Hand Luggage Rules: Liquids, Power Banks and Sharp Objects (2026)
The 100 ml liquid rule and where 2 litres is allowed, duty-free sealed bags, power bank watt-hour limits and the 2026 ICAO rules, the 6 cm blade limit and a pre-airport checklist.
What costs most time at security is usually a forgotten shampoo, scissors in a pocket, or a power bank in the wrong bag. In the last two years the liquid rule has loosened at some airports and new limits have arrived for power banks. Here is what you can carry in hand luggage as of September 2026, based on official sources.
The basic liquid rule: 100 ml and a one-litre bag
At most airports in the world the rule still stands: liquids, gels and sprays in hand luggage must be in containers of no more than 100 ml each, and all of them must fit in one transparent, resealable bag of about one litre. Turkey's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM) applies the same measure on international flights.
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"Liquid" covers more than water: drinks, perfume, deodorant and sprays, creams, oils, toothpaste, shampoo, cosmetics, contact lens solution, and spreadable foods such as honey and jam. One detail catches people out โ the limit applies to the size printed on the container. A 200 ml bottle with a little left in it still breaks the rule.
- Keep the bag where you can take it out separately at security.
- Put large bottles in checked baggage; there is no volume limit there, though dangerous goods such as flammables remain banned.
- Take an empty water bottle and fill it after security.
Where the rule has changed: up to 2 litres
Some European airports have moved to new-generation CT scanners that image cabin bags in three dimensions. At checkpoints using approved machines, containers of up to 2 litres can be allowed and the plastic bag requirement can be dropped. The rollout has not been smooth: in summer 2024 the European Commission temporarily restricted the relaxation because of a technical issue, and it returned gradually through summer 2025 as machines were re-approved.
The result is a patchwork that varies by airport and even by checkpoint. Keep in mind:
- Think about the return leg. You may fly out of an airport that allows 2 litres and come back through one that applies 100 ml โ the large bottle will be taken there.
- Turkey: as of September 2026 the 100 ml rule applies generally at Turkish airports.
- If in doubt, pack to the 100 ml rule. It is the only approach that works everywhere.
Duty-free liquids
Liquids bought after security โ perfume, spirits โ can travel in the cabin, but they must stay in the sealed security bag the shop gives you, with the receipt inside. If you are connecting, do not open the bag until your final destination. SHGM warns that an opened bag can be confiscated at a transfer airport, and a second screening under another country's rules can still cause problems.
Power banks and lithium batteries: what changed in 2026
The long-standing rule: power banks and spare lithium batteries may not go in checked baggage โ cabin only, with you. Keep them in original packaging or tape the terminals to prevent short circuits. If your cabin bag is taken at the gate for the hold, take the power bank and spare batteries out first.
Capacity limits
IATA guidance sets limits in watt-hours (Wh):
- Up to 100 Wh: generally allowed in the cabin.
- 100โ160 Wh: allowed with airline approval; some airlines refuse entirely.
- Over 160 Wh: generally banned on passenger aircraft.
If your power bank shows only mAh, multiply by the cell voltage and divide by 1,000 for an approximate Wh figure: a 20,000 mAh pack with 3.7 V cells is roughly 74 Wh. Devices with no capacity marking at all can be refused at security.
From 27 March 2026: two per passenger, no charging in flight
An ICAO decision effective 27 March 2026 limits passengers to two power banks and bans charging power banks during flight โ no plugging them into the seat USB port or socket. Turkey's SHGM applied the same rules to Turkish operators through a flight-operations directive dated 21 April 2026, with no distinction between domestic and international flights. The regulation also covers using a power bank to charge your phone or tablet in flight: ICAO's text says power banks should not be used to charge other devices on board, and SHGM's statement asks for that use to be prohibited during flight.
Airlines add their own rules on top. Some ask that power banks not be used at all in flight; some do not allow them in the overhead locker and require them to be kept on your person, in the seat pocket or under the seat in front. Read your airline's current dangerous goods page before you fly.
Sharp objects
On the SHGM and EU prohibited-items lists the measure for knives, scissors and similar sharp objects is 6 cm. Blades longer than that cannot travel in the cabin โ checked baggage only. Disposable and safety razors are allowed; straight razors are not.
Quick checklist before the airport
- Liquids in one transparent bag, nothing over 100 ml unless you are certain of the airport.
- Power banks in the cabin, at most two, capacity marked, not to be charged in flight.
- Scissors and blades under 6 cm, or in the hold.
- Medication: keep it in the cabin with its prescription or box; liquid medicines above 100 ml are allowed with documentation but declare them at the checkpoint.
- Laptops and tablets come out of the bag at most checkpoints โ pack them where you can reach them.