Baggage, liquids and battery worksheet

Packed-bag worksheet

Fictional case: a 45 × 30 × 20 cm backpack exceeds a 40 × 30 × 20 cm limit by 5 cm in one dimension despite acceptable weight. A “travel backpack” label does not resolve that.

Battery card: stated Wh ____; carrier policy ____; quantity ____; onboard use/charging ____. If a label relates 10,000 mAh to 3.7 V: 10 Ah × 3.7 V = 37 Wh. This reads capacity; it is not automatic travel approval.

Liquids: screening airports ____; container capacity ____; packing ____; applicable exemption/evidence ____. Medicines: carriage ____; entry/transit ____; storage ____; clinical guidance for timing ____.

Allowance: count, weight, dimensions and bag type

An allowance describes what your fare permits. Identify personal items, cabin bags and checked bags; then check the count, weight and dimensions of each. The rule concerns the purchased service and flight legs, not the bag’s marketing name.

Fictional case: a fare allows one under-seat item up to 40 × 30 × 20 cm. Your backpack measures 45 × 30 × 20 cm: low weight does not cancel the extra five centimetres. Measure it packed, including external parts as instructed by the airline. “Baggage included” without detail does not establish a checked-bag allowance.

In Brazil, ANAC states a cabin allowance of up to 10 kg, subject to airline dimensions and applicable operational restrictions. This is not a worldwide rule. For connections, check legs sold and operated by different airlines. Save the conditions attached to your purchase and investigate the cost of any required extra before reaching the airport.

Separate the suitcase from what must stay with you

Pack around what would happen if your checked bag were unavailable until the next day. Documents, payment methods, contacts, necessary travel medication and valuable electronics belong somewhere accessible in the cabin, subject to carriage rules. A simple change of clothes may reduce disruption if it fits your allowance.

Example: your cabin suitcase must be checked at the gate because of space. Before handing it over, remove documents, essentials and spare batteries or power banks, which must not go into the hold. Tell staff about anything needing special handling; do not assume they know the contents.

Identify the bag with useful contact details without unnecessary exposure, remove old routing tags and record its appearance. Do not carry packages whose contents you do not know. Allocate liquids, sharp objects and electronics according to rules for each baggage type; being checked does not make every dangerous item permissible.

Liquids: container size, screening and connections

Screening may consider container capacity rather than how much liquid remains. Where the limit is 100 ml per container, an almost-empty 200 ml bottle fails it. Toothpaste, creams and gels may count too; check the required packing, including a transparent bag where applicable.

There is no single instruction for every airport. UK government guidance says limits depend on the airport and advises checking departure, connections and return. Essential medicines, baby food and purchases in security packaging may have conditional exemptions; an exemption is not permission for any bottle.

Example: a purchase passes security at departure, but you will be screened again during a connection. Passing once does not guarantee passing twice. Check transit, packaging and receipt requirements before buying a large bottle. An empty bottle avoids taking water through ordinary screening, but local staff determine acceptability; refill only from a suitable drinking-water source.

Power banks and batteries: capacity and carriage

Check the Wh rating and the airline’s policy, including quantity and use on board. Protect terminals from short circuits and damage. Damaged or recalled batteries need specific guidance; do not treat a swollen power bank as normal equipment. Immediately alert cabin crew if a device overheats, swells or emits smoke in flight.

US reference: FAA rules require spare lithium batteries and power banks in the cabin. Up to 100 Wh is the usual range; 101–160 Wh involves approval and specific limits. Airlines may be stricter, and mobility devices have separate rules. Also check country and carrier policies on using or charging a battery during flight.

Reading a label, not travel approval: 10,000 mAh equals 10 Ah. If the stated nominal cell voltage is 3.7 V, energy is 10 × 3.7 = 37 Wh. Do not automatically use the USB output voltage. Prefer the manufacturer’s stated Wh; if the label does not identify capacity, resolve that with the airline before travel.

Medicines: carriage, entry rules and continuity

Separate three checks: carriage on the aircraft, destination and transit rules for the medicine, and storage or timing during travel. Keep product identification and relevant documents accessible. Brand names can differ between countries; the active ingredient helps locate the correct rule. Do not hide substances or move them into unlabelled packaging to avoid inspection.

UK example: essential liquid medicines over 100 ml may pass screening with evidence of prescription under official conditions. Controlled drugs have separate rules. That security permission does not authorize importing the same product into every destination.

For refrigeration, needles, powered equipment or oxygen, arrange conditions with the airline and responsible clinician beforehand. Do not assume an onboard refrigerator is available. Keep supplies needed for the journey and documentation accessible, allowing for delays within legally permitted quantities. Changing doses or intervals because of time zones is a clinical decision: obtain that guidance from the professional managing your treatment.

References

• Baggage: preparation and problems
• Baggage when comparing flights
• Batteries in baggage: US guidance
• Liquids in hand luggage at UK airports
• Medicines and medical equipment at UK airports
• Accessibility in air travel

Sources checked 2026-09-27.