GETTING it right before a flight is the new mantra coming from officials at Stansted Airport, after a survey revealed that passengers still struggle with strict security rules.

As the holiday season officially gets under way, figures show that thousands every day are still trying to take items onboard which were banned over five years ago.

The main problem is the restriction of liquids. Despite 87 per cent of passengers believing they knew the regulations, there is still widespread confusion about how to prepare items prior to boarding.

John Farrow, Stansted’s head of terminal, said the process that travellers should employ is quite literally EASY.

“We realise many people may only fly once a year on their summer holidays, and can be confused about what they can and can’t take through airport security in hand luggage.

“While our priority is to ensure we operate a safe and secure airport we also want to help our passengers get it right and avoid unnecessary delays.

“It’s vital they prepare correctly before setting-off for the airport, so I would encourage all passengers using Stansted to take some time to understand the security regulations and follow our tips to enjoy a stress free start to their holidays.”

Following these steps should ensure passengers avoid any unnecessary delays and have a smooth start to their journey:

Ensure you prepare luggage correctly before you leave home

All gels and liquids, no larger than 100ml, must be placed in a re-sealable plastic bag

Separate your liquids bag from your hand luggage

Your liquids bag must be no bigger than approximately 20cm x 20cm

The survey also revealed that 30 per cent of people forgot that their hand luggage contained liquids. 17 per cent used the wrong size liquids bag, 16 per cent said they didn’t know their restricted item was classed as a liquid and 10 per cent didn’t realise it was necessary to take liquids out of their hand luggage.

Each day, an average of 20 household waste bins are filled at security search with prohibited or restricted items contained within passengers hand luggage.

HAVE you been stuck at security or are the instructions as clear as day? E-mail us at editor@saffronwalden-reporter.co.uk or write to us at 54 high Street, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1EE.