OTS releases new list of prohibited items in carry-on, check-in baggage

Following international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Office for Transportation Security issued an updated list of prohibited items or items which cannot be brought or carried in the airport and aircraft, or which are subject to special requirements or instructions from the airlines.

The revised list expanded the coverage of prohibited items to include chemicals and other toxic substances. There were also other add-on items under the different categories such as disguised/improvised firearm, arrow and dart, hand/thumb cuffs, air tank (as diving equipment), hoverboards and similar items, batteries/powerbanks, e-cigarettes, e-lighters, etc. There are items which are allowed either at the cabin or hold baggage, but with a special instruction, i.e. “unless prohibited in the country of destination/transit points” (e.g. stun guns).

Also added in the updated PIL is an exhaustive list of items considered as liquid, aerosols and gels (LAGS). OTS maintains its restriction on LAGS that are in containers with a capacity of more than 100ml which are prohibited in the hold baggage; however, while still allowed in the cabin or carry-on baggage, such LAGS are now subject to special instruction from airlines. It may be recalled that the policy on LAGS was made following the foiled terrorist plot in 2006 to smuggle liquid explosives through an aircraft from the United Kingdom bound for the United States and Canada.

OTS issued MC No. 005 series of 2019 as the Revised Prohibited Items List, superseding its precursor, MC No. 02 series of 2015, to make it more relevant to existing threats to civil aviation, and to settle the concerns of departing passengers.

As aptly said by the OTS Administrator, USEC. Arturo M. Evangelista, “Security is non-negotiable. We urge the public to refrain from bringing items that are prohibited in the airport to avoid delays and inconvenience. If you are unsure whether an item is prohibited or not, you may contact us through email, SMS Hotline, or any of our official social media accounts. Or better yet, if it is not that important, we suggest that you just leave it at home”.