Around half of Brits go abroad on holiday every year, and the summer holidays are usually the ideal time to travel, but, despite so many of us embarking on these breaks, many of us don’t know the basic rules of airports.
Listen, if like me, you’re just not a numbers person, I get it. There are a lot of numbers to remember and measurements that you probably don’t think about too much in your day to day life.
New research from Vape Globe has found that many of us are uncertain about the rules surrounding foods, liquids, and even whether it’s okay to leave and return to the airport once you’ve checked in.
The airport rules that are baffling Brits
Taking your own food to the airport
If you don’t want to splash out on pricey airport foods or just want a final taste of home before jetting off, it’s perfectly acceptable to bring your own grub. 67% of the people surveyed believed that taking your own food to the airport was illegal but it’s not! It’s just not really the done thing.
Gatwick Airport advised: “Drinks are allowed in your hold luggage. You can carry cakes, fruit, vegetables, sandwiches and all solid foods in your hand luggage.
“The container carrying these foods must not exceed 100ml in size, regardless of the amount inside. Jams, honey and other preserves are also subject to these restrictions.”
Vaping and smoking
We’ll start with the 10% of Brits that thought vaping on the flight was legal.
Nope. It’s completely illegal to smoke or vape on flights.
Additionally, 80% of those surveyed incorrectly answered questions on vaping, with Brits still thinking that you can pack vapes in hold luggage. In fact, they must be taken through security in your on-board bags and sealed in a clear plastic bag.
Meanwhile, 50% of us still think we can purchase as many duty free cigarettes as we like, when there are in fact set limits per person.
And, one in 10 incorrectly believe that you can take lighters in hold luggage however lighters with fuel are prohibited in checked bags.
Leaving the airport once you’ve checked in
If you’ve ever had a layover in another country and wondered if it’s okay to leave the airport for a little excursion, you’re not alone. In fact, 78% of those surveyed were frazzled by rules over leaving the airport on a layover.
You can in fact leave and come back for the second leg of the journey. In addition to this, nearly 90% of Brits did not know that you can leave and re-enter the airport after check in.
