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.
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]
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.
| Dimensions | Vol. | Linear equiv. † | Airlines and notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 L | 85 cm | Ryanair 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 L | 90 cm | Wizz 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 L | 100 cm | Japan Airlines on aircraft with under 100 seats on domestic flights[9] | ||
| 32 L | 101 cm | EasyJet 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 L | 104 cm | Aurigny class Regional (one bag max. 10 kg) or class Inter-Island (max. 6 kg)[11] | ||
| 39 L | 110 cm | IATA 2015 proposed "Cabin OK" standard (largely abandoned), Flybe (+ one smaller bag, e.g. laptop)[12] | ||
| 44 L | 115 cm | Asiana 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 L | 115 cm | American 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 L | 115 cm | Virgin Atlantic,[24] Air Asia | ||
| 48 L | 115 cm | Air 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 L | 118 cm | Austrian 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 L | 119 cm | Aer Lingus (one bag max. 10 kg plus one personal item not exceeding 33 cm × 25 cm × 20 cm)[32] | ||
| 55 L | 120 cm | All 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 L | 127 cm | Airtran Airways, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Virgin America | |
| 63 L | 126 cm | IATA 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 L | 127 cm | Spirit Airlines | |
| | 66 L | 129 cm | Alaska 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.
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.
A common regulation for cabin baggage restrictions was introduced on 6 November 2006 in European Union and in Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.
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.