Chainsaws, Kiwi dip and toy guns - what can and can't go on the plane this Christmas

Aviation Security Wellington team leader Anna Dudley holds some items that have been seized at the airport. Photo / Melissa Nightingale

Are you planning on visiting Australia for Christmas and taking over the ingredients for some classic Kiwi onion dip? Better make sure the reduced cream doesn't get confiscated at the airport.

Aviation Security team leader Anna Dudley said airport screening staff seize "lots and lots of cans" of reduced cream from people who don't realise the crucial onion dip component is over the limit for carry-on liquids.

The right type of reduced cream isn't available in Australia, she said, meaning many people try to take some over to share with their less fortunate loved ones across the ditch.

But the cans are 250ml, well over the 100ml limit for taking into the plane cabin. The limit applies to anything that can be "poured, smeared or sprayed".

It's important for anyone trying to take the cans over to remember to put them in checked luggage, rather than carry-on.

Security staff are also becoming particularly skilled at wrapping and unwrapping Christmas gifts, with people's presents being opened every day in the lead up to the holidays.

"We see lots and lots of Christmas presents," Dudley said.

"We actually keep Cellotape underneath the search bench and we're really good at putting the wrapping paper back together.

"I think one of the worst things is often having to delicately pry open someone's Christmas present."

Popular Christmas presents include cheese knives and toy guns, which passengers should not be carrying on board.

Dudley expected this holiday period to be the busiest yet as more and more people are travelling.

Some things that are regularly confiscated include powerbanks or anything with lithium ion batteries, which are unstable and therefore need to be kept in an accessible place. These items cannot be placed in checked luggage but can be taken into the cabin.

Camping kits with gas cylinders are also regularly seized.

Dudley, who has worked in Aviation Security for 13 years, said the most interesting conversation she'd had was when she had to explain to a passenger why he could not check in a petrol-powered chainsaw.

"The petrol-driven chainsaw actually had gas in it so it was ready to go, so I had to explain that that could combust and it wasn't a good idea to take on board."

Fireworks are another item that people still try to fly with - these can't be taken on board at all, whether in checked luggage or carry-on.

Some confiscated items get destroyed, but others are donated, Dudley said.

There are about 1000 Aviation Security officers across six airports in New Zealand, processing more than 14 million passengers each year.

The team also includes 35 explosive detector dogs.

Aviation Security by the numbers

• More than 180,000 items were seized between January 1 and November 25 this year

• The most common items seized were sharp objects, with 22,295 confiscated in Auckland, and lighters or other fire starters, with 40,386 taken

• Aviation Security screened more than 47 million bags last year