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Shaving Razors on the plane?

What is the policy for bringing a razor on board? I plan to travel with one carryon and I use a Fusion razor with detachable heads. I'm guessing I can bring the razor but not the actual head? Do they sell these in Europe as well? What do you do for shaving overseas? I'm going from Chicago to London in a month.

Posted by
1455 posts

My husband uses Fusion (not the vibrating one though) and we only do carry on, and he's never been stopped.

I say bring it, and the worse that happens is they confiscate it.

PS: If you need shaving cream, check out packinglight.Net and look at the Shaving Sheets! They're shaving lotion but not liquid

http://www.packinglight.net/plight/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=Travelon+Shaving+Sheets&pf_id=PAAAIAFPEGIGBLFF&dept_id=3022&mscssid=FA87JAKGKSWS9PPGSUMRUDGAGMSC5MNE

Posted by
658 posts

Razors are absolutely forbidden onboard an aircraft.

You can certainly buy Fussion heads in the UK.

Posted by
658 posts

If you pass through Heathrow or any UK airport you will be asked at check-in if you have any sharp items in your hand luggage. You will also see signs prior to going through the security scan making you aware of the prohibition on razors. You will also see the clear plastic desposal bins for 'sharps' prior to scanning. These bins will clearly contain razors.

The rules in the country you are travelling to are not governed by TSA, you have to take that into consideration.

Posted by
990 posts

Al, what about tweezers? Are they also a problem in UK airports? I've not had any problems in the US or in other European airports, but haven't flown out of Heathrow or Gatwick lately. I'd hate to lose my expensive Anastasia tweezers, but my eyebrows would hate to be without them for a month...

Posted by
805 posts

Straight razors like the Fusion are only allowed in checked luggage. However, most electric razors are okay. I usually bring one so I can shave before I arrive in Europe (it makes me feel more normal/fools my body into thinking its the start of a new day).

Posted by
1455 posts

Al, we were just in London last October and never checked in our luggage. My husband had the Fusion razor in the handy travel case. He went thru security without problem.
We also had a bag of Disney pins, and those are sharp pieces of metal. The security looked at it, smiled, and let us thru.

I still say, try it. The worse that happens is they make you toss it. No harm, no foul

Posted by
258 posts

The OP, Chad, is in Wisconsin, USA. Therefore he would follow the TSA regulations when flying to Europe. Now on the way back would be another story and I would suggest finding the UK's version of the TSA website. On the way to London from the USA you will be fine.

Posted by
9363 posts

Fusion and other safety razors ARE allowed in carryon baggage when flying from the US. Tweezers are also allowed. I suppose if there was a question coming back you could put your tweezers in checked luggage, but most likely they are OK.

Posted by
1167 posts

Here is a quote from the Heathrow airport website:
"Sharp or pointed items must not be carried in hand baggage and will be confiscated at security control. This includes knives, scissors, razor blades, cutlery, tools, hiking poles, hypodermic needles (unless medical necessity can be proved), catapults, corkscrews, toy or replica guns, sporting bats or cues and darts."

I would assume the "razor blades" reference is to the old safety razor blades and straight razors and would not apply to the Fusion and other disposable-type razors. I have, and will continue to, carry disposable razors in my carry-on without any problems.

Posted by
643 posts

This is a little off-topic, but I wonder if plastic utencils would be off-limits?

Posted by
808 posts

Why not just carry disposables and use them up while you are there? I'd say get a wax but not so easy for a beard, I guess.
Al's point is valid. Flights departing from the UK are not governed by TSA. We all need to remember that and not become irrate Ugly Americans (or Canadians, we have 'em too!)

Could it be that the razors were permitted through in the UK b/c that particular Airline allowed the Razors on Board?
As Al explained earlier, it's up to each Airline in the UK to allow or disallow certain items. When a questionable item is found in the detector, the screener cross references it with your Boarding Card and the list of prohibited items for that particular Airline. Sounds complicated but apparently that's how they do it in the UK.