Holidaymakers have been advised to pay special attention to cabin baggage allowances this summer, and “know your numbers”.
Noting that many smart travellers are not checking-in baggage and are slimming down their holiday wardrobes to avoid the effects of airport inconveniences, Start Travel said its recent research had shown that “many airlines can be generous”.
According to the travel insurance company, “British Airways permits up to 23 kilograms to be carried on-board whilst Delta and American Airlines currently specify no maximum weight at all. It is an approach also favoured by Ryanair. However, you’ll need to fit your belongings into a bag approximately half the size of that allowed by their competitors. Meanwhile, some operators are less forgiving. Thomas Cook permits just six kilograms, with Emirates, Etihad and Flybe not far behind with a seven kilogram combined limit.”
“Holiday travel this summer is stressful and problematic as airports try to beef-up their services and personnel to handle near business-as-usual numbers,” said Lee Puffett, managing director of Start Travel. “Taking your possessions on-board as hand luggage can avoid the annoyance of facing an empty carousel or starting your break in a queue.
“Airlines don’t have a uniform approach when it comes to cabin baggage. There are some decent allowances on offer, so some early research and knowing your numbers can pay off. But always carefully check the details of your booking with the airline, as there could be specific restrictions imposed by the departure or destination airport or changes to terms and conditions.”
Start Travel offered a checklist of key cabin baggage advice:
- Research your airline’s cabin baggage allowance – it might be far more generous than you realised. On average, most airlines allow around 10 kilograms per passenger.
- Dimensions matter. Typical cabin bags are around 55x40x23 centimetres in size and are designed to fit under your seat or in the overhead locker.
- Many airlines allow one cabin bag plus one personal item such as a handbag, camera or laptop.
- Gels and liquids including drinks can be carried only up to 100 millilitres and must be placed in a transparent, airtight, resealable bag no bigger than 20×20 centimetres. Baby milk and medicines above this limit are permitted.
- Portable electronic devices with lithium-ion batteries must not exceed 160Wh capacity. For illustration, an Apple iPhone 13’s battery is around 13Wh while a small laptop battery is typically 50Wh. No more than two spare batteries can be carried, and they must be protected against short circuits.