13.3 ℃

Hand Baggage Rules

Generally, the rules regarding items prohibited in hand baggage are harmonised across the European Union. Nevertheless, the specifics of these rules may vary to a small extent depending on the airline and the country. For further information concerning a certain item being allowed to be carried on in hand baggage, we recommend that you contact your airline.

Before you travel, you should always carefully consider how you distribute your things between your hand baggage and your checked baggage. It is prohibited to take items, which may endanger the aircraft, passengers or crew, into the cabin of the aircraft. The baggage may not contain highly flammable or flammable, explosive, corrosive, poisonous or otherwise hazardous substances or items.
Therefore, if you have any doubts, we recommend that you place the item in your checked baggage or contact the Tallinn Airport information service at the number (+372) 605 8888, at the e-mail address [email protected] or your airline.

When preparing your baggage, please also take a look at our FAQs section, where you shall find frequently asked questions concerning hand baggage. In addition, we also recommend that you take a look at the list of hazardous substances and contact your carrier for advice, if necessary.
Please also see, what to expect during security control.

Limitations on liquids in hand baggage

In aviation security, liquids are defined as:

    1. completely liquid products (e.g. drinks and perfumes)
    2. pastes, creams, cosmetic liquids, liquid/dry mixtures and pressurized containers/li>

Thus, for an air passenger, this also includes toothpaste, hair gel, shaving mousse, soups, syrups, sandwich creams and other products with similar consistency. Also, all non-solid foodstuffs are classified as liquids.
At Tallinn Airport, it is prohibited to carry on liquids, aerosols and gels in individual packs of more than 100 ml or equivalent capacity into the cabin of an aircraft in one’s hand baggage. This rule is not applied to medicines or special diet food.

In hand baggage, it is permitted to carry on:

  • liquids in individual containers of 100 millilitres or less or of equivalent capacity, packed in a single transparent resealable plastic bag of up to one litre in capacity, in such a way that the contents fit properly in the bag and the bag is completely closed (1 plastic bag per passenger);
  • medicines and special diet food (including baby food). Since these items shall be inspected, we recommend to package any liquid medicines and special diet food in a way that would facilitate their removal from hand baggage for presentation to the security workers.
  • syringes and hypodermic needles (make sure that the hypodermic needle does not exceed 6 cm).

Prohibited items

The list below is illustrative and general, and may not include all prohibited articles. Therefore, in case of doubt, it is advisable to package the item into the checked baggage or contact Tallinn Airport Information at
(+372) 605 8888 or by e-mail at info[at]tll.aero or with your airline.

The most common items found in the hand baggage of passengers that are prohibited in hand baggage:

  • metal crochet hooks, knitting needles and nail files
  • razor blades
  • metal combs with a long sharp end
  • lighters (you may only take one lighter with you, but don’t put it in your hand baggage and certainly not in checked baggage. Instead, have it in your pocket – that way you can easily take it out and put it in the security control tray)
  • scissors that are longer than 6 cm, as measured from fulcrum
  • knives with a blade longer than 6 cm
  • tools (e.g. a Leatherman multi-tool)
  • fireworks, sparklers (prohibited also in checked baggage)
  • camping gas, mace (prohibited also in checked baggage)
  • batteries with a capacity over 160 Wh (please see the FAQs section for more detailed information on batteries)
  • ammunition (e.g. cartridges)
  • toy guns
  • corkscrews

Categories of prohibited items

Guns, firearms and other projectile devices

Devices that can and seem to be used for inflicting serious injuries through the firing of projectiles, including:

  • all types of firearms, e.g. pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns
  • toy guns, imitations of firearms and replicas of firearms that may be mistaken for real weapons
  • parts of firearms, excl. telescopic sights
  • compressed air and CO2 guns, e.g. pistols, pellet guns, rifles and spring-loaded guns and pistols; flare guns and starting pistols
  • bows, crossbows and arrows
  • harpoon and underwater firearms
  • slingshots and catapults

Explosive and incendiary agents and explosive and incendiary devices

Explosive and incendiary agents and devices, which can or seem to be used for inflicting serious injuries or endangering the safety of the aircraft, including:

  • ammunition
  • igniters
  • detonators and fusecords
  • imitations of explosive devices or replicas of explosive devices
  • mines, grenades and other explosive military stores
  • fireworks and other pyrotechnics
  • smoke-generating canisters and smoke-bombs
  • dynamite, black gunpowder and plastic explosives
  • batteries with a capacity over 160 Wh

Items with a sharp point or edge

Items with a sharp point or edge that can be used for inflicting serious injuries, including:

  • items designed for chopping, e.g. axes and butcher’s knives
  • icepicks, pickaxes and knives
  • razor blades
  • box cutters
  • knives with blades over 6 cm long
  • scissors with blades over 6 cm long, as measured from fulcrum
  • combat sports equipment with a sharp point or edge
  • swords and sabres
  • metal crochet hooks and knitting needles

Tools

Tools that can be used for inflicting serious injuries or endangering the safety of the aircraft, including:

  • crowbars
  • drill bits/drills and their parts, including portable wireless electric drills
  • tools with a longer blade or stem than 6 cm that can be used as a weapon, e.g. screwdrivers and chisels
  • saws, including portable wireless electric saws
  • blowtorches
  • nail and rivet guns

Stunning devices

Devices that are specially intended for stunning or incapacitating, including:

  • electric shock devices, e.g. electric shock pistols, electric shock dart guns and electric batons
  • devices for tranquillising and killing animals
  • incapacitating chemicals, gases and sprays, e.g. irritating gases, maces, tear gases, acid gases and animal repellents

Blunt instruments

Instruments, which can inflict serious injuries by striking, including:

  • baseball and softball bats
  • bats and batons, e.g. truncheons
  • combat sports equipment