Check your airline for cracker ban

HEADING across the Channel for Christmas? If you are travelling by air you may not be allowed to take crackers and may need to leave presents unwrapped.

Airline security precautions vary so you should check on what your carrier allows before you head to the check-in desk – or face adding to the delays as millions head off in the Christmas and New Year rush.

Research by Airport Parking & Hotels (APH) covering 14 airlines including Aer Lingus, Air France, British Airways, BMI Regional, easyJet, Flybe, KLM, Monarch and Ryanair shows widely differing practices on carrying festive treats such as Christmas crackers, party poppers, sparklers and gifts as both hold and checked luggage.

If you are travelling cabin-baggage only, only two out of the 14 airlines in the study allow passengers to travel with crackers in hand luggage, BMI Regional and EasyJet. Both say the crackers must remain in their original packaging but while EasyJet allows two boxes, BMI Regional allows just one.

You are more likely to be able to travel with crackers in hold baggage, with eight of the surveyed airlines allowing crackers to be packed in the hold compartment – but Aer Lingus, Air France, Delta Airlines, KLM and Ryanair do not permit Christmas crackers, sparklers and party poppers on board at all.

Many of the eight airlines who do allow crackers in the hold impose strict policies: Emirates says permission must be granted by the airline at least three days before travel and EasyJet oblige passengers to inform check-in staff if they are carrying crackers.

If you are travelling with presents, Ryanair and British Airways both say presents must not be wrapped to allow security staff to access the parcels if necessary.

And if you fancy flying with a Christmas tree and foliage, then BMI Regional says these are not recommended as checked luggage.

In all cases, check airline/airport restrictions as, for instance, some airports such as London Gatwick and Stansted do not allow crackers to be carried as cabin baggage so they would need to go in hold luggage if departing from these airports.

Strict restrictions still apply on carrying liquids in hand luggage, with liquids over 100ml not permitted – and anyone carrying favourite jams, jellies, pickles or conserves should check if there is a weight limit, often 250g. If you do not need it on the plane... check it in with the hold luggage.

With fewer direct flights in winter, you should also check the baggage allowance for the airlines you are using. Both Airport Parking and Hotels and Skyscanner have their own checklists - www.aph.com/community/baggage-allowances and www.skyscanner.net/news/cabin-luggage-guide-hand-baggage-sizes-and-weight-restrictions

Get full details of the APH research on what airlines allow for Christmas at www.aph.com/christmascrackers

And finally, check your passport to avoid any last-minute problems – and if you are in doubt, check the APH guide at http://www.aph.com/community/holidays/passport-panic-help/