Heading to the airport? These are the surprising items that could cause you an issue at security

Picture this. You’ve spent hours, perhaps days, agonising over what to pack for a well-deserved trip. Clothes have been folded, unfolded, and cast to the side in a fluster; gadgets have been charged and split between hold and hand luggage; miscellaneous knick-knacks have made the cut over things you’re more likely to use (hindsight’s a wonderful thing).

But for all too many travellers, including the most seasoned jetsetters among us, holiday mode hits a road bump when the airport’s security teams make the dreaded gesture to join them for a bag search.

While the new rules regarding liquids in hand luggage have garnered plenty of attention, the aviation industry moves quickly, and there are still numerous items that can cause an anxious wait as airport workers rummage through our bags.

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The latest development, set to affect thousands of passengers each year, is Emirates’ complete ban on the use of power banks in-flight, along with the accompanying rules.

As of Wednesday 1 October, using any kind of power bank onboard is prohibited, following a comprehensive safety review that highlighted a significant increase in lithium battery-related incidents across the wider aviation industry. To mitigate fears, passengers are permitted to carry just one power bank that is under 100 watt-hours – less than ideal for travellers heading to an overseas festival, perhaps.

Power banks must have a capacity ranking available, and must be placed in a bag under the seat in front or in the seat pocket. Existing rules prohibiting portable chargers in hold luggage remain.

It’s one of many rules set to frustrate unprepared travellers, joining a long list of items and products that aren’t permissible through the security gates.

Food products are one of the most common things to catch travellers out, especially with the UK government’s temporary ban on some food items coming in from certain countries.