FAQs

Liquids in Carry-On Bags

What is the legal basis for the restrictions on liquids in carry-on bags?
Which liquids and amounts are allowed in hand luggage?
What happens if I need any medications or special food in liquid form?
How can I prepare for the checks at the airport?
Do I have to arrive at the airport earlier?

Questions About the Plastic Bag

What kinds of plastic bags are allowed?
Why do the plastic bags have to be reclosable?
What happens if I arrive at the airport without a plastic bag?
How is the plastic bag inspected?
What hasn't changed?

Shopping After the Boarding Card Check

Can I still make purchases in Duty Free and Travel Value shops as well as other airport stores after passing the boarding card check?
Can I still buy duty-free items on board?
Which flights are affected by the new regulations?
What must be observed if arriving from a country outside the EU and then getting on a flight to another EU country?
What must be observed if changing planes at airports not located in EU countries?
For which countries do the new rules apply?

Liquids in Carry-On Bags

What is the legal basis for the restrictions on liquids in carry-on bags?

The restrictions are based on EU Regulation (EG) 300/2008 in connection with EU Regulation (EG) 185/2010.

Which liquids and amounts are allowed in hand luggage?

The rule is that no containers holding liquids may be carried on board if they are larger than 100 ml. All such containers must be placed in a transparent, reclosable plastic bag with a capacity of no more than one liter, for example an ordinary freezer bag with a zipper. The bag may contain any number of containers, but it must be possible to completely close it. Please note that each passenger may only carry one such bag on board the aircraft.

We recommend that you reduce your hand luggage to a minimum and arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare.

What happens if I need any medications or special food in liquid form?

Exceptions are made for medications and special food (e.g., baby food and diet foods) that will be needed during the flight. These articles may be carried outside the plastic bag, but they must be separately inspected at the security check. In cases of doubt, the security personnel may require you to prove that you require the products involved during the flight.

How can I prepare for the checks at the airport?

It is advisable to pack all liquids in your suitcase and reduce your carry-on luggage to a minimum. If you take any containers with liquids on board the aircraft, they may not hold more than 100 ml and have to be placed in a transparent, reclosable plastic bag with a capacity of no more than one liter. The bag may hold any number of containers, but it must be possible to completely close it.

Do I have to arrive at the airport earlier?

All personnel at the airport naturally do their best to make check-in and the security checks as pleasant as possible for you. Please check in for your flight at least two or three hours before your flight (depending on your destination).

Questions About the Plastic Bag

What kinds of plastic bags are allowed?

You may use any plastic bag of your choice (for example, a freezer bag) provided that it is transparent and reclosable (e.g., using a zipper) and does not have a capacity larger than one liter. The closure must be integrated in the bag; it may be, for example, a zipper, velcro fastener, clip or drawstring. Not allowed are wires, adhesive tape or the like.

Why do the plastic bags have to be reclosable?

The security personnel at Frankfurt Airport is required to inspect the contents of the plastic bags. They must therefore be able to open and reclose them.

What happens if I arrive at the airport without a plastic bag?

Plastic bags may be purchased in all shops selling books and periodicals at the airport. Additionally, there is an opportunity to buy plastic bags (two for 1 euro) at automative flight bag machines close to the security check. However, we recommend that you obtain a bag beforehand and arrive at the airport with your carry-on luggage already packed.

How is the plastic bag inspected?

The bag must be placed on the belt of the x-ray machine separately from other hand luggage.

What hasn't changed?

The new rules only affect liquids in your hand luggage. You may still transport liquids in your checked luggage as usual, provided that you observe the restrictions on carrying dangerous goods.

Shopping After the Boarding Card Check

Can I still make purchases in Duty Free and Travel Value shops as well as other airport stores after passing the boarding card check?

Passengers are permitted to carry through the security checkpoints all liquids purchased duty-free on the day of their flight at any airport in the EU, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Croatia, as well as at Singapore-Changi Airport, Kuala Lumpur Airport (Malaysia), all international airports in the U.S., selected airports in Canada or aboard aircraft of a EU airline, provided these items are placed in a transparent bag sealed on purchase by the duty-free sales staff.  These duty free items have already been previously controlled and may therefore be carried aboard the aircraft in a sealed bag, provided the bag also contains – visible from the outside -- the date-stamped receipt indicating the place of purchase.  This will ensure that passengers carrying duty free goods do not incur any difficulties when changing planes at another EU airport.  The bag must remain sealed until the end of the last leg of the journey. This applies to security controls at Frankfurt Airport and all other airports within the EU as well as in Norway, Iceland and Switzerland.  There is no restriction as to the number of duty-free shopping bags you are allowed to take on board.  However, please note the applicable duty-free allowances and import regulations.  

Can I still buy duty-free items on board?

Inflight sales items of airlines registered in the EU are also subject to special security checks. All duty-free items bought aboard aircraft of airlines registered in the EU may be carried through the security checkpoints on the day of purchase, provided these items are placed in a transparent bag sealed on purchase by the flight attendant selling the items.  These duty free items have already been previously controlled and may therefore be carried aboard the aircraft in a sealed bag, provided the bag also contains – visible from the outside -- the date-stamped receipt indicating the place of purchase.  This will ensure that passengers carrying duty free goods do not incur any difficulties when changing planes at another EU airport. The bag must remain sealed until the end of the last leg of the journey.

Which flights are affected by the new regulations?

The new rules affect all flights departing from or passing through an airport in the EU, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland.

What must be observed if arriving from a country outside the EU and then getting on a flight to another EU country?

Liquids purchased in duty-free shops at airports outside the European Union may not be carried on board flights leaving from EU airports. The same restriction applies to duty-free merchandise that you have bought on board a non-European airline. You may take it as additional checked luggage inside a sturdy bag, however. Please allow enough time for the extra check-in.

Liquids purchased in Duty Free shops located at the following airports may be taken onboard the aircraft heading to another EU country:
EU airports, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, if the sales slip is inside the sealed Duty Free bag. The sales slip must prove that you purchased the liquids on the same day the flight occurred. The same applies for Duty Free liquids you have purchased onboard an airline of a EU country, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland.

Duty Free items purchased at the airports Dubrovnik, Rijeka, Pula, Split, Zadar, Zagreb, Singapore-Changi Airport, Kuala Lumpur Airport (Malaysia), all international airports in the U.S., and the airports Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Moncton, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec, Saint John`s, Toronto, Vancouver, Whitehorse and Winnipeg  may be taken aboard an onward flight within the EU if there is a sales slip in the sealed Duty Free bag which proves that the liquids were purchased within the last 36 hours.

What must be observed if changing planes at airports not located in EU countries?

If you have liquids in your hand luggage, which you purchased in a Duty Free shop at a EU airport, it may be possible that upon changing planes in a non-European country you will not be permitted to take them onboard the aircraft. Regulations in non-European countries concerning liquids in hand luggage may differ from those applicable for EU countries.

Consequently, we recommend to check before departure at the consulate or embassy of the country you are travelling to about the regulations governing liquids in hand luggage onboard aircraft. A list of all consulates/embassies in Germany is available under www.auswaertiges-amt-de. Please remember that employees in Duty Free shops are not always informed about the current regulations in all countries.

For which countries do the new rules apply?

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany,Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain