AirPods and explosives: What to keep out of your luggage over Xmas

Sometimes visiting family over the holidays means carting a sack of presents on the plane, but nothing kills the festive mood like getting in trouble with airport security.

Air New Zealand says it's expecting more than 1.7 million customers to travel on its domestic network over the next month and a half. Today is the airline's busiest day of the year, with nearly 50,000 people planning to travel.

So how do we beat the Christmas rush and ensure a smooth journey through the airport screening process?

The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAA), the body in charge regulating air travel, has given their top tips on how to safely store your luggage – and what to keep out.

It may seem obvious to keep explosives out of your luggage, but there are a few less obvious festive favourites often caught in screening.

CAA says its officers always see party poppers this time of year but, unfortunately for the party animals out there, they’re not allowed on aircrafts at all.

The same goes for fireworks, for obvious reasons.

The rules are less strict for Christmas crackers, which are allowed on board as long as they’re intact. But the snaps that are used to give DIY crackers their crack are prohibited in both carry-on and checked baggage if they’re not encased in a cracker, so buying pre-made is a must if you’re travelling with them for Christmas.

Imitation weapons need to go in a checked bag.

No matter how precious that Nerf gun may be to the rambunctious tyke in your life, it’s not allowed to accompany you in the cabin.

It’s not just toy guns – imitation ammo can give you problems too.

A pack of bullet-shaped novelty ice cubes were removed from carry-on luggage after being picked up during screening earlier this year, because it was a realistic imitation of a prohibited item.

Paintball guns, knives, and even a metre-long sword made of bone were also removed by the CAA at New Zealand screening points in 2023.

Bringing a new chef’s knife to gift the Christmas cook?

Make sure to pack it in your checked luggage, and thoroughly read the restrictions on the CAA website about any item you plan to pack that could be considered a weapon.

Grandma may need a new reciprocating saw, but you'll want to read the restrictions very carefully on this one as well.

Keep all power tools out of your carry-on bag.

No matter how they’re powered, they are treated as potential weapons and will be removed from your luggage.

Some can be transported in a checked bag if the airline approves.

The CAA says if you are flying with a power tool, you need to take steps to prevent it from accidentally turning on in your bag.

It suggests using trigger locks, or securing the on/off switch in the off position with tape.

If you have spare batteries they need to go in your carry-on, including those in moulded cases.

CAA says that batteries are the number one item that causes issues for passengers.

They need to be packed in carry-ons only, and individually protected in either retail packaging, a protective pouch, an individual bag, or with tape over exposed terminals.

On top of that, each passenger is only allowed a maximum of 20 batteries.

To avoid unpleasant surprises, thoroughly check anything battery-powered before packing your bags, and either take out the batteries or put the whole thing in your carry-on.

It may be a good idea to keep any electronic presents that include a battery separate from the rest of your packing.

You might be in for a nasty surprise if you pack your brand-new wireless earbuds in a checked bag.

AirPods and their counterparts must only travel in carry-on bags due to the lithium battery in the charging unit.

Lithium batteries carry a risk of explosion, so this is a rule that you'll want to take seriously.

Power banks present the same risks and must also be kept out of your checked bags.

The rules are strict on this, so if you don’t want someone’s much-anticipated present to be removed from your bag, make sure to keep it in the cabin with you.

Worried about a pair of heated boots for your favourite skier?

Lucky for them, these are allowed in both carry-on and checked baggage as long as the restrictions are met.

Something the Fair Go team found out last year was just how difficult it was to transport a hoverboard.

When reporter Gill Higgins wanted to deliver a brand-new hoverboard to an excited child, she was surprised to find it wasn’t allowed on the plane.

The lithium batteries meant it wasn’t allowed in checked baggage, but it was too big to bring on board as a carry-on.

If you’re looking to gift a far away relative a hoverboard this year, it might be better to have it sent straight to the recipient, or just to buy it when you get there.

No matter what you’re taking with you this holiday season, check the restrictions before you show up at the airport.

The CAA says as well as double-checking what’s allowed, arrive with plenty of time to account for extra queues from lots of people flying.

It also says that if you want to make the screening process easy for everyone, think about what you wear.

That means avoiding big boots or coats, and making sure to empty your pockets before you go through screening.