Flying Emirates, Etihad, flydubai or Air Arabia? What you can and can’t pack in your baggage

As holiday season approaches, many UAE residents plan to travel abroad for vacations, family visits and winter breaks. Airlines, including Emirates, Etihad and flydubai, have strict baggage rules covering various items, such as batteries, electronics, liquids, food, medicines, aerosols and sports equipment. These rules can differ based on the airline, destination and transit point. Here's a practical guide to packing allowances, special handling requirements and prohibited items for each airline.

Emirates:

Emirates prohibits explosives, dangerous chemicals, and other hazardous items in both cabin and checked baggage. Items like fireworks, pepper spray, stun devices, hoverboards, mini-Segways, and smart balance wheels are not allowed. E-cigarettes and personal vaporizers can be brought in cabin baggage but must be protected from accidental activation.

Power banks and batteries are only allowed up to 100Wh, must be carried in cabin baggage, and cannot be used or charged during flights. Spare batteries can be brought up to 20, subject to limits.

Etihad Airways:

Etihad applies varying restrictions based on the item and whether it's carried in cabin or checked baggage. Sharp objects like razors, toy guns, spear guns, harpoons, and cremated remains have specific rules. Power banks and batteries in Etihad require separate handling. Spare batteries up to 100Wh are permitted, while those between 100Wh and 160Wh need authorisation.

Batteries over 160Wh are not accepted. E-cigarettes, e-pipes, and personal vaporizers must be in cabin baggage. Drones can be carried with battery restrictions, and passengers can bring up to two spare drone batteries if individually protected.

flydubai:

flydubai also bans a wide range of dangerous goods, including pepper spray, mace, Tasers, fireworks, flares, explosives, ammunition, flammable gases, poisons, corrosive chemicals, fertilizers, radioactive materials, and damaged/defective batteries. Passengers can bring Zamzam water up to 100ml in cabin baggage or 5 litres in checked baggage with proper packaging.

Cooking and olive oil also have specific packaging and quantity limits. Most sharp objects, tools, sporting equipment, and certain items like hobby items, liquids above certain limits and prohibited by the country of departure, transit or arrival are not allowed in cabin baggage.