​Prohibited and Restricted Items on All Flights Departing from South Africa

When preparing for traveling by air it is important to note that for safety and security reasons there are restrictions on items to be carried on an aircraft. Certain items may not be carried as cabin luggage, but can be carried as checked baggage, on the other hand there are those items that are strictly prohibited for carriage on an aircraft. The following information aligned with International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO Technical Instruction, IATA regulations, and civil aviation regulations is provided as a guideline of prohibited or restricted items on all Domestic and International flights.

Passenger are advised to contact their airline or airport for precise information on items allowed or prohibited for carriage on an aircraft and for country specific restrictions. Different countries may implement further restrictions on items listed in this guideline. Additionally, the airport reserves the right to subject permitted items to additional security screening processes or disallow such items through the checkpoint if there are security concerns or as per their airport regulation.

Items prohibited for carriage in the cabin

Guns, firearms and other devices that discharge projectiles

• Firearms of all types, including pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns.  Passengers can carry guns designed solely for sporting purposes provided that:

• the airline agrees to their carriage in line with applicable legislation;

• details of them have been provided to the airline;

• they are appropriately packed and presented as checked baggage; and

• they are unloaded;

• Component part of firearms (excluding telescopic sights)
• Compressed air and CO2 guns, including pistols, pellet guns, rifles and ball bearing guns
• Signal flare pistols and starter pistols
• Harpoon guns and spear guns
• Slingshots and catapults.

Stunning devices

• Devices for shocking, such as stun guns (e.g. teasers) and stun batons
• Animal stunners and animal killers
• Disabling and incapacitating chemicals, gases and sprays, such as mace, or capsicum spray, acid sprays and animal repellent sprays

Objects with sharp points of sharp edges

• Items designed for chopping, such as, hatches and cleavers
• Knives with blades and razor blades
• Scissors with blades
• Martial arts equipment with sharp points or sharp edges swords and sabers
• Sharp objects are not allowed in the cabin of all flights. Sharp objects packed as checked baggage must be securely wrapped to prevent injury to persons inspecting baggage and to baggage handlers.

Workers tools

• Tools with blades or shafts more than 6cm. capable of use as weapons, such as screwdrivers, chisels
• Saw, including cordless portable power saws
• Blowtorches
• Bolt guns and nail guns

Blunt instruments

• Clubs and batons, such as billy clubs and nightsticks

Liquid, aerosols and gels (International Flights)

The following guidelines are to be followed in terms of packing of liquids, aerosols and gels, LAGs.

• LAGs must be carried in individual containers with a capacity not greater than 100 millilitres (or equivalent) and contained in one transparent resealable plastic bag of a capacity not exceeding 1 litre (or equivalent) per passenger.
• The contents of the plastics bag shall fit comfortably, and the bag shall be completely closed.
• Exemptions should be made for medications (accompanied with a letter from a registered physician), baby milk/foods and special dietary requirements.

Passenger are advised to contact their airline for a comprehensive list of LAGs, information on countries with LAGs restrictions on both arrival and departure flights and regarding terms and conditions for exemptions.

 
Items prohibited for carriage in all flights departing from South Africa

Certain items are prohibited for carriage as cabin/hand luggage, checked baggage and on one's person and are classified by ICAO as Dangerous Goods. Information regarding prohibited items for carriage on an aircraft is taken from the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air and Dangerous Goods regulations. 

Examples of items prohibited for carriage on an aircraft

• Blasting caps

• Detonators caps
• Replica or imitation explosives devices
• Pyrotechnics, including fireworks, flares
• Smoke-generating canisters or cartridges
• Explosives: Dynamite, gunpowder and plastics explosives, mines, grenades and other explosive military stores
• Party poppers
• Incendiary substances and devices
• Munitions

Passenger are advised to contact their airline for precise information on prohibited items and dangerous goods restrictions for all flights departing from South Africa.