Questions and answers about security screening

What am I not allowed to have in my carry-on baggage?
You are not permitted to carry knives, scissors or other pointed objects. The only exception is a non-lockable folding knife with a maximum blade length of six centimetres. In addition, you are not allowed to bring inflammable liquids, gases, explosives or similar items.

What makes the metal detector go off?
All kinds of metal make the detector go off. There are fixed rules for how much metal you may have on your body when you go through our detectors.

May I bring along weapons, and how can it be done in practice? Certain legal weapons for which the passenger holds a gun licence, including hunting and competition weapons, can be carried along – but never in carry-on baggage.   If you want to bring weapons, you must contact your airline well before the date of departure.

May I keep my wallet on me through the metal detector?
No. You must place your wallet in your bag or the jacket you put in the tray for X-ray screening.

May I carry water and other liquids in my carry-on baggage?
On 6 November 2006, new EU restrictions came into force for liquids in airline passengers’ carry-on baggage. You are allowed to carry the following:

• Liquids, gels and sprays: no more than 100 millilitres (equivalent to 100 g) per container.
• You may carry several containers (bottles, cans, tubes, etc.) but they must fit into a transparent, one-litre bag, which must be sealed.
• The bag must be re-sealable.

Liquids and liquid-like substances include gels, lotions, mixes of liquid and solid substances and the contents of aerosol containers, e.g. shaving foam and hair spray. In addition, liquids and liquid-like substances include all kinds of beverages, tooth paste, hair gels, perfume, lipgloss, mascara and other kinds of substances of similar consistencies.

For inflight use, you may also carry medicine, baby food and liquids that form part of a special diet. You must be able to prove to the security screeners that the liquids are essential and what you say they are. Click here for more information.

Do I have to take off my jacket/coat? Yes. It is an EU requirement that your jacket/coat must be X-rayed, just like your carry-on baggage.   Do I have to take off my belt? Yes, we will ask you to take off your belt when going through security. Certain types of belts can be used to conceal weapons, etc. It shortens the waiting time when the belt is x-rayed along with your hand luggage, rather than taking the belt off afterwards.

Do I have to take off my shoes?
No, the Danish authorities do not require you to take off your shoes when going through security, but the staff may ask you to do so. On flights to certain countries, the destination country’s security rules apply as soon as you board the aircraft. These rules may be different from the Danish rules, and before such flights, you may be met with extra security checks or screening requirements that are different from what you are used to.

Do I have to empty my pockets completely?
Yes. You must place all loose objects in your bag or the jacket you put in the tray to be X-rayed.

Why must I take my laptop out of my bag?
International experience shows that laptops are one of the places terrorists use to hide explosives and weapons. Due to the many metal parts in a PC, it is necessary to X-ray it separately to detect anything hidden. As of 6 November 2006, it is an EU requirement that all laptops must be taken out of the bag.

Do I have to take off my jewellery?
It is OK to keep on ordinary watches and jewellery.  However, if you wear special jewellery so large it could be used as a hiding place for weapons, for example, the security screeners may ask you to take off the jewellery so that it can be X-rayed.

May I have medicine in my carry-on baggage?
You may only bring medicine in your carry-on baggage in the quantity needed for inflight use. You must be able to prove to the security screeners that the medicine is essential and authentic.

Why am I only allowed to bring one lighter?
Lighters belong to the dangerous goods category, which includes explosives and gases. A lighter is mainly classified as dangerous because there is a risk of self-ignition, which could be hazardous on board the flight. The number of lighters on board and thus the total quantity of highly explosive gases on board is why the number of lighters allowed in the cabin is restricted.

As a result, you may not carry a lighter in your carry-on baggage. You are only permitted to bring one lighter into the cabin with you. The lighter must be shown to the security screeners and then be carried on your person, so that you notice immediately if it self-ignites.

Can I be screened by a security screener of the same gender?
As a passenger, you are entitled to be screened by a person of your own gender if you request it. If you are asked to undergo a more thorough search, we ensure that a person of the same gender performs the search, and you are also entitled to request a witness. More thorough searches are performed in an area shielded from the view of the other passengers.

How thoroughly will I be body searched and why?
The security screener will search you thoroughly enough to determine that you have nothing hidden in your clothes or on your person which could jeopardise aviation security. The more layers of clothes you are wearing and the more metal objects you are carrying on you, the longer will it usually take to screen you. Effective 6 November 2006, all air passengers must take off their jacket and/or coat so that it can be screened separately.

I have heard that persons who are covered by clothing do not have to undergo a body search. Is this true?
No, it is not. In cases where the screening of a passenger could be perceived by that passenger as an offence to his or her propriety because of his or her culture or religion, the screening will be performed in an area shielded from other passengers and by a same-sex security screener.

Why are the rules not the same in all European airports?
The EU lays down the general rules, so they are basically the same for all airports. However, each country may exercise a certain freedom of method, which is then laid down by the national regulatory authority: in Denmark, the police and the Danish Civil Aviation Administration. The airport may have rules tighter than the EU rules, but not rules that are less restrictive. This means that you as a passenger may experience some differences in the way you are screened if a country has imposed stricter rules, e.g. in connection with an elevated terrorist threat level.