Top tips for happy packing:
- Ensure your luggage is in good condition.
- Baggage can be opened by the Transportation Security Administration in the US, if you do not have an approved TSA lock, they will break it open. You won't get compensation. They have a MASTER key for the approved TSA locks so that damage will not occur.
- The hand luggage allowance for most holiday companies is 5kg, but your bag must be of a size to fit comfortably in the overhead locker.
 - Excess Baggage – the exchange rate is very good at the moment, which means that goods in America are much cheaper than in the UK. I saw on a documentary recently a family that bought so many gifts in Florida that they had to buy extra cases to bring the goods back to the UK.
Unfortunately the excess baggage charge was over £400 !!!!! The charge per kilo was $10 (£5) – you can see they had quite a lot of excess baggage. This is besides the Customs Import duty!!
******* So be warned, leave plenty of spare capacity in your outward baggage for the returning gifts. 
- If you wish to take more luggage than the maximum limit you may/will be charged an excess baggage fee according to your airline's tariff.
- Remember to pack everything you need in your hand luggage, in the event of delay (easier said than done with a 5kg limit!).
- Always pack the following in your hand luggage: passports, visa documents, vaccination certificates, holiday invoices, flight tickets, insurance certificates, travelers cheques, driving license, medication, uncooked food, baby food, changing equipment, film equipment. NO Liquids over 100ml. The airports now state that the x-ray equipment is NOT FILM SAFE.
- Electrical items (including: hairdryer, alarm clocks, photographic equipment, electrical games, shavers, personal stereos or other forms of musical equipment). You should check with your airline where these items should be placed, the rules change regularly.
- You are prohibited from carrying on the aircraft the following classes of items: guns, firearms and weapons, explosives, compressed gases, flammable liquids and solids e.g. fire lighters, flares, methanol, oxidizers and organic peroxides e.g. bleach, car body repair kits, toxic or infectious substances, e.g. rat poison, radioactive materials, corrosives e.g. vehicle batteries, live ammunition.  pointed/edges weapons and sharp objects. e.g. ice-skates, crampons, knives, open razors/blades, scissors, tradesman's tools, saws, screwdrivers etc. Blunt instruments capable of causing injury e.g. baseball/cricket bats, hockey sticks, golf clubs, canoe paddles, fishing rods, martial arts equipment, snooker cues.
CAUTION – a word of warning!!!
We all know that you cannot take more than 100ml of liquids through the security check point and onto a plane.
Once in the lounge area you are able to purchase booze, perfume and other liquids in greater volumes than 100ml’s.
But, do you realize that IF you are traveling on more than one flight, then you will NOT BE ABLE to take your purchase onto the next flight, if it’s more than 100ml per bottle?
The only answer would be to ‘pack’ the liquids and ‘check them in’ for the next flight. And as you are ‘in transit’ this could prove very difficult to say the least!!
- Any item that could be defined as a weapon will be confiscated. 
- Unfortunately, on rare occasions, your baggage may be mislaid or damaged on arrival at your destination airport. You should immediately inform the handling agent and the resort staff who will help you obtain and complete a Property Irregularity Report and Customs Declaration form. This must be done immediately and before you leave the airport otherwise any claim you wish to make may not be valid. 
- If you have an unusual item of luggage please contact your Airline direct, their special requirements team will help.

RECENTLY the airlines have imposed extra restrictions on what can be taken in the cabin, so please check with YOUR airline for the LATEST DETAILS.

Copyright © 2007 "Pine Tree View " Villa.   All rights reserved.
Revised: 12 August, 2008