Festive fliers have been advised to pack presents in their hold luggage to avoid them being unwrapped at security.

Chris Morgan, Head of Security at Bristol Airport, said: “Passengers may be tempted to take wrapped presents in their hand luggage when traveling during the festive season, but they should be aware that these may need to be unwrapped as part of the security search process. “It is best to wait until you get to your destination to do the wrapping if you can – but if that’s not possible, we advise that any wrapped gifts should go in checked-in bags. We also recommend checking with your airline if you plan to travel with Christmas crackers, as policies on this can vary between carriers.”

The tip comes ahead of what is expected to be a record holiday season for the airport, with an estimated 235,000 passengers set to pass through the terminal between December 21 and January 3.