The List of Prohibited Articles comprises the items and substances that are prohibited for carriage onboard aircraft or permitted under specific conditions. Every airline is free to impose additional restrictions on prohibited or dangerous articles and substances on their aircraft.

The category of prohibited articles includes all articles and substances which can be used as an attack or defence weapon or are capable of posing a threat to flight safety and the health and lives of people. This category includes seemingly harmless articles such as:

• pocket knives;
• lighters shaped like firearms;
• Strike anywhere matches;
• Blue flame or Cigar lighters (prohibited in both cabin and checked baggage);
• various types of souvenirs capable of being used to cause bodily injury;
• alcoholic beverages with more than 70% alcohol by volume.

Most articles on the list may not be carried in cabin baggage but can be packed in checked baggage.

Passengers are not permitted to carry the following articles in their cabin baggage:

• Guns, firearms and other devices that discharge projectiles — devices capable, or appearing capable, of being used to cause serious injury by discharging a projectile, including:
  • Toy guns, replicas and imitation firearms capable of being mistaken for real weapons;
  • Stunning devices — devices designed specifically to stun or immobilise;
  • Objects with a sharp point or sharp edge — objects with a sharp point or sharp edge capable of being used to cause serious injury;
  • Workmen’s tools — tools capable of being used either to cause serious injury or to threaten the safety of aircraft;
  • Blunt instruments — objects capable of being used to cause serious injury when used to hit;
  • Explosives and incendiary substances, ammunition and devices.

Explosives and flammable substances and devices capable of being used to cause serious injury or to pose a threat to the safety of the aircraft, including:

• replacement/separate batteries and accumulators, including external charging batteries;
• e-cigarettes, including disposable e-cigarettes (Salt and other) and rechargeable e-cigarettes (IQOS and other);
• ammunition;
• blasting caps;
• detonators and fuses;
• mines, grenades and other explosive military stores;
• fireworks and other pyrotechnics, including sparklers;
• smoke canisters and smoke cartridges;
• dynamite, gunpowder, and plastic explosives.

The carriage of dangerous goods by air is regulated by Annex 18 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation of 7 December 1944 and the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Doc 9284) of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

The term ‘dangerous goods’ refers to goods and substances that may endanger human health, safety, property or the environment and that are classified according to the Technical Instructions. Passengers are forbidden to carry dangerous substances and goods in their baggage.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of all dangerous goods and substances, as it is too extensive.

Examples of dangerous goods include the following:

• explosives, flammable substances and devices (sparklers, fireworks, gunpowder, dynamite, signal flares, safety fuses, ammunition, detonators, explosives, etc.);
• various gases and articles containing them (propane, butane, acetylene, lighter refill gas, fire extinguishers, liquid nitrogen, tear gas, pepper gas, insect sprays, etc.);
• flammable liquids and goods containing them (paint, strong alcohol, turpentine, petrol, varnish, and paint solvents, nail polish remover, lighter fuel, stain remover, etc.);
• flammable solids (matches, white and yellow phosphorus, calcium carbide, lithium, magnesium, solid fuel, etc.);
• oxidising substances and organic peroxides (bleach, car bodywork sprays, mineral fertilisers, chemical oxygen generators, calcium and chlorine solutions for swimming pools, permanganate, etc.);
• toxic and infectious substances, biohazardous materials (rat poison, slug and insect killers, arsenic, strychnine, pesticides, viruses, bacteria, infected blood, medical and clinical waste, various fuel additives, etc.);
• radioactive materials, including medical or industrial isotopes;
• corrosive substances and goods containing them (mercury, mercury thermometers and barometers, acid batteries, lithium batteries and accumulators, acids, concentrated vinegar, etc.);
• other dangerous goods and environmentally hazardous substances (asbestos, dry ice, components of the vehicle fuel supply system that have come into contact with fuel, magnets, polymer products, battery-powered mobility equipment, etc.).

Some dangerous goods may be carried in cabin baggage, checked baggage or in one’s pocket if they comply with the criteria specified in the Technical Instructions and meet certain packaging requirements and restrictions in terms of weight/volume. Such exceptions include, for example:

• toiletries, including aerosols – hairspray, perfume, cologne, etc. Together with aerosols containing non-flammable, non-toxic gas (without additional risk) and alcohol-containing medicines, may not exceed two kilograms or two litres; maximum unit volume – 0.5 litres or 0.5 kilograms;
• alcohol-containing medicines – tincture of iodine, brilliant green solution, cough syrup, etc. Together with toiletries and aerosols containing non-flammable, non-toxic gas (without additional risk), may not exceed two kilograms or two litres;
• aerosols containing non-flammable, non-toxic gas (without additional risk), intended for sports or domestic use. Together with toiletries and medicines containing alcohol, may not exceed two kilograms or two litres;
• alcoholic beverages in retail packaging with alcohol content up to 70% – wine, vodka, etc. The maximum total volume per person is five litres;
• energy-saving light bulbs in retail packaging for personal use;
• hydrocarbon gas-powered hair curlers (maximum one piece);
• medical or clinical mercury thermometer (maximum one piece);
• electronic devices (including medical devices) containing lithium metal or lithium-ion elements or matters, such as wristwatches, calculators, video and photo cameras, mobile phones, etc. Batteries may not exceed two grams for lithium metal batteries and 100 Wh for lithium-ion batteries;
• replacement batteries, including lithium metal or lithium-ion cells or batteries for consumer electronics;
• portable electric appliances with acid-free batteries, if packaged according to the criteria determined in the Instructions, with a maximum voltage of 12 V and a maximum capacity of 100 Wh.

One small matchbox (except Strike Anywhere matches) or one lighter (except Blue Flame or Cigar lighters) that does not contain unabsorbed liquid fuel may be carried in one’s pocket only.

As an exception, subject to prior agreement with your airline, you may transport, for example:

• electric wheelchairs or other similar mobility devices with acid-free batteries;
• electric wheelchairs or other similar mobility devices with acid batteries;
• mobility aids (collapsible) with lithium-ion batteries;
• camping stoves and fuel cartridges (empty) that previously contained flammable liquid fuel;
• professional mercury thermometers or barometers;
• lithium battery-powered safety devices;
• replacement lithium batteries for portable electrical devices where the Wh number exceeds 100 Wh in lithium-ion batteries or the amount of lithium in lithium metal batteries exceeds two grams;
• dry ice (up to 2.5 kg);
• oxygen or air in cylinders intended for medical use, of a gross weight not exceeding five kilograms.

If you’ve noticed that you are carrying a prohibited article or substance in your cabin baggage or checked baggage and the circumstances allow it, you can:

• ask the airline whether the article/substance could be placed in your checked baggage;
• return to the check-in area and leave the prohibited article/substance in your car or dispose of it in another way;
• dispose of the article/substance in the prohibited articles container at the security checkpoint.

If a prohibited article or substance will be detected during the inspection of your checked baggage, your luggage will be opened and this item or substance will be removed. You will be informed about this with a special information notice that will be placed in your luggage. You will no longer be able to get the removed item back - it will be destroyed in the appropriate order. 

To avoid misunderstandings, please:

• carefully read the terms and conditions provided by your airline on its website before starting your journey;
• ask your airline about any applicable prohibitions when buying your ticket. The airline may impose additional restrictions for their aircrafts;
• before checking in to your flight, make sure to look at the info boards in the check-in hall which include information on articles and substances prohibited for air travel.