Don't get bogged down with airline baggage rules

©Peter Titmuss via 123RF

For guests’ travel to be as safe and comfortable as possible, complying with a number of international aviation safety regulations is key. These, however, are sometimes at the expense of the guests’ appeals. Knowing what is required, is crucial in ensuring a smooth check-in prior to boarding your flight

Before you paint the skies orange, here are some helpful things to remember:

Max baggage weight

Guests should be provided with a comfortable 23kg baggage limit free of charge. However, all baggage in excess of this allowance will be charged at the current rate per kilogram, each flight. No single piece of luggage exceeding 32kg will be accepted for carriage.

Carry-on baggage

Each guest is permitted one piece of cabin baggage and one slimline laptop bag, or one handbag to carry onboard. The size of the laptop bag is defined by the size of the laptop, excluding any accessories such as charges.

Cabin baggage shall not exceed (56cm + 36cm + 23cm) = 115 cm and must not weigh more than 7kg all-inclusive. Your bag must be able to fit under the seat in front of you or in the overhead compartment.

Important facts guests should keep in mind:

• For domestic flights, guests can pack their toiletries. However, on an international flight, there are restrictions of 100ml per item. These include expensive colognes, perfumes and cosmetics. If a guest has more than 100ml they will be asked to throw away the excess. This sometimes causes much unhappiness especially if the contents are expensive cosmetics.

• Pack your ID, money, jewellery, keys and medication in your carry-on bag and keep it with you at all times.

• Valuable items should be kept on you, or kept in a smaller bag, in-case the airline requests to stow your bag.

• Pack all electronics in your carry-on bag. Do not let this out of your sight.

• Guests travelling with infants can carry a small bag catering to the in-flight needs of the infant, e.g. feeding bottles, nappies, medication, etc.

• It is important to note that airlines can remove cabin baggage from you, to be stowed underneath with the baggage for a number of reasons.

The main reason why airlines should comply with this process is purely for safety. For example, should the overhead compartments be improperly filled with heavy luggage they can sporadically open in the event of extreme turbulence, and that could result in an injury.

To make sure your luggage complies with international specifications, each of check-in counter should have convenient luggage sizes, which will help you determine whether or not your bag will be able to be stowed in the overhead compartment.

To pack or not to pack

The following items may not be included in guests' carry-on baggage:

• Toy guns;

• Cutlery;

• Knives;

• Scissors;

• Syringes;

• Blades;

• Nail clippers;

• Any sharp object that could be used as a weapon.

Valuable items

It is important to note that any piece of luggage that doesn’t meet with airline strict carry-on luggage criteria, or for any other reason, will be removed by cabin crew.