Dangerous goods
On this page
What are dangerous goods?
Dangerous goods are articles or substances that may endanger the safety of the aircraft and those on board, and are forbidden to be carried on an aircraft. Some examples of dangerous goods that have restrictions for air travel include: corrosives, gases, flammable liquids, oxidising materials, organic peroxides, toxic substances, radioactive materials, infectious substances, explosives, miscellaneous items such as dry ice and petrol engines, and flammable solids and magnetised materials.
For more information on what you can pack for checked and carry-on baggage, visit CASA Pack Right.
Forbidden dangerous goods
- Lithium batteries over 160Wh,
- self-balancing devices,
- non-spillable batteries exceeding 12V and 100Wh, and
- car/motorbike batteries.
- Bleach/oven cleaner,
- butane cartridges, refills/gas bottles,
- insect sprays, and
- strike anywhere matches/cigar lighters.
- Party poppers/fireworks,
- sparklers/firelighters,
- fuel and petrol/oil based paint, and
- gas canister exceeding 28g/50ml.
- Paint stripper/hydrogen peroxide,
- flares/ gunpowder,
- pepper spray/mace, and
- taser.
Hidden dangerous goods
Some commonly used items may contain dangerous goods, like art supplies or camping equipment. A coloured ‘diamond’ displayed on an item or package is an indicator that it may be considered a dangerous good.
For a list of some common items, refer to Hidden dangerous goods (PDF).
When dangerous goods should be sent as freight
Dangerous goods that are forbidden as passenger baggage, do not meet the carriage requirements or are for commercial use, must be sent as freight.
For more information, contact a dangerous goods freight forwarder.
Get approval to travel with dangerous goods
If you have the following dangerous goods, use our form to get approval before you fly:
- Ammunition,
- avalanche rescue backpack,
- CO2 or other small non-flammable gas cartridges (e.g. Argon),
- dry ice, and
- self-inflating personal safety devices
If your item isn’t included in this list, see more information about specific types of dangerous goods.
Explore more dangerous goods
Important information
It's your responsibility to check the requirements for the carriage of dangerous goods, as they may differ by airline and the countries you're travelling to.
Flights operated by Finnair for Qantas
If you're travelling on a flight operated by Finnair for Qantas (flights QF291, QF292, QF295 and QF296 between Sydney and Singapore or Bangkok) your Qantas dangerous goods approval will not apply – even if you have an annual one. You’ll need to present your item to the Qantas check-in counter once you arrive at the airport, so allow extra time to check in at the airport. It will also need to comply with Finnair's travelling with restricted items policy.
Electronic devices that may have been recalled
For a list of products that contain dangerous goods that have been recalled due to faults, refer to the Product Safety website.