You have completed all your training. You were able to vacation in Puerto Princesa with the whole family. And you even attended your child’s graduation and purchased a new vehicle. Now, you need to return to the ship to work and earn again.
Or if not, your relief is already on the gangway. The Captain has handed over your documents. Final wages, check. Itinerary, check. Souvenirs or pasalubong, check. And the items you managed to acquire or buy from different ports, big check!
Whether it’s going onboard or heading back home, we’ll always pass through immigration, airport security, and baggage control, unless we’re not taking a plane.
That’s why it’s important for us to be aware of the items that are allowed and not allowed in both check-in and hand-carried baggage. And take note, there are things that are completely prohibited inside the airport and airplane, regardless of where you place them in your baggage.
Here are the following:
Prohibited Items in your luggage
Items completely banned at any airport either check-in or hand-carried baggage.
1. Corrosives: Such as acids, mercury, wet cell batteries (with some exceptions), and other chemicals.
2. Explosives: Gunpowder, dynamite, grenades, fireworks, flares and other similar device. Be cautious if you’re bringing flares from the ship.
3. Flammable Items: Lighter fluids, gasoline, gas torches, paints, thinners, and whatnot.
4. Gasses and pressurized containers: LGP, tear gas, oxygen tanks, aerosols (with exceptions), liquid nitrogen, pepper spray at self-inflating rafts (don’t even try it, my friend).
5. Infectious Materials: Medical laboratory specimens, viral organisms, bacterial cultures, etc.
6. Strong Magnets: Why? First, they interfere with X-ray scanners and pacemakers. Second, they’re hard to remove once they attach. Third and most importantly, this is also the reason why bringing a magnet to the bridge is prohibited, especially on the monkey island.
7. Marijuana (cannabis): This is illegal in most places. So, please. don’t!
8. Matches: Strike-anywhere matches are prohibited due to the vibrations inside the airplane.
9. Oxidizers and Organic Peroxides: Can cause severe fire and explosion hazards. Examples include nitric acid, bleach, fertilizers, fiberglass repair kits, etc.
10. Poisons: Very obvious. Nakamamatay. Halimbawa, cyanides, arsenic, weed killers, pesticides, etc.
11. Radioactive Materials: Especially this one. You probably won’t even finish packing this before you’re done for.
Why knowing this is important
Dodong Seaman has a penchant for bringing all sorts of things from the ship when he returns home. Sometimes, a single suitcase he brings on board multiplies into three by the time he disembarks! He even has to check in one with the cadets because only two are allowed. And the contents are always diverse and filled with souvenirs.
Not that I’m forbidding you, but you might have placed something in your baggage that is actually prohibited in the airplane or airport. That could be a significant hassle, especially if you have very little time to catch your connecting flights.
May the winds be in your favor.