Hand Baggage FAQ

Follow these simple steps to pass through pre-flight security checks faster and smoother:

• Familiarize yourself well in advance with the list of prohibited articles in the hand luggage and pack all the articles prohibited in the hand luggage early into the checked baggage.
• In case you still want to package liquids in hand luggage, use a 1 liter transparent reusable plastic bag that can hold packages smaller than 100 ml.
• When you arrive at the conveyor belts at the security check, remove the bag of liquids and large electronic devices (such as a laptop and video and photo cameras) from the hand luggage and place them in the box of clothing separately from the hand luggage.
• Remove outerwear and put them in a box.
• Empty your pockets and remove the trouser belt with a metal buckle and jewelry that can release alarms when passing through the arc.
• Package light items (such as scarves, headphones, hats, cardigans) in a bag before placing them in the luggage box in order to prevent from getting damaged by rollers of the conveyer belt.

In the security check, the possibility that, even if there are no prohibited articles in the luggage, random checks may be carried out in which a sample of explosives is taken from the luggage must be taken into account. Follow the instructions of the security staff.

There are plenty of boxes for each passenger on each conveyer belt, so you can use as many boxes as you really need. When using a lot of boxes, it’s important to remember not to forget your stuff at the end of the conveyer belt.

Information on items prohibited in the hand luggage can be found here. It should be noted here that it is not possible to compile an exhaustive list of prohibited articles. The security worker has the right to assess the danger of the item and not allow the items not provided in the list of the prohibited articles on board the aircraft if they can be used to cause injury.

In aviation security, liquids do not mean only the products that are completely liquid, such as drinks and perfumes. Liquids include pastes, cosmetic liquids, liquid/dry mixtures and pressurized containers such as toothpaste, hair gel, beverages, soups, syrups, shaving foam and other products with similar consistency. Foodstuffs that are not in solid form also fall under the prohibition.

In the hand luggage, it is permitted to carry liquids if they are in packages of up to 100 ml and packed in up to 1 liter of the transparent reusable plastic bag so that the bag can be completely closed. One plastic bag is allowed per passenger.

Yes, if the water bottle is greater than 100 ml, it will not be allowed through a security check.

Yes, a completely empty bottle with a capacity of more than 100 ml is allowed.

Yes, medicines and special dietary supplements that are required on the airplane are allowed in hand luggage, but it must be taken into account that all products are subject to security screening. We advise you to pack medicines and special dietary supplements (including liquid medicines) so that you can take them all out of the bag for presentation to the security staff.

Cold and cough medicine is allowed in hand luggage. Tallinn airport qualifies them under the medicines, so they do not need to be counted as other liquids. However, it must be taken into account that products are examined separately. It may happen that the packaged are opened.

However, if you do not need these medicines during the flight, we recommend packing them in your checked luggage.

Yes, baby food required on the trip is allowed, but it must be taken into account that all products are subject to security screening. For some products, a sample must be taken, which means that the packages must be opened. Pack baby foods so that they can be easily presented to a security worker for inspection.

Yes, a traveler may use a personal plastic bag or a cosmetic bag. However, the plastic bag or cosmetic bag must be transparent, re-sealable and up to an extra liter capacity. The contents must fit properly into the bag, and the bag must be completely closable.

Yes, the contact lens fluid can be in the hand luggage. Tallinn airport qualifies them under the medicines, so there is no need to be packed in a one-liter plastic bag with other liquids. However, it must be taken into account that the lens fluid is separately examined. It may happen that the package is opened.
However, if you do not need contact lens fluids during the flight, we recommend packing it in your checked luggage.

Alcoholic beverages, cosmetics and other liquids purchased at airport stores are allowed on board of the aircraft. If necessary, they will be packed in special STEB bags that can be used for taking them to their final destination when traveling through multiple airports.

All solid foods (such as bread) are allowed in carry-on baggage. Care should be taken with solid foods that are in liquids (e.g. Baltic herring in tomato sauce, sprats). For these, you should look at the size of the packaging, which should certainly not exceed 100 ml (or 100 g if the quantity on the packaging is in grams).

In the case of liquid or creamy foods (e.g. jam, melted cheese), care must also be taken to ensure that the packaging size does not exceed 100 ml. This includes honey and butter in any state, the packaging size of which should not exceed 100 ml/100 g.

If you would like to take foods in your carry-on baggage, where the size of the product packaging must be taken into account, we remind you that everything covered by the liquids rule must fit into a one-litre resealable transparent plastic bag that closes properly.

We recommend packing all food items in your checked baggage or buying them from airport shops after security checks. A wide range of Estonian food products are on sale, there including honey, Muhu bread, sprats, Baltic herring and melted cheese.

If the blade of the scissors or knife is less than 6 cm long, you can put it in your carry-on baggage. However, we advise you to pack all items with sharp ends or sharp edges in your checked baggage, as well as other items that could pose a risk to the crew or other passengers.

This is a sample aimed at detecting explosive remnants of people’s bodies and objects. However, taking this sample does not mean that you have done something wrong, but it is mostly just a random check.

The ProVision 2 body scanner used at Tallinn airport uses safe broadband radio waves for passengers, not X-ray. According to the manufacturer, it is completely safe for passengers.

No, pre-flight security checks cover both passenger and luggage screening in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 300/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council and are implemented in the same way in all Member States.

The traveler may leave the prohibited items or liquids to a security worker who will take them to destruction. More valuable items can be left at the airport’s storage box (at the airport information point), where you can reclaim it after returning from the trip.

One matchbox or a gas lighter, which did not contain liquid fuel is allowed in the cabin. Fuel lighters and lighters with blue flame are completely prohibited.

It is not permitted to take fireworks and other pyrotechnics into the aircraft – neither in hand baggage no in checked baggage.

A power bank and an extra battery that is not attached to a device may be taken on a flight only in hand luggage, and the following must be taken into account:

• power banks with all types of batteries and batteries of up to 100 Wh may be taken on board without a special permit (all types of batteries permitted only here on this condition!)
• the airline’s permission is required in the case of power banks with lithium batteries and extra batteries of 100-160 Wh
• power banks and extra batteries that exceed 160Wh are completely prohibited

Wh can be calculated using the formula Wh = mAh x V / 1000

If the battery is attached to an electronic device, packing it in checked baggage is also permitted, but the following conditions must be taken into account:

• device with a lithium battery of 100 Wh may be brought along without a special permit
• the airline’s permission is required in the case of devices with lithium batteries of 100-160 Wh
• devices with batteries that exceed 160Wh are completely prohibited

If the battery is not a lithium battery (e.g. it is a NiMH battery), you can ask the airline whether taking them on board is permitted.