There are some items that are best kept in your hand luggage for safe keeping, so make sure these items don’t end up in your big suitcase when you go away for your summer holidays this year
Some items are better packed in your hand luggage(Image: Getty Images)
No matter how many times you go on holiday, packing is always an awkward task, as you need to balance the lack of space with the essentials.
And if you have checked luggage in addition to a cabin bag, you may be tempted to throw most of the things you own into your hold baggage. This means you have less stuff to carry around the airport and onto the plane with you.
But there are some things you should never put in checked luggage, and it’s not just the obvious stuff like weapons and flammable items. Here are five items to never send to the hold.
1. Prescription medication
Overall, less than 1% of hold luggage goes missing, and usually it’s simply misdirected, so it will eventually make its way to you. But while you try to retrieve your bag, it’s a good idea to have supplies of essential items.
Prescription medication is better taken as hand luggage, as it’s much less likely to go missing. If there’s a delay with your hold bag getting back to you, you won’t need to worry about missing vital doses of your meds.
If you do lose your medication when travelling, visit a local pharmacy for advice, as they may be able to arrange an emergency supply.
2. Batteries and electronics
Because of the risk of items such as power banks catching fire, items with lithium batteries, such as power banks and vapes, can’t be placed in hold luggage and must be taken onboard with you.
Some airlines have limits on how many Personal Electronic Devices (PEDs) can be taken onboard, with Jet2 and Ryanair restricting the number to 15 per passenger. Ryanair also has a limit of 20 lithium batteries or power banks, each up to 100Wh, in hand baggage.
3. Valuable items
If you have jewellery, cash or other expensive items, you may be nervous about carrying them around in your backpack at the airport. However, it’s not a good idea to leave valuables in your checked-in bags.
There’s a risk of damage to items in transit, and while it’s rare, theft from bags does happen by airport staff. While travel insurance does cover lost baggage, it usually has a limit and policies have an excess to pay, meaning you may not be able to claim enough to cover valuable items.
4. Swimwear
When you’re on the way to a sunny beach holiday, you may want to pack swimwear in your hand luggage rather than your big suitcase. This means that if there is a delay in getting your bag to you, you can at least spend some time on the beach or by the pool while you wait for your bag to arrive.
It also means that if you can’t check into your room straight away when you arrive, you can just change into your swimwear and enjoy some sunshine while you wait for your room to be ready.
5. Phone charger and adapter
Once you arrive at your destination, your phone battery is going to be as low as your energy levels, and you won’t want to be scrambling through your suitcase to find your charger.
Ensure you’ve got your phone charger and adapter for the country you’re visiting in your hand luggage so you can get plugged in as soon as you arrive.
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