The dimensions of the bag for hand luggage on the plane, as well as its weight are a headache for many travelers. How many things can I take on board? Alas, there is no single universal answer to this question.
Logic suggests that such baggage should fit in a special compartment located above the seats. But the passenger is very miserable if he focuses only on common sense.
Airlines may force him to say goodbye to some things from his hand luggage, or require crazy money to pay extra. This is especially true of low-cost airlines. They, luring customers with low ticket prices, then try to make up for lost profits and earn extra money on strict requirements for hand luggage, and for luggage in general.
In this article we will consider the basic rules for carrying things in the cabin. What and how much can I take with me on board? What are the dimensions and weight of baggage allowed in the cabin upon boarding?
What is allowed to take to the salon?
The dimensions of the bag for hand luggage on the plane are set only by the airline operating the flight. Some low-cost airlines generally do not allow free carry-on baggage, and these requirements are spelled out in small print on your ticket. Therefore, when buying a seat on an airplane, you always need to find out the company's requirements for baggage.
But there are general ideas about what hand luggage should look like. In stores they sell small suitcases and bags with wheels that say “cabine luggage”, that is, baggage for the cabin. But here the passenger can expect a catch.
Some airlines, especially low-cost airlines, put metal or plastic frames before boarding an airplane. This “Procrustean bed” should fit your carry-on baggage, with wheels and a pull-out handle. And nobody cares that your bag is wide, but low, or, conversely, your portfolio is high and narrow.
In addition, a passenger has the right to carry:
- outerwear;
- suit in a case;
- books
- a laptop;
- food bag (not always);
- crutches, walkers and other vehicles;
- baby stroller.
You can carry goods purchased at duty-free shops in excess of the required hand luggage. It is important that the duty-free packaging is not broken.
Safety requirements
There is no need to talk about piercing and cutting objects. It goes without saying that they, like weapons, as well as explosives, cannot be carried aboard. But the resourcefulness of potential terrorists also does not stand still.
After trying to build a bomb directly on board from various chemical solutions, all airlines imposed restrictions on the transport of liquids in hand luggage on the plane. Their size and weight should not exceed one liter.
Moreover, all liquids should be bottled in 100 ml bottles and packaged in a separate transparent plastic bag. Therefore, if you need to take on board a potion or cough syrup, your favorite perfume, baby food or you want to drink before the flight for courage, make sure that all this is properly designed.
After passing security controls, you may be asked to hide these liquids back in your carry-on bag.
Duty-free alcohol and refreshments
For alcohol purchased in duty-free shops, this requirement does not apply. After all, you acquired it after passing through security control. But you also have no right to taste alcohol on board. The store seal must remain intact until the end of the entire flight.
Moreover, some airlines operating in the United States require transit passengers to check in unaccompanied baggage when boarding a connecting flight. Others are reluctant to consider duty-free shopping as legal excess baggage and are asked to put the bag in a briefcase or backpack.
That is why not only the dimensions of the bag for hand luggage in the aircraft, but also its fullness are important. You always need to leave a place to put anything else in it. For your baggage to fit into the inspection frame, it is better to use a soft bag.
When choosing “cabin lagging” in the store, give preference to those suitcases in which the wheels are “recessed” rather than sticking out on a special frame.
What can I pick up?
We already spoke about bags with liquids (no more than 1 liter, poured into 100 ml bottles), as well as about purchases from duty-free. If the umbrella cane does not fit in the bag, this item can also be held in your hands while boarding.
The same applies to laptops, cameras, books and magazines, outerwear, a small bag of food (dry). Note, since we are talking about this, the following. Airlines arbitrarily interpret what is liquid and what is not. So, jams, yoghurts and even some types of cheeses can consider it.
To be in Egypt or Turkey and not buy hookah there? Not all tourists resist this temptation. But you need to remember that coal can not be transported in an airplane at all, since it refers to combustible substances.
Tobacco for hookah is equivalent to cigarettes. Therefore, it can be imported into Russia only 250 grams. As for the hookah itself, it needs to be disassembled. The metal core of the device, which falls under the definition of “piercing and cutting objects”, should be checked in your luggage.
The glass bulb can remain in the case. It can be carried in hands or laid down if the size of the bag for hand luggage allows.
Since 2017, you can carry small backpacks and handbags on airplanes of Russian airlines. Now they are not considered hand luggage. They can be taken in addition to a briefcase, bag or suitcase.
General requirements for hand luggage
So, the weight and dimensions of the luggage that can be carried on board the liner depend on:
- the airline operating the flight;
- class of your ticket;
- flight range.
Usually this is a bag, briefcase, suitcase or backpack, the total parameters of which are 115 centimeters. How to determine if your baggage meets these requirements? You can just measure it at home with a tailor’s tape.
But most companies still have parameter requirements. That is, the size of the suitcase for hand luggage in an airplane should be this: length - 55 centimeters, height - 40, and width - 20 cm.
As a rule, on regular flights they require that the weight of such baggage not exceed 10 kilograms. Business class passengers are allowed to check in double checked baggage allowance. For long-distance flights, companies also allow, in addition to a suitcase, to carry bags, small backpacks, and bags into the cabin.
Size of carry-on baggage on Aeroflot airplanes
As mentioned above, airlines are free to set their own rules for baggage in the cabin and cargo compartment of the liner. Therefore, when buying a ticket, you should always be interested in how many suitcases and how much you need to hand over, and how much you can carry on board for free.
As a rule, reputable companies with high ticket prices have more humane requirements for baggage and hand luggage. But low-cost flights and promotional flights may not even include suitcases in the cost of the flight! We begin our review of airline requirements with Aeroflot.
The dimensions, weight of hand luggage in the aircraft should be as follows: one place that meets the parameters of 25 x 40 x 55 centimeters and not more than 10 kilograms. Business class passengers can pack their bag, increasing its weight to 15 kg.
Requirements of other Russian airlines
What calibrator (the so-called metal or plastic frame for checking the dimensions of hand luggage) from other domestic carriers? Approximately the same as that of Aeroflot.
At Rossiya Airlines, it fully complies with the requirements of the flagship of the civil aviation of the Russian Federation. But this carrier has restrictions for passengers of FV5501-5900 flights: the weight of hand luggage should not exceed five kilograms. But travelers claim that no one weighs their suitcases.
What is the size of hand luggage on the plane of other Russian companies? UTair, S7, VIM-Avia, Donavia, Nordavia, Yamal, Yakutia require the suitcase to be 55 centimeters high, 40 cm long and 20 cm wide. Thus, it should be only 5 cm narrower than the requirements of Aeroflot.
The weight of hand luggage remains unchanged - 10 kilograms. At some companies, for example, UTair, passengers of the comfort and business classes are allowed to carry two 10 kg bags on board.
The requirements of Russian low-cost airlines
Low-cost carriers limit the weight and size of hand luggage on the plane. "Victory" only recently allowed to carry on board bags heavier than five kilograms. At the same time, her calibrator remained the same: 27 x 30 x 36 centimeters.
More humane parameters for hand luggage were set at the low-cost airlines Ural Airlines, Azur Air, Red Wings Airlines, Ai Fly. Their calibrator allows you to carry a suitcase with the parameters of 20 x 40 x 55 centimeters into the cabin.
But at the same time, its weight should not exceed five kilograms. At Ural Airlines, a business-light passenger can take on board 15 kg, divided into two pieces of baggage. It is noteworthy that the “Victory” has rather stringent requirements for what should be in the hands of people entering the salon.
According to the rules of the airline, only handbags and small backpacks are allowed. Thus, laptops and stuff should be packed in luggage.
Foreign Airlines Requirements
Carrier rules are so different that passengers are amazed at either generosity or avarice. The spread in weight ranges from 5 (for China Southern Airlines) to 23 kilograms (for British Airways)!
But the requirements of most airlines are kept in the range of 7-10 kg. Also, there is no clear consistency in the number of pieces of hand luggage. Some airlines stipulate in advance the opportunity to take on board a briefcase with a laptop weighing 3 kg.
As for the size of the bag for hand luggage on the plane, then there is no one answer. Most companies install a standard calibrator: 20 x 40 x 55 centimeters. Thai Airways and Aegean Airlines are generous and allow you to take a bag measuring 25 x 45 x 56 cm into the cabin.
The weight of hand luggage depends not only on the ticket class, but also on the flight range. On transatlantic flights British Airways you can take to the cabin 23 kilograms of things, packed in two bags.
Requirements of foreign low-cost airlines
Low-cost carriers are trying to train their customers to travel light. Therefore, they have rather stringent requirements for checked baggage. But what should be the dimensions and weight of hand luggage?
On planes Wizz Air, Ryanair, EasyJet, Norwegian Air Shuttle allowed to carry 10 kilograms of things. But at the same time, completely different calibrators are at the entrance to the board. Wizz Air allows the parameters of the case 23 x 40 x 55 centimeters, while EasyJet - 25 x 45 x 56 cm.
AirBaltic allow you to take two places of hand luggage, but their total weight should not exceed eight kilograms. Flydubai prescribes one suitcase with dimensions of 20 x 40 x 55 cm and a border norm of 7 kg for economy class passengers, and the low-cost airline AirAsia, with the same total weight of hand luggage, allows you to carry two bags on board.
The requirements of the Turkish Pegasus low-cost airline are as follows: one piece of baggage with parameters 55 x 40 x 20 cm and weighing up to 8 kg.
Things as agreed
If you want to bring in items that, in their parameters, do not meet the airline’s requirements for the allowed dimensions of hand luggage on the plane, you should stipulate this in advance and, possibly, pay extra for such baggage. This applies to musical instruments (for example, guitars), fragile dishes and the like that you do not want to take along with your suitcases when you check in for a flight.
Pets do not count as hand baggage (and indeed baggage). Companies have their own rules regarding them. Some allow you to transport dogs in the cargo compartments, and small animals in cages in the cabin. Others refuse flatly to deal with pets. This question should always be clarified at the time of booking and purchasing tickets.
Reviews and Tips
Travelers in their reviews claim that the dimensions of hand luggage allowed on the plane are important except on low-cost flights. There really are airline employees forcing passengers to put their bags in the calibrator.
As for the weight of hand luggage, nobody weighs the bags, except that by sight it will be seen that the luggage is very heavy. Nevertheless, tourists recommend not to neglect the requirements of companies. All things that you definitely don’t need on board are best left in your luggage.