If you travel by air frequently, you probably know what items cannot be packed in cabin and check-in baggage. Being aware helps you pack confidently and avoid last-minute panic, hassle or the risk of leaving prohibited items at the airport or, worse, missing your flight due to delays. One interesting food item that people consider ‘harmless’ to carry in their cabin baggage is dry coconut, which is often part of temple prasad. However, if you carry it in your hand baggage, you will have to leave the khopra (dried white pulp inside the coconut) or dry coconut at the airport. Wondering why? Read on!
Why can’t coconut be carried in hand baggage?
IndiGo Airlines took to social media platform X and said, “Dry coconut is a highly flammable item; hence, it is not permitted in checked baggage.” They further added, “Dry coconut is not permitted in hand baggage or checked baggage.”
Dried coconut contains a lot of oil (used to make coconut oil) which is highly flammable. If it comes into contact with the heat inside the plane, it can cause a fire.
Presumably referring to raw coconut, an X user asked in the same thread, “Can wet coconut be carried on IndiGo flights?” and got a ‘no’ as the answer.
Hi Supriya, Dry coconut is a highly inflammable item, so it is not allowed in check-in luggage.
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) 13 May 2017
How can we carry coconut in plane?
It’s best to avoid carrying coconut on a plane. If you must, SpiceJet Airlines states on its website, “Only cut coconut into small pieces is allowed in check-in baggage. Dried coconut or copra is not allowed in the cabin or checked-in baggage.”
Also read: How to make your in-flight dining experience healthier and better?
Coconut and International Travel
According to The Independent, the International Air Transport Association’s Dangerous Goods Register (IATA) classifies coconut meat as a Class 4 risk in cargo. Dried coconut is labeled a “flammable solid liable to spontaneous combustion” that “may emit flammable gases on contact with water.” IATA says that powdered copra can ignite from a spark, and the decomposition of the fruit’s fats can also pose a spontaneous heating risk. However, air travel with retail-packaged coconut products is permitted.
Also read: Feeling bloated from plane food? These 9 tips will help you fly high without gas!
More common food items and hand luggage
Here are some of the more common food items and whether you can carry them in your cabin baggage:
Allowed in the cabin:
- Honey (up to 100 ml, sealed and properly packaged)
- Water bottle (up to 100ml)
- Aerated drinks (up to 100ml)
- Biryani
- Dry cake
- Dried Fruits
- fruits vegetables
- Sweets (dry)
Not allowed in the cabin:
- Fish/Meat
- Coconut
- Chilli Pickle
- Raw food items (rice/pulses)
- All spices in powdered/physical form, including chillies
With these guidelines, you can pack food items correctly for a smooth and hassle-free air travel.