Hand luggage explained

The term hand luggage or cabin baggage (normally called carry-on in North America) refers to the type of luggage that passengers are allowed to carry along in the passenger compartment of a vehicle instead of a separate cargo compartment. Passengers are allowed to carry a limited number of smaller bags with them in the vehicle, which typically contain valuables and items needed during the journey. There is normally storage space provided for hand luggage, either under seating, or in overhead lockers. Trains usually have luggage racks above the seats and may also (especially in the case of trains travelling longer distances) have luggage space between the backs of seats facing opposite directions, or in extra luggage racks, for example, at the ends of the carriage (train car in American English) near the doors.

Commercial air travel

Hand baggage allowance is a topic frequently discussed in the context of commercial air travel. On the one hand, passengers may want to have more of their possessions at hand during flight, skip the often time-consuming baggage claim process, and avoid the risk of having their checked baggage lost or damaged. On the other hand, safety concerns, takeoff weight limitations, and financial incentives (e.g. charging for checked bags) cause airlines to impose limits on how much and what passengers can take into the aircraft cabin. A large amount of hand luggage also slows the security screening of passengers, and can slow boarding as it takes longer to find space in cabin storage areas.

Studies have found that passengers often pause to retrieve cabin baggage during an emergency evacuation, despite instructions to the contrary in pre-flight safety briefings. This is not a new phenomenon, as it was observed during the evacuation of a Boeing 737 that caught fire in 1984. At least one passenger re-entered a Boeing 777 that crashed in 2008 to retrieve personal belongings. Video of the evacuation of a Sukhoi Superjet that caught fire on landing in 2019 clearly shows passengers on the emergency slides with large suitcases, raising questions as to whether this contributed to the loss of life. Remote locking of overhead baggage bins is being considered as a solution to the issue.[1]

Allowances

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sets guidelines for cabin baggage/hand luggage/carry-on luggage size.[2] As of 2022, the IATA recommends a maximum size of 56 cm × 45 cm × 25 cm (22 in × 18 in × 10 in), including protuberances like wheels, handles, and pockets.[3]

The IATA guidelines are voluntary; the actual size and weight limits of cabin baggage imposed by airlines differ widely. In some cases they are dependent on the aircraft model being used, in other cases it depends on the booking class.

DimensionsVol.Linear
equiv. †
Airlines and notes
20 L85 cmRyanair has introduced a smaller carry on size, valid for all new bookings and all flights from 2018-11-01 onwards. It is possible to take also the previous bigger size carry on by booking Priority Boarding.[4]
24 L90 cmWizz Air free backpack/carry-on (trolley bag with "WIZZ Priority" service only),[5] Transavia underseat accessory,[6] Volotea,[7] Vueling[8] -- auto-translated by Module:CS1 translator -->
32 L100 cmJapan Airlines on aircraft with under 100 seats on domestic flights[9]
32 L101 cmEasyJet allows one free cabin bag per person which needs to be kept under the seat in front, and can weigh max 15 kg[10]
35 L104 cmAurigny class Regional (one bag max. 10 kg) or class Inter-Island (max. 6 kg)[11]
39 L110 cmIATA 2015 proposed "Cabin OK" standard (largely abandoned), Flybe (+ one smaller bag, e.g. laptop)[12]
44 L115 cmAsiana Airlines,[13] Korean Air,[14] Vueling,[15] Ukraine International Airlines,[16] Air China (one bag no more than 5 kg for Economy Class, two bags no more than 8 kg each for First Class/Business Class),[17] Ryanair (not guaranteed to travel in cabin, first bag max. 10 kg;. Second bag of size 35 cm × 20 cm × 20 cm also allowed, valid for existing booking of flights before 2018-11-01 only, for other bookings see below.).[18] Level (airline)[19]

45 L115 cmAmerican Airlines (one bag plus one personal item),[20] Delta Air Lines (one bag plus one personal item),[21] United Airlines (one bag plus one personal item),[22] Allegiant Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Jetblue Airways,[23] Nok Air, US Airways
46 L115 cmVirgin Atlantic,[24] Air Asia
48 L115 cmAir France (weight allowance depends on route and class),[25] Malaysia Airlines; (one bag up to 7 kg plus one personal item).[26] From April 2019, all Brazilian airlines adopt this standard, verifying luggage size before the security checkpoint and weight is limited to 10 kg by ANAC (Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency) regulations.
51 L118 cmAustrian Airlines, Edelweiss Air, Lufthansa, Swiss Global Air Lines, Swiss International Air Lines (one bag max. 8 kg or a foldable garment bag up to 57 cm × 54 cm × 15 cm) also allowed in the cabin: another item of carry-on baggage (max. 30 × 40 × 10 cm, e.g. handbag, laptop bag);,[27] [28] Air Canada (10 kg plus one personal item not exceeding 43 cm × 33 cm × 16 cm),[29] Wizz Air trolley bag in combination with "WIZZ Priority" service; Scandinavian Airlines (SAS);[30] Norwegian[31]
53 L119 cmAer Lingus (one bag max. 10 kg plus one personal item not exceeding 33 cm × 25 cm × 20 cm)[32]
55 L120 cmAll Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines on aircraft with at least 100 seats on domestic flights, for all aircraft on international flights, Transavia (45 × 40 × 25 cm guaranteed to be allowed on board while 55 × 40 × 25 cm may be transported in hold, free of charge.[33]
24 in × 16 in × 10 in
(~61 cm × 41 cm × 25 cm)
63 L127 cmAirtran Airways, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Virgin America
63 L126 cmIATA guideline size. British Airways (one bag plus one bag up to each);[34] EasyJet (one bag, no special weight limit, not guaranteed to travel in cabin);[35] Finnair (one bag, max. 8 kg plus one personal item)[36] Aegean Airlines (one bag up to 8 kg);[37]
22 in × 18 in × 10 in
(~56 cm × 46 cm × 25 cm)
64 L127 cmSpirit Airlines

66 L129 cmAlaska Airlines

† Dimensions are sometimes listed as "linear", meaning that when added together, height, width, and length are not to exceed a certain total number.

Business class, first class passengers and holders of high level mileage club members are often allowed to carry on a second bag of a similar or smaller size and weight.[40]

On smaller sized aircraft, sometimes the hand baggage can be carried to the aircraft door, where it is collected by baggage handlers for stowing in the cargo area and returned to the passenger right after landing.

Security restrictions

Following the increase in restrictions imposed on flights from UK airports and to the US after the events of August 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot, hand baggage on such flights was restricted to one cabin bag no bigger than 45 cm × 35 cm × 16 cm (17¾" x 13¾" x 6¼") effective since 15 August 2006.[41] On 21 September 2006, the British Airports Authority advised that from the following day, the allowable size of the single item of hand baggage on outgoing flights from the UK would be increased to 56 cm × 45 cm × 25 cm (approx. 22 in × 17.75 in × 9.85 in),[42] the IATA guideline size. Most UK airports still have a strict limit of one piece of cabin baggage per passenger, including business class.

European Union

A common regulation for cabin baggage restrictions was introduced on 6 November 2006 in European Union and in Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.

United States

The United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has introduced a series of restrictions effective since 26 September 2006 under the name "3:1:1" for liquids.[44]

The TSA has additional restrictions for security searches: for example, the baggage should not be locked (except with a special luggage locks that TSA staff can open), gifts should not be wrapped, and shoes may be required to be taken off during body search with the metal detector. Food items in the luggage may be mistaken for dangerous material triggering an intensive search.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kaminski-Morrow . David . ANALYSIS: Superjet fire puts focus on evacuation threat . Flightglobal.com . 9 May 2019.
  2. Web site: Baggage Services . Iata.org . 2012-10-06 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140325121550/http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/passenger/baggage/Pages/check-bag.aspx . 2014-03-25 .
  3. Web site: Passenger Baggage Rules . . 17 Feb 2022.
  4. Web site: New Bag Policy From November Will Cut Check Bag Fees & Reduce Boarding Delays Ryanair's Corporate Website. corporate.ryanair.com. en-US. 2018-10-06.
  5. Web site: Wizz Air Baggage . 2023-01-10.
  6. Web site: 2023-08-15. One piece of hand luggage (max 55 x 35 x 25 cm), such as a backpack or a trolley. [...] One accessory (max 40 x 30 x 20 cm), such as a small handbag or a laptop bag. Your accessory is always allowed in the cabin and you place it under the seat in front of you.. How much hand luggage can I take with me? Transavia. www.transavia.com.
  7. Web site: 2023-08-15. 2020-09-07. en-GB. What kind of carry-on baggage can I bring on board of the plane? From June 8, 2022, all our customers can take a small bag on board, free of charge (max. 40x30x20 cm), that must be fit under the seat in front of you. VOLOTEA. VOLOTEA - Vuelos baratos, ofertas y billetes de avión a Europa. Volotea.
  8. Web site: Hand luggage: All of our fares include the carriage of one item of hand luggage (max. 40x20x30 cm), which must fit under the seat in front of you, without being an obstacle. Air Transport Conditions - Vueling - Hand luggage. <
  9. Web site: JAL Domestic Flights - Items that can be carried aboard. 6 April 2016. 18 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160418005035/http://www.jal.co.jp/en/dom/baggage/bags/carry.html. dead.
  10. Web site: Everyone can bring one small cabin bag per person on board for free. It can be a maximum size of 45 x 36 x 20 cm (including any handles and wheels) and needs to be kept under the seat in front of you. That should be enough to bring all the essentials for your journey or for a short trip. Your bag can weigh up to 15kg, but we do ask that you’re able to lift and carry it yourself.. easyJet.com – Cabin bags explained.
  11. Web site: FAQ / luggage. Aurigny Airlines. 2013-09-10.
  12. Web site: Cabin Baggage Flybe. 2020-01-18.
  13. Web site: Carry-on Baggage. flyasiana.com. 6 June 2015.
  14. Web site: Baggage Services. koreanair.com. 6 June 2015.
  15. Web site: Checking in suitcases and hand luggage. vueling.com. 24 June 2015.
  16. Web site: Free Hand Luggage Allowance. 17 January 2016.
  17. Web site: Carry-on Baggage. Air China. 2018-10-28.
  18. Web site: General Terms & Conditions of Carriage . Ryanair.com . 2015-06-06.
  19. Web site: Level carriage conditions. 18 April 2023. Fly Level.
  20. Web site: American Airlines Carry-on Baggage Allowance . aa.com.
  21. Web site: Carry-on Baggage . Delta Air Lines. 2013-09-10.
  22. Web site: Carry-on Baggage - Carry-on Bag Policy - United Airlines. united.com.
  23. Web site: Bag Info. 17 Feb 2022 .
  24. Web site: Hand baggage . virgin-atlantic.com . 2013-09-10.
  25. Web site: Hand baggage. Air France. 2018-10-28.
  26. Web site: Plan - Baggage - Cabin Baggage. malaysiaairlines.com. 25 August 2014. 18 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140718015741/http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/content/mas/hq/en/plan/baggage/cabin_baggage.html. dead.
  27. Web site: Lufthansa Carry-on baggage. Lufthansa. 2013-09-10.
  28. Web site: Baggage . Austrian Airlines . 2013-09-10.
  29. Web site: Carry On Baggage. www.aircanada.com. 18 April 2023.
  30. Web site: 2023-02-19. no-NO. Håndbagasje – Grenser for vekt og størrelse. www.sas.no.
  31. Web site: Håndbagasje - størrelse og vektgrenser Norwegian.
  32. Web site: Cabin Baggage - Aer Lingus. aerlingus.com. 2014-08-25.
  33. Web site: Hand luggage . Transavia.
  34. Web site: Hand baggage allowances. British Airways. 2014-08-25.
  35. Web site: Terms and conditions . easyJet.com . 2015-10-12 . 13 October 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151013053722/http://www.easyjet.com/en/terms-and-conditions . dead .
  36. Web site: Carry-on baggage . Finnair . 2013-09-10.
  37. Web site: Cabin Baggage Allowance . aegeanair.com . 2017-09-25.
  38. Web site: Carry on Luggage Size Chart. The Luggage List. 2015-03-15.
  39. Web site: Baggage - FAQ. 17 Feb 2022 .
  40. Book: Asia Today . 1993 . East Asia News and Features (Australia) Pty. Limited . en.
  41. Web site: "U.K. Expands Carry-On Bag Size, AllBusiness.com, 22 September 2006]. allbusiness.com.
  42. News: Hand luggage rules to be relaxed . BBC News . 2006-09-21 . 2010-05-04.
  43. Web site: Hand luggage restrictions at UK airports. GOV.UK. 18 April 2023.
  44. Web site: Liquids Rule. 16 December 2014. tsa.gov.