Airline rules on food you’re allowed to bring on flights

In 2024, Tui, Easyjet, Ryanair, Jet2 and British Airways have certain specific rules about taking food on planes. Brits are trying to make their money go further, especially when going on holiday. Food on planes can be pricey, while airports offer lots of different foods to try, Manchester Evening News reports.

One way to save money before your flight is to bring your own food, either from home or bought in the departure lounge. With shops like Boots, Pret and M&S Food in UK airports, passengers can buy a cheaper sandwich or meal deal and save it for their journey.

If you want to save even more money, you can bring your own food through security and onto the plane, as long as it’s not a liquid, like soup. Sandwiches and salads are usually okay – but remember to eat it or throw it away before landing because there are rules about what types of food you can take into other countries.

The EU, for example, doesn’t let passengers take fresh meat or dairy from the UK into its countries.

Some airlines’ rules are clearer than others. However, easyJet, Ryanair, TUI and British Airways all allow passengers to bring their own food on board. Jet2’s rules are a bit less clear but suggest cold food is okay. There are different rules for baby food, up to a litre of which can be brought on flights.

Remember, you can take solid food through airport security, but not liquids. Any liquids must be in individual, clear bottles with a capacity of no more than 100ml.

You can’t drink your own alcohol on flights, even if bought from Duty Free. If you want to have a drink on board, order it from the in-flight trolley

easyJet

You can bring food on board, as long as any liquids brought from home, such as soup or custard, are in clear containers of no more than 100ml. Non-alcoholic drinks, including hot drinks, can be brought on board if they were bought in the departure lounge.

Ryanair

Ryanair says you can bring your own food and soft drinks on board. However, unlike EasyJet, hot drinks are not welcome.

“In the interest of safety we cannot allow passengers to board the plane with hot drinks or consume their own alcohol during the flight,” Ryanair says.

Jet2

Hot drinks and hot food are not allowed to be brought onto Jet2’s planes. But the rules do not say anything about not bringing cold food, such as sandwiches, from home or the departure lounge.

However, Jet2’s rules state that customers are not allowed to bring food on board if it is ‘prohibited from being carried by the applicable laws, regulations or orders of any country to be flown from, to or over.’ Technically, they could argue that meat and dairy from the UK can not be brought on board flights to the EU and confiscate your sandwich.

Jet2 has stated that passengers cannot bring ‘items which in our reasonable opinion are unsuitable for carriage by reason of their weight, size or character or which are fragile or perishable or which may affect the safety, health or comfort of other passengers or crew, this may include hot or strong smelling foods and drinks.’

However, if you’ve managed to get it through security, can fit it in your bag and it doesn’t have a strong smell, you should be okay to bring your own cold food and snacks on board.

TUI

If you’re travelling with TUI, you can bring your own food on board. They suggest bringing ‘low-risk food such as pre-made sandwiches and snacks that can be eaten cold.’

TUI also says: “You can also carry foods for special dietary requirements as long as it’s essential for the flight or holiday.”

British Airways

Passengers flying with British Airways can take solid foods, including ‘sandwiches, biscuits, fruit and nuts,’ onto the plane. Liquids like drinks, soups, sauces, jams and jellies must be in clear containers with a capacity of no more than 100ml.

British Airways adds: “You can buy duty-free liquids, gels or cream products of more than 100ml from airport shops or on board, provided that they have been sealed at the point of purchase in a Security Tamper Evident Bag with the receipt inside.”

But BA also sent out a word of caution: “The country of your destination may restrict the types of food allowed into the country, e.g. meat, fresh fruit and vegetables are forbidden by many countries.”