If you’re hoping to avoid lacklustre plane meals and pricey in-flight menus while travelling, make sure you’re up to date on the latest rules about bringing food into the cabin
In-flight meals can be hit-or-miss, if it’s not bland and unappetising then it’s often costly to order off the gourmet menu. And with heavy traffic expected over Easter weekend, high-priced plane and train tickets leave little room for splurging.
If you are planning to bring your own snacks and meals onto the plane anytime soon, it’s important to know what is allowed. Otherwise your attempt to save costs might mean you lose money, watching a perfectly good snack confiscated at security.
As reported by the Daily Record, milk, meat or animal products from a country outside the EU are not permitted when travelling into the EU. And while most airlines are aligned in their rules and regulations about food, there are a few variables between carriers that you should be aware of.
easyJet
Yes, easyJet passengers can bring food into the cabin. However, when it comes to liquid foods, the carrier’s 100mL limit on liquids and gels still applies. That means large quantities of soups and custards are not permitted.
On their website, easyJet also reminds passengers that, while food is permitted, they should familiarise themselves with the rules about importing food and drink for the country they are travelling to.
Alcohol and hot drinks can also both be brought on board. Hot drinks need to have been bought at the airport and still have a lid on when boarding.
Only alcohol bought in the airport departure lounge and unopened can be brought into the cabin. It must also be lower than 70% abv and stored in either your cabin bag or an airport shopping bag. Passengers are forbidden from drinking their own purchased alcohol on board and can face prosecution for doing so.
Baby food, sterilised water and milk are the only exceptions to the 100mL liquid maximum. However, easyJet warns there is still a 2L maximum and you may be asked to taste the food for security purposes.
Ryanair
Ryanair permits passengers to bring food and non-alcoholic beverages on board, so long as they fit within the airline’s cabin bag size and weight restrictions. Hot drinks are not permitted on board, even if purchased at the airport.
Ryanair passengers are also prohibited from consuming their own alcohol in the cabin. Additionally, passengers should be careful about what liquids or semi-liquid foods they wish to bring into the cabin.
According to the Dublin Airport website: “Normal food stuffs, such as crisps and chocolate, are fine to bring in your hand baggage. Packs or tubs of butter and margarine are not allowed as they are considered a paste.”
Like easyJet, baby food is subject to more lenient rules. Ryanair mandates that if you are travelling with an infant (8 days-2 years), there is no limit to the amount of baby milk, powdered milk, sterilised water and baby food you can bring onboard. Additionally, baby food does not need to be placed in transparent plastic bags like other liquids.
British Airways
The British Airways website states clearly that passengers: “can take solid foods like sandwiches, biscuits, fruit, nuts, etc. on board but the same restrictions for liquids apply to liquid foods, e.g. drinks, soups, sauces, jam or jelly.”
The carrier also warns passengers to verse themselves in the restrictions of the country that are travelling to and from. “The country of your destination may restrict the types of food allowed into the country, e.g. meat, fresh fruit and vegetables are forbidden by many countries.”
Infant milk, baby food, powdered milk formula and sterilised water is all permitted and is not subject to the standard 100mL liquid limit. Even parents travelling without an infant or baby are permitted to bring a maximum of 2 litres of breast milk with them.
TUI
TUI passengers are permitted to bring their own food on board, but the airline advises passengers to pack “low-risk food such as pre-made sandwiches and snacks that can be eaten cold.” This is because refrigerators and microwaves are not available for passenger use. That said, flight crews are able to warm milk bottles for infants in hot water as needed.
