Dangerous goods/hazardous materials are items or substances that may endanger the safety of the aircraft or guests on board. The following dangerous goods have restrictions for air travel:
Safety Reminder
Spare/loose batteries, power banks and e-cigarettes (vapes) must be in your carry-on baggage.
Dangerous goods that are not permitted
The following items must not be taken on board a Virgin Australia aircraft under any circumstance:
- Battery operated small recreational vehicles, where the lithium battery powered motor is the primary source of the movement, such as self-balancing boards, hoverboard or aero wheels.
- Batteries that are damaged, distorted, leaking, showing signs of corrosion or identified as defective and recalled by a manufacturer are not permitted for carriage
- Bleaching or peroxide powders and liquids
- Blue flame cigarette/ cigar lighters and chef torches
- Coconut meat (Copra). Note: retail packaged coconut products are permitted.
- Disabling devices containing an irritant or incapacitating substance (e.g. mace, pepper spray).
- Engines (flammable liquid powered internal combustion or fuel cell engines and equipment, either new or used, including petrol powered articles such as chainsaws, lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, generators).
- Explosives such as fireworks, flares, sparklers or party poppers.
- Fertilisers
- Fibre glass repair kits and resins
- Fire extinguishers
- Flammable aerosol cans (excluding toiletries).
- Flammable gas cylinders or cartridges such as butane and propane.
- Flammable liquids such as petrol, paint, lighter fluid, thinners, lacquer or glues.
- Flammable solids such as fire starters or moth balls.
- Industrial cleaning products
- Insecticides
- Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) - self heating.
- Poisons such as weed killers and insecticides.
- Pool cleaning products
- Security type attaché cases containing dangerous goods such as lithium batteries or pyrotechnic devices.
- Strike anywhere matches
- Spillable batteries
Note: This list is not exhaustive and other items not shown may be forbidden. If you take dangerous goods on board, even inadvertently, you may be liable to prosecution and severe penalties apply.
Product Safety Recalls
If a product that is dangerous goods or that contains a dangerous goods component (e.g., battery) is subject to a safety recall related to the dangerous goods, it must not be carried aboard an aircraft or in baggage unless the recalled product/component has been replaced or repaired or otherwise made safe per manufacturer/vendor instructions. Product safety information can be found at the ACCC Product Safety website.
Dangerous goods that are permitted
Some dangerous goods are permitted to be carried by passengers for personal use if specific requirements and conditions are adhered to.
The below information notes the items that are permitted to be carried by a passenger, the conditions which must be met and those which you must declare at check-in for Virgin Australia’s approval to uplift. When you are travelling with a code share partner on connecting flights you must also contact them to seek their approval to carry these item.
Note:
If you do not declare the carriage of dangerous goods that require the operator’s approval at the time of check in, even inadvertently, you may be liable to prosecution and severe penalties apply.
If your flight is to or from the United States, the penalties under US Federal law include five years' imprisonment and penalties of USD250,000 or more (49 U.S.C. 5124).
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Aerosols (non-flammable gas, for sporting or home use only)
- Operator approval not required
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage and must be for sporting or home use. The total net quantity of all such articles (including any toiletry and medicinal articles mentioned below) must not exceed 2kg or 2L.
The net quantity of each single article must not exceed 0.5kg or 0.5L. The aerosol must not have any other subsidiary hazard. The release valve on the aerosol must be protected by a cap or other suitable means to prevent inadvertent release of the contents.
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Alcoholic beverages
- Operator approval not required
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage. Alcoholic beverages must be in retail packaging and a maximum net total of 5L per person is permitted. The alcohol must not be more than 70% alcohol by volume and consumption of alcohol carried on board is not permitted on the aircraft.
For international flights: Liquid, aerosol and gel (LAGs) restrictions apply for carriage in carry-on baggage. Please refer to the Department of Infrastructure for further information on LAGs restrictions.
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Ammunition (cartridges for weapons or small arms)
- Declare at check-in
- Not permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
- Only ammunition cartridges for weapons or small arms in Division 1.4s, UN0012 or UN0014 is permitted. This excludes ammunition with explosive or incendiary projectiles.
- The ammunition must be securely packaged and in checked baggage only.
- Ammunition packed in the same case as a firearm must be separated from the firearm by a partition or internal compartment.
- A guest is permitted to take a quantity not exceeding 5kg of ammunition.
- Limitations are per guest and allowances for more than one guest must not be combined into one or more packages.
- Regulations and conditions of carriage for passengers travelling with firearms and ammunition including licenses, documentation and conditions imposed by countries or other carriers is the sole responsibility of the person travelling.
- Please refer to Travelling with a Firearm for requirements of carriage.
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Avalanche rescue backpack
- Declare at check-in
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage. Only one per person is permitted. The backpack must be packed in a manner that it cannot be accidentally activated. The airbags within the backpacks must be fitted with pressure relief valves.
Note: Avalanche rescue backpacks are not permitted on flights to/from the USA.
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Bags with installed batteries or power banks (smart bags)
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Not permitted in checked baggage
Passenger baggage equipped with a lithium battery or power bank used to recharge or power a portable electronic device (PED) e.g. via a USB port, are permitted, provided the lithium battery or power bank is removable from the baggage and is carried in the cabin. Checked-in baggage must have the batteries removed and carried in the cabin. Passenger baggage equipped with small inbuilt portable electronic devices (PED’s) such as bag tags, locks, scales powered by button cells or alkaline batteries are permitted in checked baggage.
Transmitting and WiFi functions on smart bags must be turned off.
For full information on the safe transport of batteries and conditions of carriage, please see our batteries information page.
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Camping stoves and their fuel containers that have contained a flammable liquid
- Declare at check-in
- Not permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted in checked baggage only. Stoves and their fuel containers must be completely drained of all liquid fuel and action has been taken to nullify the danger.
To nullify the danger, the empty fuel container must be allowed to drain for at least 1 hour and the container left uncapped for a minimum of 6 hours to allow any residual fuel to evaporate; or cooking oil can be added to the container to elevate the flash point and then empty the fuel tank. There must be no strong smell of fuel remaining on the container. The cap must then be securely fastened and be wrapped in an absorbent material such as a paper towel and placed in a polyethylene or equivalent bag. The top of the bag must then be sealed or gathered and closed with an elastic band or twine
Note: This exception is NOT applicable to petrol powered items with internal combustion engines such as chain saws, brush cutters, generators and/or lawnmowers, and their fuel containers. These items are not permitted for carriage either new or used.
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Camping stoves (gas powered)
- Not permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Only camping stove components are permitted in checked baggage.
Compressed flammable gas cylinders (e.g. butane or propane) are not permitted.
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Dry ice (carbon dioxide or solid)
- Declare at check-in
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage. Guests are permitted to take up to 2.5kg of dry ice in a ventilated container. Guests are not permitted to combine more than the amount permitted for one person.
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Dry Shippers (insulated packages containing refrigerated liquid nitrogen)
- Declare at check-in
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Not permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage. Guests are permitted to take up to 2.5kg of dry ice in a ventilated container. Guests are not permitted to combine more than the amount permitted for one person.
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e-Cigarettes (vapes) containing batteries
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Not permitted in checked baggage
Battery operated e-cigarettes (vapes) including e-cigars and other personal vaporisers must be in carry-on baggage only. The use on board and the recharging of these devices is strictly prohibited. The item must be packed to prevent accidental activation. Spare batteries must be individually protected to prevent short circuits and carried in carry-on baggage only. Lithium metal or lithium alloy batteries must not contain more than 2g lithium content. Lithium-ion batteries must not have a watt-hour rating more than 100Wh. The batteries and cells must be of a type that meets the requirements of the UN Manual of Test and Criteria, Part III, subsection 38.3. For personal use only, quantities for commercial/retail sale are not permitted.
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Electric bikes, scooters and skateboards
Bikes, scooters and skateboards powered by batteries may be dangerous if NOT carried in the appropriate manner.
The lithium-ion batteries for an e-bike, e-scooter or e-skateboard are limited to a maximum of 160Wh. Non-spillable batteries are limited to a maximum of 12 volts and 100Wh. Lithium batteries over 160Wh and non-spillable batteries over 12V and 100Wh are not permitted. For full information on the safe transport of batteries and conditions of carriage, please see our batteries information page.
An e-bike, e-scooter or e-skateboard carried as checked baggage must be completely switched off, effectively protected from accidental activation (e.g. key on/off switched turned off and key removed) and adequately packaged to prevent any damage. Bikes must be packed in accordance with the ‘Travelling with a bike’ conditions. Refer to our oversized and fragile items page.
Any spare/loose or removed batteries, must be in carry-on baggage only with the terminals protected against short-circuiting.
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Firesticks
- Declare at check-in
- Not permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as checked baggage only. Guests permitted to travel with metal firesticks must ensure that used wicks have been thoroughly cleaned, there is no strong residual smell of fuel, the heads are covered with a plastic, polythene or alike bag, and the bag is sealed or gathered and closed with an elastic band or twine.
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Fuel cells contained in portable electronic devices
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage. Fuel quantity must not exceed 200ml (liquids), 200g (solids) or 120ml (gas). A maximum of two spare fuel cells are permitted per guest and must travel as carry-on baggage only.
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Gas cartridges - non-flammable, non-toxic gas for self-inflating personal safety devices (e.g. lifejackets) and other devices
- Declare at check-in
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage. Limited to cartridges of carbon dioxide (CO2) or other suitable gas in Division 2.2 without a subsidiary hazard;
A self-inflating personal safety device, intended to be worn by a person, such as a life-jacket or vest:
- Must not exceed more than two personal safety devices per person;
- Must be packed in such a manner that it cannot be accidentally activated;
- Must not be fitted with more than two small cartridges; and not more than two spare cartridges per device may be carried.
Other devices (e.g. bike pump):
- Not more than four small cartridges may be carried;
- The cartridge must not exceed 28g (the equivalent water capacity of 50ml).
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Gas cylinders (non-flammable, for the operation of mechanical limbs)
- Operator approval not required
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage. Worn for the operation of a mechanical limb and any spare cylinders of similar size if required to ensure an adequate supply for the duration of the journey permitted.
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Hair styling equipment containing hydrocarbon devices
- Operator approval not required
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage. Only one device is permitted per guest, provided the safety cover is securely fitted over the heating element.
Note: Gas refills for such devices are not permitted in carry-on or checked in baggage.
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Heat-producing articles
- Declare at check-in
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage. Battery-powered equipment capable of generating extreme heat, which would cause a fire if activated, such as underwater high intensity lamps and soldering irons are permitted, providing the device cannot be inadvertently switched on - either by removing the battery or globe. Gas-powered devices are not permitted.
Note: Any battery that has been removed must be protected against short-circuiting, such as having the terminals covered with electrical tape. The battery must travel as carry-on luggage only.
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Medical oxygen cylinders
- Declare at check-in
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Not permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on baggage only.
- o The oxygen cylinder must not exceed 5kg gross weight.
- The oxygen cylinder must be carried in an approved Air Liquide OxyCare travel pack, BOC OxyCare travel pack, BOC Carry Bag or Supagas carry bag
Guests are permitted to use medical oxygen cylinders on board, providing medical clearance has been obtained from a medical practitioner.
For further information about oxygen in-flight, please refer to our oxygen in-flight information page.
Note: Liquid oxygen systems are forbidden for transport.
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Non-infectious specimens packed with small quantities of flammable liquids
- Operator approval not required
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage. Non-infectious specimens wrapped in paper towel and/or cheesecloth may be packed with a small quantity of a flammable liquid (maximum 30 mL) in a leakproof inner container or a heat-sealed plastic bag. The prepared specimens must be then placed in a heat-sealed plastic bag and contained in a leakproof strong outer packaging. The completed package is marked ‘scientific research specimens'. If several plastic bags/bottles are carried, the total quantity of flammable liquid in the outer packaging must not exceed 1L.
Note: The flammable liquid may only be UN 1170 Ethanol, UN 1987 Alcohol solution, UN 1219 Isopropanol or UN 1198 Formaldehyde solution. -
Portable electronic devices (battery operated equipment)
Portable electronic devices (PED) such as laptops, cameras, emergency position-indicating radio beacons (EPIRB) and equipment such as drones and tools powered by batteries may be dangerous if NOT carried in the appropriate manner.
Batteries for these devices must be securely installed in the equipment and suitably protected against damage. PEDs and equipment placed in checked baggage must be completely switched off (not in hibernation mode) and effectively protected from accidental activation and damage. This may be achieved by packing the device in a robust case or the original retail packaging. Any applications, alarms or pre-set configurations that may activate the device have to be disabled or deactivated.
Any spare or loose batteries including power banks must be in carry-on baggage only with the terminals protected against short-circuiting.For further information on the conditions of carriage for the safe transport of PED’s and batteries, including the permitted types, power ratings and quantity limits, please see our batteries information page.
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Portable medical devices (battery operated)
- Declare at check-in
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage. Guests are permitted to travel with battery operated devices such as external defibrillators, nebulisers or oxygen concentrators. All spare batteries must be in carry-on baggage only. Please see our batteries information page.
For use of medical devices on board, see our Special Needs and Assistance page.
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Power banks (portable battery chargers), car jump starter packs and UPS
Power banks, car jump starter packs and uninterrupted power sources (UPS) are portable battery devices for providing power to another device - e.g. charging the battery of a mobile phone or other electronic device.
Power banks, car jump starter packs and UPS are considered the same as a spare or loose battery and must be in carry-on baggage only.
Battery size limits, and cabin baggage size and weight limitations apply. For full information on the safe transport of batteries and conditions of carriage, please see our batteries information page.
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Safety matches and lighters
- Operator approval not required
- Not permitted in carry-on baggage
- Not permitted in checked baggage
Permitted on ones-self only - either one small compressed gas lighter, or a cigarette lighter powered by a lithium battery or a box of safety matches or a liquid fuel lighter that has the flammable liquid fully absorbed.
Note: Blue flame, cigar, cooktop, pipe and torch lighters, and ‘Strike anywhere’ matches and cigarette lighters powered by a lithium battery (e.g. laser plasma lighters, tesla coil lighters, flux lighters, arc lighters and double arc lighters) without a safety cap or means of protection against unintentional activation are forbidden for air transport.
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Thermometers
- Operator approval not required
- Not permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted in checked baggage only. Only one permitted per guest for personal use. The thermometer must be housed in a protective case.
Thermometers or barometers carried by a government weather bureau representative must be sealed in a leakproof bag contained in a strong outer packaging in carry-on baggage only.
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Toiletry and medicinal articles
- Operator approval not required
- Permitted in carry-on baggage
- Permitted in checked baggage
Permitted as carry-on or checked baggage. Toiletry and medicinal articles include aerosols such as hair sprays and deodorants, flammable liquids such as hand sanitiser, perfumes and medicines containing alcohol are permitted. A single article must not exceed 0.5kg/0.5L and the total net quantity for all articles does not exceed 2kg/ 2L (including any aerosols containing non-flammable gas, for sporting or home use). A release valve on the aerosol must be protected by a cap or other suitable means to prevent inadvertent release of the contents. The aerosol must not have any other subsidiary hazard and be for personal use only.
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Wheelchairs and mobility aids (battery powered)
For full information on the safe transport of battery powered wheelchairs and mobility devices, please see our mobility aid information page.
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Other restricted items
Any material which has narcotic, noxious, irritating or other properties that in the case of spillage or leakage could cause extreme annoyance or discomfort to others, are not permitted on-board or have additional restrictions for carriage. Such items are:
- Balloons and inflated balls or toys - Due to possible rapid deflation or explosion during climb, balls such as footballs and basketballs, balloons and inflatable toys, must be partially or fully deflated if carried in the cabin.
- Nail polish and nail polish remover - Although the items are permitted for carriage, use on board the aircraft is strictly prohibited.
- Jackfruit and durian fruit - Restricted from carriage on board the flight due to the noxious smell these fruit produce.
Additional dangerous goods restrictions in particular countries:
Civil Aviation Regulatory Authorities for each country may enforce further restrictions on the carriage of dangerous goods transport to, through or out of that country.
A number of additional restrictions are enforced for passengers travelling to/from the USA such as:
- No avalanche rescue packs
- No oxygen cylinders
- No torch lighters
For further information in regard to Dangerous Goods:
- Download the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Dangerous Goods App – Can I pack that?
- Please contact the Virgin Australia Guest Contact Centre on 13 6789 or e-mail: reservations@virginaustralia.com.
You must ensure that Dangerous Goods rejected for carriage are safely disposed of prior to your journey. Virgin Australia cannot store Dangerous Goods for you.
Virgin Australia takes no responsibility for dangerous goods removed from checked baggage by a State or Security Screening Authority. Virgin Australia is entitled to destroy, abandon, withhold or retain any dangerous goods (or potentially dangerous goods) taken from your luggage (without any liability to you) in accordance with Virgin Australia’s Conditions of Carriage.