The Reason You Are Not Allowed To Bring A Coconut In Your Baggage When Boarding A Plane

Food Banned in Flight: If you frequently travel by air, you likely know the items that can’t be packed in the cabin and check-in baggage. Being aware helps you pack confidently and prevents last-minute panic, hassle, or the risk of leaving prohibited items at the airport, or worse, missing your flight due to delays. One interesting food item people might consider ‘harmless’ to carry in their cabin baggage is dry coconut, often part of temple prasad. However, you’ll have to leave the copra (dried white flesh inside the coconut) or dry coconut at the airport if you carry it in your hand baggage.

Wondering why?

Why Coconuts Cannot Be Carried In Hand Baggage

IndiGo Airlines explained on social media platform X, “Dry coconut is a highly flammable object; hence, carrying it in check-in luggage is not permitted.” They further added in the comments that “dry coconut is not permitted in either hand baggage or checked baggage.”
Dry coconut contains a high amount of oil (used to produce coconut oil) that is highly flammable. It can cause a fire if it encounters heat inside the aircraft.

Possibly referring to tender coconut, an X user asked in the same thread, “Can wet coconut be carried on IndiGo flights?” and received a no in reply.

How Can We Carry Coconut On A Flight?

It is best to avoid carrying coconut on flights altogether. If you must, SpiceJet Airlines explains on their website, “Coconut is only permitted for carriage in checked-in baggage if cut into small pieces. Dry coconut or copra is not permitted in either cabin or checked-in baggage.”

Coconut and International Travel

According to The Independent, the International Air Transport Association’s Dangerous Goods Register (IATA) categorizes coconut meat as a Class 4 risk in cargo. Dried coconut is marked as a “flammable solid liable to spontaneous combustion” that could “emit flammable gases when in contact with water.” Copra dust may be ignited by a single spark, and the fruit’s fat decomposition can also lead to a risk of self-heating, says the IATA. However, travelling by air with retail-packaged coconut products is permitted.

More Common Food Items And Hand Baggage

Here are some more common food items and whether you can carry them in your cabin luggage:

Allowed in Cabin:

Honey (Up to 100 ml, sealed and properly packed)

Water bottle (Up to 100 ml)

Aerated drinks (Up to 100 ml)

Biryani

Dry cake

Dry fruits

Fruits/vegetables

Sweets (Dry)

Not Allowed in Cabin:

Fish/Meat

Coconut

Chilly pickle

Raw Foods (Rice/Pulses)

All spices in powder/physical form, including chilly

With these guidelines, you can pack food items correctly for smooth and hassle-free air travel.