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Warning issued to holiday-makers as you can get your phone confiscated at airport for making one common mistake

Home> News> Travel

Published 15:25 23 Apr 2026 GMT+1

Warning issued to holiday-makers as you can get your phone confiscated at airport for making one common mistake

The UK government has issued advice to anyone travelling this summer

Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle

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Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Image

Topics: iPhone, Technology, Travel, Advice, Plane Etiquette

Rhiannon Ingle
Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle is a Senior Journalist at Tyla, specialising in TV, film, travel, and culture. A graduate of the University of Manchester with a degree in English Literature, she honed her editorial skills as the Lifestyle Editor of The Mancunian, the UK’s largest student newspaper. With a keen eye for storytelling, Rhiannon brings fresh perspectives to her writing, blending critical insight with an engaging style. Her work captures the intersection of entertainment and real-world experiences.

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As if plane travel wasn't stressful enough, now we've got to be worried about our phones being taken away from us after making a very common mistake.

Anyone who frequently flies will no doubt know all about the absolute chaos that is going through security, misplacing your passport and running for your gate, which is way farther away than you had initially anticipated.

On top of all of that, any Type B people out there need to also ensure they've got a well-charged phone battery too, as walking through security with a dead device is apparently a security risk.

Travelling with a phone, laptop, or any electrical device on 0% is against the rules at airport security as staff need to see devices turned on in order to confirm they're not a security risk.

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This is because any devices which aren't charged or are broken could 'potentially conceal illicit materials or hidden explosives'.

Remember to have your phone charged before you go through airport security! (Getty Stock Images)
Remember to have your phone charged before you go through airport security! (Getty Stock Images)

If you find yourself in such a predicament, staff are reportedly allowed to confiscate your device and even deny you boarding on your flight.

The official Gov.uk website outlines: "Make sure your electronic devices are charged before you travel. If your device does not switch on when requested, you will not be allowed to take it onto the aircraft."

British Airways warns: "Airport security staff may ask you to turn on electronic or battery-powered devices, such as phones, tablets, e-books and laptops, to demonstrate they function. If you're not able to do this, you will not be able to take your device with you (see options below).

"Please ensure that any items in your hand baggage are fully charged and switched on before you arrive at the airport. If your device is not charged, please place it in your checked baggage.

Save yourself the stress and invest in a reliable portable charger (Getty Stock Images)
Save yourself the stress and invest in a reliable portable charger (Getty Stock Images)

"If you are connecting, make sure that you do not deplete power in your devices during the first part of your journey as charging points at airports might be very limited and you may need an adapter."

Meanwhile, TUI says: "You’re allowed to carry devices like mobile phones, digital cameras or MP3 players in your hand luggage. If you’re carrying any larger electrical items – a laptop, for example – you’ll need to take them out of your hand luggage before you get to the security search point. This is because they’ll need extra screening.

"If you're carrying any electronic devices in your hand luggage that are capable of holding a charge, you'll need to make sure they're fully charged when you go through airport security. This is part of new security measures that have been introduced by airports in the UK and abroad.

"We recommend you keep things like mobile phones switched on until you board the plane, as there might be more checks at the departure gate."

I'll be adding a portable charger to my packing list ASAP!

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