So the deal is that tomorrow I'm doing a marathon trip by plane (Geneva-Frankfurt-London-Ottawa) but I can't get a definitive answer concerning what I can and cannot take in my hand luggage. So far as I am aware, the restrictions that came into effect since the last time I flew prohibit me from taking any liquids on board, and there are also restrictions for medications/cosmetics/related items in hand luggage as well (100 ml maximum size for a container, must be sealed in a plastic bag, blah, blah, blah, etc., etc., I read all about it on the Geneva Airport website)

My main concern is about food. My British in-laws are adamant that I'm not allowed to take anything edible with me, including non-liquid foods such as granola bars or bread. However, I can't find this restriction listed on any airport or airline website.

As I generally like to fly with a healthy supply of food (sandwiches, granola bars, cookies, chocolate, etc.) this concerns me.

Can anyone who has flown within Europe or to Canada recently comment on this? (i.e. can I take my food with me? is this a restriction only at certain airports or with certain carriers? will I be forced against my will to consume airport/airline food all day long?)

Thanks in advance,

HeatherM

As far as I am aware the restrictions are only to liquids. Be careful, not only is the biggest bottle you are allowed to have only 100ml, but all your liquids have to fit into one 1l zip lock bag, so there really is very little you can take in your hand luggage in terms of liquids.

As far as food I dont think its an issue. MY sister recently brought me some foodstuff from home in her handluggage and there was no problem.

Hope this helps.

I have a part time job at a tourist trap in Zürich Airport and we usually ve to tell customers about these regulations. As far as I understand them, you can take food as long as there is no liquid in there. Granola Bars are fine I think, so are chocolate and cookies. Just don't take things like pre-made fondues with you and you will be fine.
Cheers and have a safe trip :-)

I just flew to Vancouver from Zurich and although all liquids (and my deodorant for reasons unknown to me) had to be in plastic bags (given to you at the airport), I took food onboard. No worries - and N Guata!

Thanks very much for your quick replies! That's just what I wanted to hear.

Bring on the (non-liquid) food!!

HeatherM

Heather, I come from one of the strictest biosecurity nations in the world, so I hope my observations can help a little. Generally any kind of processed food like biscuits, chocolate, chips, sweets etc seem not to attract any attention at all. Although I don't know what the in-Europe regulations are, I would imagine you could have sandwiches and the like with you as far as Nth America, and then I would myself err on the side of caution by not taking any food off the plane there - but you'd have probably eaten everything when you get to your destination anyway.

The only things that attract attention from my experience are fruit, meat and dairy products. A sandwich is regarded to be for eating, so you would most likely be able to get that through - if you had a block of cheese or some dried meat on its own however I would anticipate being asked to get rid of it at some point. From the list of things you mention, none of them should be even glanced at bar MAYBE the sandwiches, depending on their content.

My general advice is to ask whenever you are unsure. At worst someone will say 'you can't take that on with you'. There are second chances if you have liquids of larger than 100 mL with you at international airports (after all that is what the screening is for), so snack food should be no exception.

P.S. Love the Moose. Très Canadian.

Aw, he's blushing right now.

Funny no one ever mentions the penguin.....

Right indeed, sir. With my appetite, those sandwiches will be lucky if they make it as far as Greenland.

What the?! I never even SAW the penguin! Hahaha.

Pah! I'll see your marathon trip and raise you my trip from Monday/Tuesday this week: Auckland-Sydney-Kuala Lumpur-Vienna-Zürich with no stopovers. (Ugh, I'm still jetlagged)

Anyway, I agree with everyone in this thread and would just like to add that there will be plenty of warnings along the way. As a transit passenger, you probably won't be passing through any customs, which will be the last place to declare or worry.

Even in strict places like New Zealand, you have a last minute chance to ditch any food anonymously (along with any guns you might be carrying) but if you're carrying gift food or granola bars, then just ask the nice friendly officer to be sure. It's food in question, so it's not like you'll be asking if it's OK to take this gram of hash with you.

I think you're saying too that it's just for your own consumption, in which case you can throw away any left overs before you exit.

Have a great trip,

A guest of ours recently wanted to take Parfait (sandwich spread in a tube) home to London Heathrow. It never made it... was confiscated at Swiss customs! The same goes for Nutella - so spreads seem to be a "no go".

Don't know about Canada, but within the States any food items are okay. Here, they even let you take water as long as it was purchased inside the secured are of the airport itself.

That's just wrong to take someone's Nutella.

Spreads are liquids and won't be allowed in hand luggage. Should have been OK in checked in luggage.

Oh my God! Me neither! Hey, they're even HUGGING IT OUT!!!!!!!!!!

Hi,
I don´t know if this may be a useful tip, or whether it applies to you as you will probably be in transit, but last time at Heathrow at the security checks I was only allowed to take one piece of hand luggage through the security - it was a bit ridiculous really as I had my handbag and a plastic bag with some magazines inside but the "advisors" insisted I could only take one bag through...and had to find a way to stuff everything in one bag.

Does anyone know if I can take cheese with me in my hand luggage out of Suisse? And if it has to be somehow packed and all?

Not so. When I flew into San Fancisco I had my banana confiscated at passport control. I wouldn't mind but I was half way through eating it . They wouldn't even let me stand to one side and finish it .

You missed the within. Critical in this context.

Live/fresh produce should not be taken into the US. Those sniffer dogs at customs in the US are often not there for drugs, but rather sniffing for fresh food items, such as bananas, apples etc.

You're lucky they didn't put you on a flight back to your destination for such a major breach of protocol.

You would need to actually say where you are going, as, as it stands, the answer to your question is yes, you can take cheese out of Switzerland in hand luggage...

But wait, we were also stopped on the state border between Nevada and California and frisked for veggies by the agri-gestapo .

My bad, I forgot, the US of course is a federation, so crossing a State line is also subject to such searches.