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In accordance with European Union regulations, the hand luggage of passengers wishing to board flights must be inspected before they can enter the passenger-only zone or board the flight. Personal computers and other electrical or electronic items must be inspected separately from the rest of the luggage and must be presented at the security checkpoint out of their cases.

Also, all passengers accessing the boarding area must pass through the metal-detector arches, removing their jackets and top garments, which must be inspected with their hand luggage using X-rays and are also subject to ongoing random manual checks.

Passengers are forbidden from taking articles that constitute a risk for the health of other passengers, the crew and the safety of the aircraft and cargo into the passenger-only zone. These items include:

Liquids

The European Union has adopted security rules for the transport of liquids in hand luggage. These rules came into force on 6 November 2006 in all European Community airports and in Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. They shall apply to all passengers departing from these European airports, regardless of destination.

European legislation restricts the amount of liquids that may be taken through the security checkpoints. However, there is no limit to the liquids that may be bought in shops situated past said security checkpoints or on board an aircraft operated by a European Union company.

Check the European Union rules for carrying liquids in hand luggage in the Carrying Liquids section.

Fire arms and weapons in general

Any object which can launch a projectile or cause injury, or looks like it could, such as:

• Any type of firearm (pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, etc.).
• Replica or imitation firearms.
• Firearm parts (except ordinary or telescopic sights).
• Air pistols, air rifles and pellet guns.
• Signal flare pistols.
• Starter pistols.
• Toy guns of all types.
• BB guns.
• Industrial bolt and nail guns.
• Crossbows.
• Slings.
• Harpoon and spear guns.
• Slaughterhouse guns.
• Devices that stun or shock, such as cattle prods or laser guns.
• Cigarette lighters that imitate firearms.

Pointed or sharp-edged weapons or other objects.

Any sharp-edged or pointed object which could cause injury, such as:

• Axes or hatchets.
• Arrows or darts.
• Crampons.
• Harpoons and javelins.
• Pickaxes and ice axes.
• Ice skates.
• Automatic knives or switchblades of any length.
• Knives, including ceremonial knives, with blades longer than 6 cm, made of metal or any other material strong enough to be used as a weapon.
• Cleavers.
• Machetes.
• Open razors and blades (except safety or disposable razors with enclosed blades).
• Sabres, swords and sword canes.
• Scalpels.
• Scissors with blades longer than 6 cm
• Ski or trekking poles.
• Throwing stars.
• Tools that may be used as stabbing or cutting weapons (drills, drill bits, razor blades, professional knives, saws, screwdrivers, crowbars, hammers, pliers, spanners, adjustable spanners, welding guns, etc.).

Blunt instruments

Any blunt instrument which can cause injury, such as:

• Baseball or softball bats.
• Bars or sticks, either rigid or flexible (truncheons, bludgeons, sticks, etc.).
• Cricket bats.
• Golf clubs.
• Hockey sticks.
• Lacrosse sticks.
• Kayak and canoe oars.
• Skateboards.
• Billiard cues.
• Fishing rods.
• Martial arts equipment (brass knuckles, clubs, truncheons, flails, nunchucks, kubatons, kubasaunts, etc.).

Explosive and inflammable substances.

Any explosive or highly inflammable substance which poses a risk to the health of passengers and crew, or to the safety of aircraft and cargo, such as:

• Ammunition.
• Blasting caps.
• Detonators and fuses.
• Explosives and explosive devices.
• Replica explosives or replica explosive devices.
• Mines or other types of military-use explosive charges.
• Grenades of any kind.
• Gas or gas cylinders (butane, propane, acetylene, oxygen, etc.) in large volumes.
• Fireworks, flares of all kinds or pyrotechnical items (including firecrackers and fulminating toy articles).
• Non-safety matches.
• Smoke-generating canisters.
• Flammable liquid fuel (petrol, diesel, lighter fluid, alcohol, ethanol, etc.).
• Aerosol spray paint.
• Turpentine and paint thinner.
• Alcoholic beverages above 70 percent alcohol by volume (140% proof).

Chemical and toxic substances.

Any chemical or toxic substance which poses a risk to the health of passengers and crew, or to the safety of aircraft and cargo, such as:

• Acids and alkalis (for example, wet batteries that could cause spills).
• Corrosive or whitening substances (mercury, chlorine, etc.).
• Disabling or incapacitating sprays (mace, pepper spray, tear gas, etc.).
• Radioactive material (for example, isotopes for medical or commercial use).
• Poisons.
• Infectious materials or those that constitute a biological hazard (for example, contaminated blood, bacteria or viruses).
• Material capable of spontaneous ignition or combustion.
• Fire extinguishers.

Complementary measures

The relevant authority may prohibit articles other than those listed above.

The relevant authority will make a reasonable effort to inform passengers on such items before finalising check-in of their hold luggage.

Security guards may deny access to the restricted area and the aircraft to any passenger in possession of an article which, although not listed, arouses their suspicions.