billinghamn

I'll be taking a few antigen test kits with me on my trip in my carry-on in the next few days. When I go through security do I need to collect all of the small vials of test liquid and add them to my liquids bag? Or is security aware of this likely situation and not pick me up on this minor issue?

Good to learn from the experience of others.

TheFlyingCyclist

Good point; I�ve flown with one a few times in hand luggage and haven�t ever taken it out as it never occurred to me there was liquid in it. LHR and a few other outstations.

13901

I've flown with an NHS test kit that I left in the black hole that is my backpack's front pocket about 12 times and no one ever stopped me because of that. I actually forgot I had it!

On the other hand, I had a lovely reblochon (vacuum wrapped) taken away by security at Lyon airport as it is "soft" cheese. Reactionaries.

mikeyfly

I’ve never had these picked up at security and packed them into hand baggage several times

IAMORGAN

Good to know! I was on the HEX last weekend with 2 in my hand luggage & suddenly realised there was liquid in there - so swiftly repacked into hold luggage.

billinghamn

Thanks all - sounds like it's unlikely to be picked up. Although, I appreciate it wouldn't be the end of the world if they were detected.

corporate-wage-slave

I am tested daily, so this has been a feature of my travels since the kits first came out. In the early days there was a certain amount of querying of them by security staff, more out of genuine curiosity. In the rest of Europe the NHS branding was unusual - most of Europe the kit's brand manufacturers was prominent. USA and Canada, in those days, didn't really have LFDs so there was more checking there, but they were always allowed. In the UK the curiosity didn't last more than a few weeks because though there weren't many travellers, those that were seemed to be in jobs that got allocated LFDs. I just put the kit on the tray but to one side out of the bag, something I still do today. These days a very high percentage of people go around with LFD kits - and of varying packaging - and I guess security has seen them all now and isnt' bothered. It's reassuring that people think to take a few LFDs with them. So it's ok to just pack the kits, but a bit easier if you put them separately in the tray, and definitely so at MAN or the smaller airports with the older scanner machinery.

If you travel a lot, you - or your employer - may want to get a 30 day box, Innova is the main one in England. The liquid in these comes in a small (10ml) vial so easy to pop it in the liquid bags. You decant 6 drops into each swab tube, rather than the entire contents of the NHS sachets. In some way the NHS kit is easier to travel with if you take the entire 7 day packaging with you. It's easy to forget one of the 4 components of the Innova box, but the Innova system takes up less space.

T8191

Interesting topic! We had planned to take some self-test kits when we start travelling again.

We have recently been issued with a pack of 25 Lateral Flow test kits [per person] by the Jersey Government. SureScreen Diagnostics. Just taken our first home tests, as our nephew who visited us last Sunday has just tested positive. We are Negative!

beachmouse

For USA departures, the TSA is supposed to allow items that are �medically necessary� in hand baggage even if oversized under 3-1-1 rules.

lamphs

Who knows? In the US, it is not an issue, IME. UK? Going through LHR recently, I had a paste lip balm, in its original packaging, in my backpack. Held up for 30 minutes after which the agent ripped the packaging open, without my permission, so it could the lip balm tube could be swabbed. 'Now that it is sorted, you are free to go love.'

navylad

I�ve always put the liquid into a liquids bag, and not been stopped for it. It hardly takes up much room.

smokie36

The liquid in these vials is less than in my contact lenses and so I doubt it is even noticed during the scan....never been pulled for the contacts anyway.

lamphs

Also, I was told by a colleague that the technician monitoring the test told her that the technician must observe the opening of the test kit package. Something to bear in mind...

FlyingfromDC

The eMed BinaxNow test kits are voided if the test kit package has been opened. I�ve had no trouble getting through security with 4 of these in my carry-on, either in Europe or the U.S.

There was also a post last summer about someone having placed test kits in checked luggage, and security decided to open each one of them. So keeping them at hand is safer.

lhrpete

I hadn't even thought about these packs having liquids in them. I've passed through security four times in the last couple of weeks with no problem at all.