I've read through the guidance from various sources on carry-on baggage restrictions at UK airports, but some points are still not clear to me:

One is allowed to carry "prescription medicines and medical items sufficient and essential for the flight." Does that mean I can carry on board only the individual tablets I must take during the flight, or can I carry the entire bottle that the tablets come in?

No mention is made of wrist watches. Can I wear my watch, or must that be placed in hold baggage as well?

Wouldn't you do better to call your airline with your question? That will be the authoritative answer. I suggest you call the day before your flight.

Thanks for that helpful advice. Indeed I will do that (if I can get through), but hopefully in the meantime another Fodorite will have the answer to my question.

A poster on another thread has suggested that, because hold times are so long, checking the airlines web site might be the best way to get info.

CAPH52, I've been checking the websites (Olympic only repeated Home Office instructions). I've also looked in easyJet and Ryanair links on another thread with the same results. At any rate, whatever the airline tells you, the security checkers have the final say in what you can bring through.

This is important to me, as I am on several medications that I can't do without. If I put them in hold baggage, and my bags go missing, then I am in trouble.

The wrist watch question is less important (I can bring a cheap watch on the trip and leave my good one at home). I don't want to show up at the airport to be told I have to put an expensive watch in hold baggage.

It's probably too soon for anyone who has been through the security checks to reply to this question, but if anyone has any info I would be grateful.

Even before this you should have been traveling with a prescription for your medicines in addition to the meds. So do it now.

Buy a cheap wristwatch.

Put the meds you need to take aboard the flight into square made of cello wrap. Put the other bottles into a small bag. Before you check your bags at the check in counter, show the ticket taker your meds in the bag. Ask your question. If she or he tells you to check them, put them in the bag and check the bag.

Gee, I wonder why I didn't think of that, Nessundorma?

Actually, I think if you need to take meds on the flight you should leave them in their prescription bottles so that they are identifiable as prescription medication.

According to the TSA supv in a Q&A on a local TV station last night - the prescription medications must be in their original packaging w/ the same name on the label as the passenger - transferring anything to other containers would not be allowed.

Hope Heimdell comes back to read the amendments.

I can't believe people are taking answers over the internet about their medications.

Folks, get it from the horses' mouths, even it means waiting on hold. But if you aren't leaving for a flight in the next 24 hours, wait until the lines are less busy.

If your prescription meds bottles are large, perhaps you could explain your dilemma to your pharmacist and ask if they could make up additional small bottles with all the info on them which you could carry on the plane. I do think that now is not the time to be carrying any type of medication in little baggies, or whatever.

Sorry I can't help with the watch problem. It's a very valid question and it will be interesting to see what you find out, so please come back and let us know!

LOL janis! I was typing while you were posting!

I can tell you on my flight from Heathrow to NY yesterday, that people were carrying various bottles of prescription medicines in the clear bag we were allowed to carry on.

My medicine isn't in a bottle-it's in a box. My name isn't written onto my box. So, sometimes there are no easy answers.

We all should remember that the terrorists will look for the loophole allowing people to use their "special medicines" and "prescriptions with their name written onto the bottles". Don't the terrorists thinking about doing the same way of get on your flight.

I think we all should find ways to meet the requirements and maybe a bit more. Then we can continue travelling safely.

Blackduff

We were allowed all jewelry including watches (which I thought was strange), but had to remove the watches when we passed through the two security checks.

Thanks to all of you who have addressed the question in my OP. Special thanks to janisj and bd. My thinking was that it would be better to leave the medicine in their original bottles, and what you said seems to confirm it. Interesting about the jewelry, too - I agree it does sound strange.

Nessundorma, if you were genuinely trying to be helpful, thanks to you, too. I do carry a list of the drugs I have been prescribed, but pharmacies don't always fill prescriptions written by foreign doctors. More likely I would have to make an appointment with a local doctor, and hope that the meds I need are available.

Heimdall
Why don't you to print out the data about each medicine. I check each medicine, on the internet, since it gives you more information. If you need to visit a doctor in Europe, you'll have a starting chance finding exactly you're using.

I've used medicines which were prescribed in Spain and I managed to get the pharmacies in California and vice versa. I never problems using Spanish prescriptions in France and again, vice versa.

Good luck.

Blackduff

Good idea, blackduff. Thanks.

Yes, Heimdall, I was genuinely trying to be helpful by telling you to ask the airlines.