or yoghurt.
If you are going to take your food items off the aircraft with you at your destination, make sure you are aware of the Customs and Biosecurity requirements in your destination country.
For New Zealand’s Customs requirements, please contact the New Zealand Customs Service at www.customs.govt.nz
For New Zealand’s Biosecurity requirements, please contact Biosecurity New Zealand, at www.biosecurity.govt.nz
There are exemptions in place for people with special dietary requirements, and for baby foods. See below for details of these exemptions.
You can take a wedding cake as long as it is solid, and does not have a liquid, cream or jam filling.
If you require prescription or non-prescription medicine in the form of a liquid, aerosol or gel, you can take these items on board with you in quantities over 100ml. It is important to remember, however, that these items should be taken in quantities that are reasonable for the length of your flight(s) as well as possible delays and flight diversions.
Aviation Security Officers will use their discretion when assessing what quantities of medications would be considered necessary for use in a flight.
Any essential medications taken on board aircraft in carry-on baggage will be subject to additional checks at the security screening point.
Medicines exempt may include the following:
Other medical items, such as blood products, gel-filled external breast prostheses, colostomy bags, and personal supplemental oxygen are also exempt.
Aviation Security Officers may ask to see some proof that the medications you are carrying are yours and are necessary for your condition. For example, Aviation Security Officers may ask to check that the label on your prescription medication corresponds with the name on your boarding pass or passport.
It is a good idea to keep any proof relating to your medication in an easily accessible place in your carry-on baggage in case it is requested by Aviation Security Officers. Following this advice will help to ease your smooth transition through the screening point.
We recognise that some passengers will have to carry essential medicines/medical items on board with them, and that these may need to be in quantities greater than 100ml. If you are carrying any of these items you should ensure that they are:
We also recommend that you carry a doctor’s letter supporting your need to take any essential medical items on board with you in your carry-on baggage. This letter should include the following information:
If you have any questions about travelling with essential medicines/medical items then you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist in the first instance. They have been made aware of the changes and will be able to assist you with any supporting documentation you may need.
Where the medication is non-prescription, a determination on reasonable quantities will also be made by Aviation Security Officers. As with prescription medications, a reasonable quantity will be defined as what is required for the length of the flight, while taking into account of any unexpected delays, missed connections, and lost luggage.
Solid items such as pills or capsules are not restricted under these measures.
Exceptions from the liquids, aerosols and gels restrictions have been made for baby food, formula and other essential baby products.
Baby products include:
Yes. Aviation Security Officers will use their discretion when assessing what volumes of certain products would be considered necessary for use in a flight. Obviously, the age of the child and the duration of the trip will be taken into account when determining this.
You can take on board any essential dietary supplements/foods that you may require in a liquid form. However, if items are not essential for the duration of your flight then you should pack these items into your checked in baggage.
As with medicines and baby foods it would be reasonable to expect that any items you do bring on board in your carry-on baggage will be subject to additional security checks. Aviation Security Officers may ask for proof that the dietary supplements you are carrying are yours and necessary for your condition.
As a safeguard, you may be required to demonstrate that the product is real medicine or special food, and not something less innocent.
Yes. You can still buy liquids, aerosols and gels (including duty free) at New Zealand airports, once you have passed through the security screening point. There are no restrictions on buying or collecting duty free goods on arrival in New Zealand.
If you are travelling directly to another country, you can still take duty free liquids, aerosols and gels on the aircraft with you.
If you are taking more than one flight before you reach your destination, you may be screened when you change flights in another country. If you have liquids, aerosols and gels greater than 100ml or not in the 1 litre plastic bag, you may lose them at the screening point in that country. We recommend that you only purchase duty free just prior to or at the end of the last flight of your journey, or that you collect it on your return to New Zealand.
Countries that have already introduced the liquids, aerosols and gels measures include:
Australia
United States
United Kingdom
Canada
European Union members
Japan
Korea
Hong Kong
Thailand
Singapore
Malaysia
India
Fiji
Cook Islands
Tonga
Vanuatu
Tahiti
Noumea
New Caledonia
Other countries are announcing on a regular basis that they are introducing the new measures.
No. If you are flying to the United States you will be subject to the same liquids, aerosols and gels security measures that apply when arriving in, or transiting through, any other country with these measures in place. For more information see www.tsa.gov/311/
A stop-over passenger is a passenger who has a number of destinations scheduled as part of their trip, for example two nights are spent in one country and four in another.
If you are a stop-over passenger, you can pack duty free in your hold luggage before leaving for the next leg of your journey.
If you purchase your duty free at a down-town retailer, you need to ask the retailer to deliver it to the security area of the airport (ie past the security screening point). It is important to remember that these items will be treated the same as all other duty free items purchased at the airport. They will be subject to the same security measures if you change flights in another country.
Not in your carry-on baggage.
A bottle of wine from home will be greater than 100ml, so you can not take it through the screening point. You need to pack such items in your checked-in baggage. You should talk to your airline about its requirements for checked-in luggage.
No. There is no change to the Customs limits on how much alcohol or other items you can bring into New Zealand.
The best way to ensure that you are not delayed is to be prepared. Know the requirements and pack your items accordingly.
Before you leave home, work out exactly what liquids, aerosols and gels you require for your flight, and pack these in the transparent re-sealable plastic bag, and place it in your carry-on baggage. By making these simple plans you can save time at the airport, and lessen the chance of any delays at the screening point.
If you are unsure about any item then pack it in your hold baggage before you leave for the airport.
By following these steps you will ensure that you, and other passengers, have a stress-free and quick transition through security screening.
No. If passengers reach the screening point with liquids, aerosols and gels in their carry-on baggage that exceed the maximum quantities allowed, they will have to place them in a disposal bin if they want to board their flight. These items cannot be returned to you. Similarly, passengers face the same risk if they do not pack their items in a re-sealable transparent 1 litre plastic bag.
If travellers pack well and arrive at the airport prepared, any potential delays will be reduced. Aviation Security Officers will move passengers who have complied with the rules through security screening points as quickly and efficiency as possible.
Passengers who have liquids, aerosols and gels in their carry-on baggage either incorrectly packed or in excess of the quantities allowed are likely to face a delay while their bags are searched and they may have to relinquish their items.
Overseas experience from the European Union and the United States suggests that once passengers are familiar with the new measures, delays are minimal.
If you would like to get more information about international changes to carry-on baggage requirements then you can follow the links below: