Does anyone know if laser measuring devices are allowed in carry on hand luggage on planes? Reason to ask is I wanted to take mine to Hungary back in November but wasn't sure if it would get past security. My reason for taking it was to double check the room sizes for properties I was viewing. Sure I did have the measurements for most of them but on second last day I viewed a new property and measurements were not available. I was annoyed I didn't have it with me. It would have meant quickly measuring the rooms instead of the faff with a good old fashioned tape measure. Sure enough I'm now in the annoying position of wondering if had I got the measurements, to check whether sofa, etc. Would fit our search for a property was finally over.

Laser devices aren't even mentioned on the .gov.uk page on airport security, neither on work tools nor electronics, so I would say you'll be fine, though I would take the batteries out and be prepared to be pulled aside for a manual inspection of your "device".

I did some reading up about laser pointers and they seem to be allowed through if part of a device used for presentations but obviously questions are asked if not!

It's a real shame I didn't take it because although I do have an architect's drawings only the windows and doors have measurements. Some rooms, i.e. kitchen and one bathroom has the square metreage but nothing else, i.e. bedrooms and lounge! Quite frustrating. I have tried calculating the measurements for the rooms using the measurements for the windows and doors as an estimate but it's a bit tricky. Anyway, my wife will contact our estate agent friend to ask if we could have the measurements of the whole house. But first we need to find out if the owner definitely wants to sell. I don't know why the estate agent hasn't thought of passing these to us. I suspect he assumed they were already on the architect's drawings! Getting confused and frustrated! Got to be patient!

Can you not scale the dims from the given ones (ie the windows)?

My guess is that that would be a bit tricky.

May not be 100% accurate (& no good if drawing is not to scale) but I had the same issue with our new place but noticed that a noted 1.5 m wide window was 1 cm wide on the drawing so I took it from there - turned out good enough to place furniture, etc.

I had some serious hassle taking one through Bristol airport security. I actually nearly missed my flight. I had bought it as a present for my husband (no I didn't wrap it, so that wasn't an issue). I got asked what was in my bag and having told them about 10 times, I still was not believed. I was then told to step away from my bag because I had asked whether they wanted to point to the screen and tell me what shape was worrying them and I could then tell them what it was, seeing as they had not believed me the first 10 times. I was then threatened that "it was serious" and that I was apparently not taking it very seriously. I told them to unpack if they don't believe me. One of the security personnel disappeared off for 5 minutes, cam back and then proceeded to unpack the bag whilst giving me death stares. They then asked what it was and I repeated that it was a laser measuring device. I was then asked what it does, to which I must admit, I sarcastically responded that "it measures things". I was then asked if I wanted help repacking my bag, after they had rescanned everything.

The other contents of the bag were: clothing, electronic thermometer, camera, camera lens.

I did get it through security but bloody hell... I would not want to repeat the experience!

Unfortunately the aviation business has become very twitchy about anything to do with lasers, following numerous incidents with pointers being trained on cockpits.

Er, read Fen Tiger's post, the one that you quoted, and I also quoted, with emphasis added.