What if we told you the items you just took hours to pack are all in the wrong bags? If you didn’t scroll through this list of prohibited items in flight, the hypothetical question might as well be right! Find which items are not allowed in airplanes, and take a detailed look at what goes where to avoid last-minute panic.
You should be checking this even before you secure cheap flight tickets and reserve the best hotel bookings online.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Explosives, Sharp, and Blunt Objects
- Chemicals & Corrosives
- Compressed Gas, Cylinders, & Aerosols
- Liquid Flight Luggage Restrictions
- Sports Equipment
- Batteries & Power Banks
- Strong Smelling Items
- Medication
- Destination-Based Prohibited Items on Flight
- Summing Up:
- FAQs: List of Prohibited Items in Flight
- Akbar Travels Services
Explosives, Sharp, and Blunt Objects
Image credit: Unsplash/Tom Def
| Item | Allowed in Cabin Baggage | Allowed in Check-in Baggage |
| Knives of all sizes, Scissors, Sabers, Axes, and Box cutters | X | ✓ |
| Kirpan (allowed on domestic routes with certain size restrictions) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pellet Guns, Air Guns, gun and firearm parts, knuckles, and Black Jacks | X | ✓ |
| Fireworks, explosives, dynamites, grenades, and plastic explosives | X | X |
Passengers having an authorized license or those from the police must follow a different list of prohibited items in flight for weapons. They can carry these in their checked-in luggage with proper identification proof and permission.
Airlines also prohibit toy replicas of weapons and strong magnets, as per in flight hand baggage restrictions. Passengers can store these in their check-in luggage.
Please note: The above-mentioned list of prohibited items in flight India is as per Air India instructions. When flying with other airlines, it is essential that you visit the official website to know more.
AT Tip: Always declare the weapons or toy weapons you add to your checked-in luggage.
Chemicals & Corrosives
Image credit: Pexels/cottonbro studio
| Item | Allowed in Cabin Baggage | Allowed in Check-in Baggage |
| Bleach (Liquid and powder) | X | X |
| Insecticides, weed killers, etc. | X | X |
| Talcum powder | X | ✓ |
| Chlorine | X | X |
| Wax (except sealing wax) | X | X |
| Dry Ice (Less than 2 kg) | ✓ | ✓ |
Acids, mercury, wet batteries, and alkali are also among the things not allowed on a flight.
Need to carry chemical substances not mentioned in the above list of prohibited items in flight? Contact customer service to avoid last-minute confusion at the airport.
Please note: The dry ice must be placed in an insulated container for safety purposes, as per the prohibited items in flight baggage restrictions.
Compressed Gas, Cylinders, & Aerosols
Image credit: Unsplash/Christian Allard
| Item | Allowed in Cabin Baggage | Allowed in Check-in Baggage |
| Air mattress with attached pump | X | ✓ |
| Non-flammable Gas Cartridges (with carbon dioxide) | X | ✓ |
| Non-flammable Gas Cylinders used by passengers with prosthetic limbs/reduced mobility | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compressed gas cylinders (not fire cylinders) | X | X |
Certain flammable items, including Camphor, lighter fluid, gas fluid, turpentine, paint thinners, poisonous substances, and gas torches, are not allowed in the cabin or check-in luggage.
The list of prohibited items in flight international destinations might differ from domestic restrictions. Remember to check the guidelines thoroughly.
Liquid Flight Luggage Restrictions
Image credit: Shutterstock/DUANGJAN J
All liquid products must be packed in a 100 ml clear container or bottle if being stored in the check-in baggage. This also applies to gels, and all the products have to be packed together in a 1-litre clear and resealable plastic or zip-lock bag.
Alcohol
Air India’s rules, as per the list of prohibited items in flight, allow passengers to carry up to 5 litres of alcohol in the cabin. The alcohol content of the beverage should be between 24% and 70%. The bottle must be packaged in its original retail packaging, without which you cannot bring the bottle aboard.
Also read: Can You Bring Alcohol on Plane? – Know Everything Here
Sports Equipment
Image credit: Shutterstock/Andrew Angelov
| Item | Allowed in Cabin Baggage | Allowed in Check-in Baggage |
| Fishing Items | X | ✓ |
| Sporting goods (bats, hockey sticks, ski poles, etc) | X | ✓ |
| Inflated balls in deflated state (footballs, volleyball, cricket ball, etc) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Starter pistol | X | ✓ |
| Sport Rackets | ✓ | ✓ |
AT Tip: Ensure the sports items you pack follow the allotted check-in and cabin baggage allowance, or you will have to pay an additional fee for the same.
Batteries & Power Banks
Image credit: Unsplash/Atharva Whaval
On list of prohibited items in flight, lithium and spillable batteries are strictly forbidden in cabin and check-in luggage. The same goes for E-cigars, e-hookahs, etc.
AT Fact: As of 2025, Emirates only allows power banks in cabin baggage, with a power not exceeding 100 watts.
When carrying a laptop, you must ensure that the battery does not exceed 2 g and the watt-hour rating does not exceed 100 watts.
Strong Smelling Items
Image credit: Unsplash/Jim Teo
Airlines from India do not permit passengers to bring live or frozen fish, animals, or birds on the plane, in check-in or cabin baggage. Some of the food items that are not allowed on the flight due to their strong smell are:
- Jackfruit
- Durian
- Marang
- Pedalai
- Champedek
Certain food items check in baggage restrictions you must follow are:
| Item | Allowed in Cabin Baggage | Allowed in Check-in Baggage |
| Spices (in powder) | X | ✓ |
| Copra/Crushed Coconut | X | X |
| Ghee/Cooking Oil | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pickel (except Chilli Pickle) | ✓ | ✓ |
Please note: Chilli pickle is only allowed in the check-in baggage on Air India flights.
Always check the prohibited items in flight hand baggage for food, as most airlines follow different guidelines. No need to carry food from home, as you can explore the local delicacies at your destination with all-inclusive holiday tour packages!
Discover: Why Does Plane Food Taste Bland? The Answer Lies in the Air.
Medication
Image credit: Unsplash/Myriam Zilles
Certain medical items, including Diabetes related syringes and equipment, Oxygen cylinders for medical needs, and Nitroglycerine pills and sprays, are allowed in both cabin and check-in luggage. Thermometers in a protective case can only be carried in the cabin bag.
Radio isotopic cardiac pacemakers, fitted internally or externally for patients, are allowed in the cabin, not with check-in baggage. Passengers can also carry cremated remains of humans or pets in the cabin.
If carrying artificial medical bones for research or any reason, they must be stored in the check-in baggage, as per the list of prohibited items in flight.
Destination-Based Prohibited Items on Flight
Image credit: Unsplash/engin akyurt
Destination-based prohibited items vary significantly by country, and so do the airport check in baggage restrictions. If you’ve already applied for online visa services for 180+ countries, you should know that:
Australia, New Zealand, and the US: Strict bans on fresh produce, seeds, meats, and soil to protect local agriculture.
Middle Eastern and Asian Countries: Religious texts, pork products, or pornographic materials.
Singapore and Europe: They might take away uncertified power banks, vapes, or an excess quantity of medication without prescriptions upon arrival.
You must carry a prescription for all drugs to avoid being stopped at the airport.
Summing Up:
As per the list of prohibited items on flights, most Indian and international airlines recommend passengers avoid carrying sharp items, weapons, certain chemicals, lithium batteries, liquids over 100 ml, certain food items, and food equipment on board. Depending on your airline and destination, you must pack the items in the cabin or check-in luggage as stated. These bans are to ensure the safety of passengers.
FAQs: List of Prohibited Items in Flight
Which items are not allowed in flight?
Certain items that are not allowed on the flight are:
- Sharp items, including knives, cutters, blades, etc.
- Tools and items that can be used to deliver blunt force, like bats.
- Weapons, or toy imitations.
- Liquid exceeding 100 ml.
- Foods or other items with a strong smell.
- Lithium batteries and power banks.
Can I take phone charger in the hand luggage?
Yes, you can carry the phone charger in the cabin luggage. Most airlines also recommend that it be stored only in the hand baggage.
What items are not allowed in the checked luggage?
Certain explosives, like fireworks, alcohol over 70%, poisonous substances, corrosives, magnets, and certain firearms, are not allowed in checked luggage.
Can I carry perfume in flight?
Yes, you can carry perfume in flight as long as it’s in a transparent container not exceeding 100 ml.
Can I carry power bank in the flight?
Yes, you can bring along a power bank in cabin baggage on flight.
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