What is the liquids rule at Charleroi security?
The airport's trip planning page, checked on 07/11/2026, applies the European rule: containers of 100 ml each at most, placed in a single clear zip-closed bag holding no more than 1 litre, like a 20 x 20 cm freezer bag. One bag per passenger. The limit applies to the container's capacity, not to what is left inside, so a large bottle that is almost empty is still refused.
The Belgian Foreign Affairs department lists what counts as a liquid. The list is wider than many people think:
- water and other drinks, soups and syrups;
- creams, lotions and oils, perfumes;
- gels, including hair gel and shower gel;
- sprays and the contents of pressurised containers: shaving foam, other foams, deodorants;
- pastes such as toothpaste, liquid and solid mixtures, mascara.
At the checkpoint, the officer asks you to show your bag of liquids, take out your laptop and any large electrical device (radio, hairdryer) in a separate tray, and remove your jacket. You may also be asked to take off your shoes, and the airport provides plastic overshoes. Your watch, belt, keys and phone go in a tray.
Why Charleroi keeps the 100 ml limit
New-generation scanners can accept larger containers and let you leave electronics in the bag. On 27 July 2025, airport spokesperson Nathalie Pierrard told RTBF that Charleroi does not have them yet and that they are planned in the terminal extension, around the end of 2027. These machines are very heavy and bulky: the current terminal has neither the space nor a floor able to bear their weight. According to the same report, Brussels Airport at Zaventem had no such change planned.
On the way back, the rule of the departure airport applies. RTBF named seven Italian airports where you could already carry more than 100 ml, and five of them are linked to Charleroi by Ryanair according to the network we recorded on 04/11/2026: Rome Fiumicino, Milan Bergamo, Catania, Bologna and Turin. This information dates from July 2025 and equipment can differ between terminals, so check the Italian airport's website before flying home, and pack 100 ml containers for the outbound flight from Charleroi in any case.
For our pages on these cities, see Italy from Charleroi.
Medicines, milk and baby food: the exceptions
The airport allows baby food in hand luggage, both milk and jars, in the quantity needed for the length of the flight. Medicines and dietary supplements to be taken during the flight are also allowed. Both are tested at the checkpoint with specific equipment, so keep them outside the 1-litre bag and easy to reach.
The airlines say the same in their own words. Air Corsica exempts from the 100 ml rule baby food for the flight, special diet food and medicines to be taken on board, provided you have a prescription or a certificate from your doctor. Wizz Air allows, for a child aged 0 to 2, the food needed for the length of the flight.
In practice, carry the prescription or a doctor's certificate for any liquid medicine over 100 ml, and pack for the baby only what will be used during the journey, with a margin for delays if you like. For everything about children at the airport, see our guide to travelling with children and a baby.
Duty free, refused bottles, storage: what happens after security
Everything you buy in the departure lounge, liquids, drinks and perfume included, is allowed in the cabin whatever its volume, according to the airport. After security, T1 has an International Duty Free and a Relay, and T2 an International Duty Free. Both Ryanair and Wizz Air let the duty free bag on board on top of your cabin bags.
Take care with connections. Air Corsica states that for a trip within the European Union, liquids bought duty free must stay in a sealed plastic bag with proof of purchase. If you are flying from outside the Union and changing planes at a European airport, do not buy duty free liquids beforehand or on board, as they will be confiscated at the connection's security check.
If you reach security at Charleroi with an oversized liquid or a banned item, the airport offers a storage service. You leave the item for up to 1 month, except perishable goods, and collect it on your return for €20 per liquid or item. Anything you abandon is handed each day to a charity in the Charleroi area, which gives it to people in need.
Which items are banned from the cabin at Charleroi?
The list published by the airport covers weapons and explosives, but also everyday objects that catch people out at security. Here are the main ones, with the stated limits:
| Item | Cabin rule |
|---|---|
| Knife, box cutter, razor blade | knife banned if the blade is over 6 cm, razor blades and box cutters banned |
| Scissors | banned if the blades are over 6 cm, measured from the pivot |
| Screwdriver, chisel, tool with a blade or shaft | banned over 6 cm |
| Hammer, spanner | banned over 20 cm |
| Metal statue with a heavy base | banned over 20 cm tall |
| Torch | banned if it runs on more than 2 large D batteries |
| Alcoholic drink | banned over 70 % alcohol by volume |
| Walking or ski poles, tent pegs | banned |
| Golf clubs, bats, snooker cues, paddles | banned |
| Toy or replica weapons, airsoft guns | banned |
| Cast iron pan, heavy camera tripod | banned |
The hold has its own list: explosives, gases such as propane or butane, flammable liquids such as petrol or methanol, firelighters and fireworks, bleach, car body repair kits. A banned item found in the hold does not travel: an announcement gives you a meeting point and an officer searches the bag with you.
Power banks: Ryanair and Wizz Air do not have the same rule
Both airlines ban power banks from the hold and the overhead lockers, and set the same maximum rating. They differ on the number allowed and on use on board:
| Rule | Ryanair | Wizz Air |
|---|---|---|
| Number of power banks | 2 at most | 1 at most |
| Spare batteries in total | 20, power banks included | 20, power bank included |
| Maximum rating | 100 Wh | 100 Wh |
| Use during the flight | allowed to charge a device, except during taxi, take-off, landing or when the crew says otherwise | banned for the whole flight |
| Where to keep it | on you or in the under-seat bag | where you can keep an eye on it, for example on you |
With both, recharging the power bank on board is banned, and every spare battery must be protected against short circuits: original packaging, tape over the terminals, or a separate pouch for each battery. Wizz Air also refuses a battery whose Wh rating cannot be read.
Air Corsica allows spare lithium batteries in the cabin only, each in its original packaging or with the contacts insulated, and refuses damaged or recalled batteries. E-cigarettes stay on you, and must not be used or charged on board. We could not find Pegasus's rule, so check its website before a flight to Istanbul.
Once the bag is ready, you still need to leave on time: see how early to get to the airport and our cabin bag rules by airline.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a freezer bag for my liquids?
A clear zip-closed bag of up to 1 litre is enough. The airport gives a 20 x 20 cm freezer bag as an example, and allows only one per passenger.
Can I take a liquid medicine over 100 ml?
Yes, if it is needed during the flight: the airport allows it and tests it at security. Air Corsica asks for a prescription or doctor's certificate, so keep one on you whatever the airline.
What can I do if my bottle is refused at security?
At Charleroi, you can leave it in storage for up to 1 month and collect it on your return for €20, unless it is perishable. Otherwise it goes to a local charity that helps people in need.
Can my power bank go in my checked suitcase?
No. Ryanair and Wizz Air ban it from the hold and the overhead lockers: it travels on you or under the seat, rated at 100 Wh at most.
Can liquids bought after security go on board?
Yes, whatever their volume, according to the airport. Keep them in the sealed bag with the receipt if you have a connection.
Updated on 7 November 2026
