MSE News: Flying with hand luggage? Check its size to avoid airline fees

ElleGee

We travelled to Orlando with Virgin at Christmas. On the way out - no checking was done at all on our hand luggage (on two different days) and I didn't see any notice that they bags should be a specific weight. However, on the return flight, they weighed our hand luggage which had to be under 6kg. Luckily, my husband was flying at the same time via BA so we gave him lots of our stuff which we didn't want to check in. The Virgin Check-In employee even said "this happens to lots of people - they have to check in (and pay for) additional bags because they're too heavy to take as hand luggage." What a fix!:mad:

Pollycat

janh wrote: »

This was the wording of the email - it sounds very reasonable!

'Two separate pieces of hand baggage, as long as the combined size is no bigger than 56 x 40 x 25cm and the combined weight no heavier than 10 kilos, plus a small duty free bag from the departure airport.
The free 10 kilos hand baggage allowance is on top of and not combined with your paid for hold baggage allowance.
There is limited space onboard, and we are sorry but on busy flights we cannot guarantee that we can fit all baggage in the cabin. Taking two smaller bags and placing one under the seat in front of you will help to avoid your baggage being placed in the hold.
Remember, size does matter!
If your hand baggage is too large and does not comply with the restrictions you can add a hold bag to your booking now by click here
At the gate, any oversized pieces of baggage will be placed in the hold and you will be charged £50/€60. '

To clarify - on Monarch scheduled flights (ZB), hand luggage allowance is 10kg, on charter flights (MON) it is 5kg.

Pollycat

ElleGee wrote: »

We travelled to Orlando with Virgin at Christmas. On the way out - no checking was done at all on our hand luggage (on two different days) and I didn't see any notice that they bags should be a specific weight. However, on the return flight, they weighed our hand luggage which had to be under 6kg. Luckily, my husband was flying at the same time via BA so we gave him lots of our stuff which we didn't want to check in. The Virgin Check-In employee even said "this happens to lots of people - they have to check in (and pay for) additional bags because they're too heavy to take as hand luggage." What a fix!:mad:

Why is it a 'fix'?

Most airlines have a weight limit on hand luggage.

The key is to check the website before you go to the airport.

ETA - I think from 31/3/2103 hand luggage limit has increased to 10kg (from 6kg).

But don't take this as gospel, check for yourself.

NFH

I can understand reasonable limits on the size for cabin baggage based on the type of aircraft and number of seats. However, the limits on the weight of cabin baggage are unreasonable for the following reasons:

• Airlines do not handle cabin baggage and so the weight is irrelevant to them. Likewise airlines do not handle any heavy items that passengers carry in their pockets, yet airlines do not seek to surcharge for items in pockets.
• It is no more reasonable to charge for heavy cabin baggage than it is to charge for an abnormally heavy passenger. The additional weight of an obese passenger dwarfs the additional weight of 15kg cabin baggage.
• It is pointless to allow cabin baggage of 55x40x20cm in size if the passenger cannot fill the space inside it. 5kg or 6kg would only take up a fraction of the space inside. Even without dense items such as liquids, this size of cabin baggage can reach 15kg when filled with typical items of an average density.

Louisdf

NFH wrote: »

I can understand reasonable limits on the size for cabin baggage based on the type of aircraft and number of seats. However, the limits on the weight of cabin baggage are unreasonable for the following reasons:

• Airlines do not handle cabin baggage and so the weight is irrelevant to them.

Yes, its not relevant to them, but it is to other passengers. If a bulging 15kg trolley case drops on a child's head (or even a fully grown adult) it will certainly be painful!

NFH

Louisdf wrote: »

Yes, its not relevant to them, but it is to other passengers. If a bulging 15kg trolley case drops on a child's head (or even a fully grown adult) it will certainly be painful!

That is a very flawed argument. If it was about safety, then it would be a regulation (rather than a commercial policy) which applied across all airlines. It is not about safety at all.

In any case, although loose items such as bottles might roll out of overhead lockers on to passengers, full sized cabin baggage does not fall out.

mcfisco

There's certainly max weight limits set for the overhead bins
The BM flight that crashed at Kegworth some years ago had injuries and fatalities attributed to the overhead bins breaking loose.

Easyjet simply did away with weighing stuff and relied a volumetric measurement of 175kg/M³ to calculate the likely weight of bags with the 'being able to lift it' as a back stop for anomalies and to protect crew should they have to move it.

bcrabtree

easyJet says it's cabin luggage limit is 56 x 45 x 25cm.

I have a suitcase that is 51 x 36 x 26cm - ie far less volume than easyJet's limit but 1cm more in one direction.

Will that be allowed on or will the 1cm catch me out?

TIA

Bob Crabtree

Pollycat

You may get away with it as the height and width is a fair bit less than the maximum (2" & 4").

But if you are asked to put it in the cage and it sticks out, then you'll have to check it in and it will cost you - lots.

If your bag is soft, you may be able to squash it in but TBH, nobody can tell you it will be OK.

Pollycat

Also, do note that even if your bag passes the cage test, it may not end up going into the cabin with you.

Easyjet have introduced a new policy - read here:

Our new cabin bag guarantee means you can make sure your bag travels with you in the cabin, even on the busiest flights.

To take advantage of the guarantee, simply bring ONE slightly smaller bag no bigger than 50 x 40 x 20cm including handles and wheels and we’ll guarantee it will travel with you either in the overhead locker or, if necessary, under the seat in front of you.

You can still choose to bring ONE slightly bigger bag up to the maximum size of 56 x 45 x 25cm including handles and wheels, but on some busy flights your bag may have to go into the hold.

So if your flight is busy you may be asked to put your bag into the hold.
You won't be charged if that happens but if someone spots your 1cm over and says your case must go into the hold, you will be.