New rules on what passengers can’t bring onboard, and a look at what could be changing soon regarding carry-on bags in Italy and European countries.
Bans on hot drinks and alcohol
Flying today is a carefully choreographed ballet of rules, rights, and restrictions, and travellers planning to visit Europe this summer need to know there are some new realities they’ll need to digest before their next trip with airlines like easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2, or TUI. Airlines in general are ramping up restrictions on what can be brought onboard, not just for safety, but for comfort and compliance too. Hot drinks, like those mega lattes picked up at an airside outlet just before boarding, are a no-go. Any alcohol carried on board must remain unopened and untouched, and thanks to post-Brexit rules, passengers are also barred from bringing meat and dairy products from the UK into the EU…so it’s no to that ham sandwich. 
Crisps, fruit and cereal bars are ok
The reasons for all this are a mix of logic and logistics. Cabin crew aim to reduce the risk of spills, strong odours, and allergens, while keeping the cabin environment as pleasant as possible. It is still possible to bring snacks like crisps, fruit and cereal bars, as long as they are cold, and baby food and milk get special dispensation.
No more charges for carry-on bags?
In another move that will have sweeping repercussions EU lawmakers have backed a reform to eliminate hand luggage fees across all flights within and to the EU. Starting as soon as July 2025 - if the member states agree - passengers will be able to bring a small carry-on bag (up to 7kilos and 100cm) and a personal item like a laptop bag or handbag, free of charge. This move could spell the end of the hefty surcharges by budget airlines just to put a bag in an overhead bin. The reform also includes bans on charging families for seating children under 12 next to their parents, and mandates full price transparency for tickets. The airlines, of course, are far from happy about all this and are warning that what used to be optional services might now be bundled into higher ticket prices for everyone.
