The Two Biggest Time-Wasting Mistakes You're Making At Airport Security

Let’s be real – airport security can get seriously stressful when you’re rushing to head on holiday as you try and remember whether you really have removed everything essential for separate scanning from your case.

And then... beep, beep, beep. You’ve forgotten that bottle of water stashed at the bottom of your bag and before you know it, you’re trapped in a queue to have your suitcase checked by a member of staff.

Now one of the UK’s busiest airports, which has 13 million passengers pass through it every single year, has named the two biggest mistakes you’re making at security in a bid to make us all more efficient. 

London Luton Airport has shared that there are two things we’re terrible for leaving in our bags and cases: lighters and food.

As Northants Live reports, food items can cause delays for you (and other annoyed passengers) at security by obstructing images on x-ray machines. As a result, bags need to be checked manually, so to save time at security, stick food items in your hold luggage.

Although Luton Airport warns against putting food in your carry-on luggage, items such as fruit, cakes, sandwiches etc. are all fine to bring with you. Why? They’re solid.

But for foods that are ‘liquidy’ (think jam, honey, syrups and sauces), they need to be in 100ml containers and fit in your liquids bag if you want them in your hand luggage.

The same goes for tinned and canned items that contain brine – they contain too much liquid.

Okay, so leave the food in our hold luggage where possible, got it. But what’s the other biggest culprit for causing security delays?

Smokers, we’re looking at you. One of the biggest causes of delays at Luton Airport’s security gates are lighters in hand luggage. 

You can bring one single lighter with you, but anymore in your bag and you’ll be asked to leave them with security.

Your lighter must be in your liquids bag (the same goes for vapes).