What Happens To Your Confiscated Items?

“Excuse me Sir/Madam, is this your bag?” We’ve all been there, or at least know someone who has. The phrase ‘There’s always one’ is tailor-made for airport security sections. It’s ten years this year since the introduction of restrictions on carrying liquids in your hand luggage on a flight yet still people just can’t seem to grasp the concept. Nothing over 100mls, all in a sealed clear plastic bag. Simple, right? Seems not.

London City Airport (LCY) has revealed the most common food items confiscated from passengers who haven’t read the rules and the top five confiscated items are:

1) Jam or Marmalade
2) Marmite
3) Golden Syrup
4) Nutella Chocolate Spread
5) Heinz Baked Beans

In fairness, we’re fairly frequent flyers here at IMAGE.ie, and even we were fairly surprised that some of those items are forbidden. Seems we’re not as clued in on the regulations as we originally thought.

So, what happens to all this perfectly good food? Surely they don’t just throw it away? Of course not, LCY confirmed that they, in fact, donate all confiscated items to a local food bank. In fact between January and March 2015, they have donated items with an estimated value of €1200. Not only that, but because this is an airport located in the centre of London, many of the goods confiscated are quite upmarket ones bought from the likes of Harrods and Fortnum & Mason.

A spokesperson for the airport said: ?While we are very pleased to be able to find such a good home for confiscated items, we urge anyone flying from our airport to consider the rules when buying souvenirs so that they are not disappointed at Security. All liquids in hand luggage must be under 100ml and carried together in one, sealed, clear plastic bag, including any food items that may be classed as a paste. ?Anything larger must be checked in to make sure it gets to the other end.?

@NiallMacSuain