Explore the best ways to transport different electronic items when flying.
It can be confusing when flying with some digital and electronic devices as you have to determine what you are allowed in hold luggage and which has to come in your cabin bag with you.
You can fly with most types of cameras and their equipment on the majority of airlines. However, there are best practices when it comes to transporting them to minimise the risk to your expensive equipment. Read more over on our dedicated page for flying with cameras and camera gear.
Certain countries have bans on flying with laptops, meaning if you are travelling to a country from another affected by the ban, the laptop will have to be placed in your hold luggage. Even if you are not affected by the ban, you will have to remove any laptop from your hand luggage and place it into a separate tray so they can be screened separately. Find out the countries which are affected by the ban, and more specific guidelines to flying with a laptop on our dedicated page.
As with laptops, the rules on taking a drone with you on a plane will depend on the individual airline and the country travelling too and from. You should always check with both the local Civil Aviation Authority and also with the destination before travelling to find out the advice from them. Read more on our page about flying with a drone, including where to pack it, and individual compartments such as the cameras and batteries.
Flying with traditional headphones is easy. Although they may need to be screened separately at security, there are currently no restrictions to flying with earphones or headphones which are connected to your device by cable, and can be transported in either your hand luggage or hold luggage.
However, these items may be affected by an electronics ban, which sometimes come into effect at times of heightened security. Although details of the individual ban may vary, the rules commonly mean that items larger than a smartphone are not allowed in hand luggage. Make sure you check the airline and country rules at the time you are travelling, as this may change when you are travelling.
Headphones that are connected wirelessly to your device have different rules and regulations depending on which airline you are travelling. It is often the case, such as with British Airways and Virgin Airlines, that these items are often allowed to be used during the majority of the flight, but not during taxi, take-off and landing, where they must be switched off. However, with airlines such as Delta, there is currently no restriction on any headphone usage. Alternatively, for some airlines on certain routes, all electronics are requested to be turned off and stowed. Therefore, it is important to check the rules of the airline you are travelling with to see any restrictions they may have on Bluetooth or wireless headphones.
Sometimes you may have difficulties connecting the headphones to your device during the air. This is because you’re phone or tablet should already be in airplane mode, which will often automatically deactivate Bluetooth. Therefore, you will have to go into settings and activate Bluetooth mode without taking the whole thing out of airplane mode, before being able to connect it.
Generally, you are allowed to fly with a mobile phone or cell phone and have it with you during the flight. However, some airlines will ban the usage of mobile phones, especially during landing or takeoff. Read our guide to flying with a cell phone here, including details of airline policies.
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