Hand luggage

Hand luggage compartments of an Airbus A340-600 aircraft (economy class)

The term hand luggage or cabin baggage (also commonly referred to as 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 moving to the cargo compartment. Passengers are allowed to carry a limited number of smaller bags with them in the vehicle and 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 near the doors.

Commercial air travel

Hand baggage allowance is a topic frequently discussed in context of commercial air travel. On one hand, passengers may want to have more of their possessions at hand during flight, skip 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 cause airlines to impose limits on how much and what can a passenger take into the cabin of aircraft.

Cabin baggage allowances

Luggage gauge

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sets guidelines for cabin baggage/hand luggage/carry-on luggage size.[1] They are not mandatory, however, and individual airlines can and do vary their requirements. The IATA guideline at one time stated:

Cabin baggage should have a maximum length of 56 cm (22 inches), width of 45 cm (18 inches) and depth of 25 cm (10 inches) including all handles, side pockets, wheels etc.

The actual size and weight limits of cabin baggage can differ widely, in some cases they are dependent on the aircraft model being used, in other cases it depends on the booking class. Due to the lack of standardization a large number of different specifications were created by the airlines on the maximum permitted cabin luggage restrictions (see below). In 2015 the IATA made an effort to introduce a common smaller size for cabin luggage by introducing the "IATA Cabin OK" logo. Major airlines have expressed their interest to accept luggage of that size on their flights. This is specified as 55 x 35 x 20 cm (or 21.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 inches).[2] There were news that the move was backed by nine airlines including Lufthansa, Emirates and Qatar Airlines.[3] The new size restrictions were criticised widely[4][5] with the introduction program to be put on hold a few days later.[6][7] Consequently none of the mentioned airlines has introduced the new format (by April 2016).

Dimensions Airlines and notes
42 cm × 32 cm × 25 cm Wizz Air (or 56 × 45 × 25 for an extra fee)
45 cm × 35 cm × 20 cm Japan Airlines on aircraft with under 100 seats on domestic flights[8]
48 cm × 33 cm × 20 cm Aer Lingus Regional (Stobart Air – one bag max. 7 kg)[9]
48 cm × 36 cm × 20 cm Aurigny class Regional (one bag max. 10 kg) or class Inter-Island (max. 6 kg)[10]
50 cm × 45 cm × 20 cm Jet Airways for flights within India with ATR aircraft (one bag max. 7 kg for Economy Class, one bag max. 10 kg plus one laptop for Business and First Class)[11]
55 cm × 35 cm × 20 cm
  "Cabin OK"		 IATA Proposed Cabin OK logo (2015)
55 cm × 35 cm × 25 cm Air France (weight allowance depends on route and class),[12] Jet Airways for all other flights (one bag max. 7 kg for Economy Class, one bag max. 10 kg plus one laptop for Business and First Class),[11] Malaysia Airlines; (one bag up to 7 kg plus one personal item)[13]
55 cm × 40 cm × 20 cm Asiana Airlines,[14] Korean Air,[15] Vueling,[16] Ukraine International Airlines,[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.)[18]
55 cm × 40 cm × 23 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);[19][20] Flybe (one bag max. 10 kg),[21] Air Canada (10 kg plus one personal item not exceeding 43 cm × 33 cm × 16 cm) [22]
55 cm × 40 cm × 24 cm Aer Lingus (one bag max. 10 kg plus one personal item not exceeding 33 cm × 25 cm × 20 cm)[9]
55 cm × 40 cm × 25 cm All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines on aircraft with at least 100 seats on domestic flights,[23] for all aircraft on international flights
56 cm × 35 cm × 23 cm Delta Air Lines (one bag plus one personal item),[24] United Airlines (one bag plus one personal item)[25]
56 cm × 36 cm × 23 cm American Airlines (one bag plus one personal item),[26] Virgin Atlantic[27]
56 cm × 45 cm × 25 cm
  "IATA size"		 British Airways (one bag plus one bag up to 40 cm x 30 cm x 15[28] cm, up to 23 kg each);[29] EasyJet (one bag, no special weight limit, not guaranteed to travel in cabin);[30] Finnair (one bag, max. 8 kg plus one personal item)[31]
Isometric projection of hand luggage allowance sizes in centimetres
+: an additional unspecified personal item is permitted

Dimensions are sometimes listed as "linear", meaning the height, width, and length are not to exceed a certain total number.[32]

Business Class, First class passengers and holders of high level mileage club members are often allowed to carry on a second bag of the same size and weight, or a smaller size and weight.

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 USA 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 effective since 15 August.[33] 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),[34] the IATA guideline size. Most UK airports remain to have a strict limit of one piece of cabin baggage per passenger, including business class (allowed two pieces of cabin baggage within Europe, excluding flights to and from the UK).

European Union

Vending machine for carry-on luggage plastic bags at Munich Airport

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.[36]

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

References

  1. ↑ "Baggage Services". Iata.org. Archived from the original on 2014-03-25. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  2. ↑ "Airlines to Address Carry-On Bag Dilemma". International Air Transport Association. Retrieved 2015-07-29.
  3. ↑ "Lufthansa, Emirates and Qatar Airways set new bag size". Daily Mail. 11 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "'Cabin OK' is not OK: Our view". USA Today. 16 June 2015.
  5. ↑ "U.S. Senator Weighs in on IATA's Carry-On Luggage Proposal". 14 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "IATA Pauses Rollout of Cabin OK to Reassess Initiative". IATA. 17 June 2015.
  7. ↑ "Standardized airline carry-on bag campaign halted". CBC News. 17 June 2015.
  8. ↑ "JAL Domestic Flights - Items that can be carried aboard". Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Cabin Baggage - Aer Lingus". aerlingus.com. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
  10. ↑ "FAQ / luggage". Aurigny Airlines. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  11. 1 2 "Baggage Allowance". JetAirways. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  12. ↑ "Hand baggage". Air France. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  13. ↑ "Plan - Baggage - Cabin Baggage". malaysiaairlines.com.
  14. ↑ "Carry-on Baggage". flyasiana.com. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  15. ↑ "Baggage Services". koreanair.com. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  16. ↑ "Checking in suitcases and hand luggage". vueling.com. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  17. ↑ "Free Hand Luggage Allowance". Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  18. ↑ "General Terms & Conditions of Carriage". Ryanair.com. Retrieved 2015-06-06.
  19. ↑ "Lufthansa Carry-on baggage". Lufthansa. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  20. ↑ "Baggage". Austrian Airlines. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  21. ↑ Linked repaired 2012-01-19
  22. ↑ "Carry-On Baggage - aircanada".
  23. ↑ "JAL Domestic Flights - Items that can be carried aboard". Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  24. ↑ "Carry-on Baggage". Delta Air Lines. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  25. ↑ http://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/travel/Pages/BaggageCarry-On.aspx
  26. ↑ "American Airlines Carry-on Baggage Allowance". aa.com.
  27. ↑ "Hand baggage". virgin-atlantic.com. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  28. ↑ http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/baggage-essentials/hand-baggage-allowances
  29. ↑ "Hand baggage allowances". British Airways. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
  30. ↑ "Terms and conditions". easyJet.com. Retrieved 2015-10-12.
  31. ↑ "Carry-on baggage". Finnair. Retrieved 2013-09-10.
  32. ↑ "Carry on Luggage Size Chart". The Luggage List. Retrieved 2015-03-15.
  33. ↑ "U.K. Expands Carry-On Bag Size, AllBusiness.com, 22 September 2006]
  34. ↑ "Hand luggage rules to be relaxed". BBC News. 2006-09-21. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
  35. ↑ "Hand Luggage Restrictions at UK airports".
  36. ↑

External links

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