This everyday travel item often triggers airport bag checks — and you probably packed it

A feeling of panic arises in some travellers when their cabin baggage is selected for additional security measures. However, the process is usually not quite as serious as people think. Security systems are designed to flag bags whenever officers need a clearer view of an item, when objects overlap too heavily, or when something inside cannot be easily identified on the scanner.
The easier the contents of your baggage are to identify, the less likely it is to be subjected to additional security measures. There are seven major errors people make while packing their luggage, and here is what wise travellers do differently.

Most people will do their best to squeeze all the available space in their carry-on bag. Clothes will be folded tightly, shoes will be squeezed into any possible corner, and chargers will be stuffed between layers. Even though you might be able to save money on excess baggage fees, it will cause problems for the security officer checking your bag. This is because it may be difficult to tell what item is what when everything is packed tightly in a bag. This will require more time spent checking what the bag contains. It will also take much more time for you to pack your bag back up after it has been opened.
Smarter move: Give yourself some extra space when packing your bag and make use of packing cubes.

An example of a contemporary packing technique is packing all your electronics, including your laptop, tablet, camera, power bank, Kindle, and game console, along with their corresponding chargers in one section of your backpack. While it makes sense to group your electronics together, having multiple layers of electronic items can be a problem when passing through outdated X-ray machines. With bulky batteries, metals, and overlapped screens, your belongings will likely get flagged for further inspection. This is why most airports continue to request that you remove your laptop or tablet from the rest of your belongings.
Smarter move: Keep your laptop in its own compartment and separate your tablet if you have one.

The modern-day traveller usually has more than one cord and adapter along with wireless headphones, power banks, and chargers in their luggage. Regrettably, they are commonly tossed haphazardly into the same pocket or entangled together in a ball. When viewed on an x-ray, a mess of wires and electronic devices looks unorganized and complex. While this doesn’t immediately arouse suspicion, it might require further scrutiny. Loose lithium batteries can also be subjected to extra scrutiny when not packaged correctly.
Smarter move: Use a cable bag or an organizer for your technology items.

There are many things that can catch people off guard when travelling, and food is one of those things. In some places, food is permitted to be brought aboard, although certain types of foods can make the process of going through security take a while longer. Chocolate bars that are too large, blocks of cheese, ready-to-eat meals that contain rice, sweet treats, and home-cooked foods in large, dense packages can come across as suspicious in scanners and thus need further investigation. Spreadable foods such as peanut butter, soft cheese, dips, sauces and jams may be treated as liquids or gels under carry-on rules, meaning they could be subject to size restrictions.
Smarter move: Pack snacks neatly, keep them accessible, and check liquid rules before carrying spreads or sauces.

While wrapped gifts make for a visually appealing sight, they could cause complications when going through security. In case the authorities require a search to be made, it would mean stripping the wrapping paper off the gifts. This is more common during the holidays when people carry gifts along while traveling. Most of the time, gifts are packed and wrapped by individuals at their respective homes and then unpacked once they reach the airport.
Smarter move: Transport unwrapped gifts in a gift bag, or pack everything needed for wrapping once you reach your destination.

Toiletries also form part of the main causes of bag stops, with people being forced to rummage through their luggage as they unpack toiletries after placing them deep inside their suitcases alongside clothes, footwear, and other electronic gadgets. When airports require separation of liquids for screening, then the whole process becomes quite tedious. Where advanced X-rays can screen liquids inside bags without taking them out, different policies govern different places, and a process that may work in one place might not work in another.
Smarter move: Place toiletries in a visible compartment or pouch within the suitcase for easy identification.

The main reason why some bags stop might have little or nothing to do with how a passenger packs his/her suitcase and may have more to do with the inclusion of certain prohibited items by mistake. This happens when old pocket knives, nail scissors, tools, lighter, sports equipment, and other sharp instruments that are usually left behind in a bag end up being included in a new trip unknowingly by a traveler.
Smarter move: Check every zipper, side pocket and hidden compartment before each trip, even if you use the same bag regularly.