Hand luggage from USA to UK

[Jets fan]

Hi

I have read lots about what you take as hand luggage and the size of the hand luggage from the UK to the USA but I cannot find anything about the return trip, is it the same. I am flying Virgin in December.

Many thanks

 

[jns]

I think it is the same

 

[Chilly]

There are no restrictions on the way home except no water.

 

[Claire L]

Yes there are still restrictions coming home ie USA to UK - see here for full details.

Claire

 

[Claire L]

Also this is what Virgin Atlantic are saying for return flights back to the UK from the USA.

Claire

 

[katytrott]

Just got back this past weekend. We knew the max hand luggage weight was 5 kilos so we ensured on the way out it was under. It was never checked. On the way home we didn't bother to ensure it was under, as we assumed it wasn't enforced, just as well it was under the limit because the weight was checked and most definetely enforced. Out of the US, while waiting in line to get through security, there was an official going along asking who had any liquids. Those who had, he checked the product and if it was ok you kept it, if it wasn't it was chucked. My son's liquid paracetamol was fine, however he wasn't concerned with what it was, more that it was under 50ml. Drinks were chucked (apart from baby stuff), but most toiletries were ok (apart from my mother's who had aqueous cream in an unmarked jar). When the official through the lines was happy with the liquid product, all you had to do was put it in a bowl they provided which went through the scanner. All food products I saw were fine (still had to go through scanner), but I only hard, dry food (am sure moist baby food would be fine). Once we were through security, I realised I forgot to declair my son's suntan lotion which was sitting at the front of his transparent bag. It went through the scanner, so they must have seen it and not worried. They were much stricter then the UK, with making us take all belts and shoes off, and were doing more random checks, but this was generally not a problem. Once through security, you can buy anything (drinks, perfume, toiletries) and take it them on board. We took four bottles of water because our outbound flight had run out of water!
There was no second security screening like we got on the outbound flight (from the UK). Hope this helps. If you want any further info, I would be happy to help.

 

[Jets fan]

Great, this is exactly what I needed to know. I needed to decide which handbag to take and didn't fancy checking it into the hold if I took my expensive one. Don't think I'll take hand luggage just a handbad.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[Chilly]

Sorry I posted the wrong info. I had no problem when I came back.

 

[Red-Snapper]

Came back via MCO last weekend. Size/weight of hand luggage was not checked at any stage (we used DTD check-in).

Whilst waiting to go through the scanners we saw quite a few pwoplw have lighters and drinks of various descriptions taken from them. (1 girl stood there and drank hers completely before going through.)

Once the other side as has been said you can purchase drinks etc, duty free is available for pick up once you go through the gate to board.

When we flew out 2 weeks before they had just started (that day) allowing the 3 US Virgin flights from Gatwick to purchase duty free drinks etc - I assume this is still in operation ?

 

[penlanspice]

We just got back on Thursday and on our return flight we had a huge box in a disney bag with one of those castles from the christmas shop, we also had our laptop and another bag no-one payed any attention to the size of the box or questioned it. (we even had a struggle getting it into the overhead locker) This was MCO as I know Sandford is a little stricked...
You could only have a certain amount of those small sized liquid items and could buy water once through security.