Originally Posted by Englishmum

I thought I'd give a 'heads up'.

When I flew from Heathrow last week, they are still very strict on only allowing one bag per person as carry-on baggage before going through security. You can buy what you like afterwards at the duty free shops however.

I had my large handbag and a carrier bag (with Christmas presents that my mum had wrapped which wouldn't fit into my suitcase). I was told to put my handbag into the carrier bag...but my multipack of Walker's French Fries wouldn't fit...had to call my husband back to get those LOL!).

They have those plastic sandwich bags at the desk as you go through security (I was at Terminal 4) to put in gels, toothpaste, contact lens solution etc. so at least you can take small amounts now on departing UK flights.

However......I had a surprise on arriving at Newark. In the three weeks since I'd previously gone through international arrivals they had brought in a new procedure. After collecting luggage off the carousel, the normal procedure is to hand the customs declaration to the customs officer. However....this time a cursory glance was given, the slips handed back and everyone has to line up; there are now X-Ray machines immediately before the exit and *everyone* has to put their checked luggage through it. I was a bit worried.....

I'd ticked 'no food' on the declaration but had Jammie Dodgers, chocolate and a large jar of Bovri (meat product!) in my suitcase. However, I'd also bought two bottles of Pimm's No. 3 Winter at the Duty Free shop and didn't know if I was over the limit....a bit relieved that they weren't x-raying hand baggage LOL!

I got through OK. I don't know what they are looking for....they didn't have any dogs checking the cases (mostly for drugs but I guess also for explosives) when I was going through but I do know that they have them working there from time to time.

So anyone going home for Christmas should take into account that their cases may very well be screened again when arriving back in the States....

Originally Posted by Brync

I had an embarrassing episode at Little Rock airport when heading back to the U.K last Summer. I discovered to my horror that the brand of Plum jam that I was carrying in my suitcase is the same density as some explosives and gues what happened when my suit case went through the scanner....All that technology and you get your bags checked through by taking the top off your jam dipping a finger in it and licking the jam off as proof. The indignity of walking to the gate beetroot red and with sticky fingers. Jam lovers beware!....lol

Originally Posted by Englishmum

Just to clarify: my final destination was Newark, NJ on a non-stop flight from LHR. In the six years I've travelled through Newark I have never had to put my suitcases through an X-Ray machine after collecting them from the carousel at Newark.....however, I did last Thursday.

I've often seen the beagles around the carousels at international arrivals (and I've seen the young Alsations being trained at EWR) but every single passenger from the BA flight *AND* Jerseygirl - the Singapore Airlines flight SQ22 which arrived at the same time had to put their checked baggage into the X-Ray machines at customs to exit the baggage hall. Maybe they are doing this at random but of course it's coming up to the 'holiday season'.

Actually the plane made a very heavy landing in atrocious weather - a few overhead lockers blew open and most of the passengers gasped as the plane touched down and the captain apologised....I was sitting in the emergency exit row and the guy next to me nearly had a panic attack. I was surprised to get all the contents of my case back in one piece...a broken jar of Bovril would have made a right mess LOL!