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Prohibited Items vs Dangerous Goods — What's the Difference?
Last updated: 8 Jul 2026Reviewed by Ms. Rubab Nizami, Lead AVSEC Faculty
In short
Prohibited items are things a passenger cannot take through security or onto a flight — like weapons, knives and lighters. Dangerous goods are hazardous materials (the 9 DG classes) regulated for how they are carried, often as cargo. Prohibited is about passenger screening; dangerous goods is about safe transport of hazards.
Prohibited items vs Dangerous goods — side by side
| Prohibited items | Dangerous goods | |
|---|---|---|
| About | Passenger screening | Transport of hazards |
| Examples | Weapons, knives, lighters | Explosives, gases, lithium batteries |
| Governed by | BCAS prohibited-items list | ICAO TI, IATA DGR |
| Context | The checkpoint | Cargo & baggage acceptance |
Which should you use?
Prohibited items = what you can't take through security. Dangerous goods = hazardous materials with special carriage rules. They overlap (e.g. lighters) but serve different purposes.
Quick answers
Is a lighter a prohibited item or a dangerous good?
Both — it is a prohibited item at the checkpoint and a Class 2.1 dangerous good by nature.