Hand luggage restrictions & weight allowances
What can you bring into the cabin when you fly? Does a suit carrier count as your hand luggage? Because each airline has slightly different restrictions on how much you're allowed to bring on-board it can be difficult to know what to include in your hand luggage, what to pack in your hold luggage and what to leave behind. We've compiled the table below to make it easy for you to compare the hand luggage restrictions for each of the major airlines.
| Hand luggage allowance | |||||
| Airline | No. of bags | Weight | Dimensions | Further information | Suit carriers allowed? |
| Air France: Economy | 1 | 12kg (total weight for bags and accessory) | 55cm x 35cm x 25cm | 1 accessory allowed e.g. handbag, notebook computer, camera | A suit bag is considered a standard bag |
| Air France: Premium Economy, Business and First | 2 | 18kg (total weight for bags ana accessory) | 55cm x 35cm x 25cm | 1 accessory allowed e.g. handbag, notebook computer, camera | A suit bag is considered a standard bag |
| American Airlines | 1 | No restrictions | 56cm x 36cm x 23cm | 1 personal item allowed e.g. pillow or blanket, small bag of food | Allowed as long as length, width, and height doesn't exceed 36 inches and must fit under seat |
| British Airways | 1 | 23kg | 1 bag max 56cm x 45cm x 25cm | 1 laptop or handbag allowed with max dimensions 45cm x 36cm x 20cm. On selected European and domestic flights*, cheaper 'hand luggage only' fares apply. | A suit bag is considered a standard bag |
| Easyjet | 1 | No weight limit | 56cm x 45cm x 25cm | If space is short, your bag may be placed in the hold. To guarantee a place in the cabin bags must be 50cm x 40cm x 20cm. An overcoat, shawl, umbrella, crutches or walking frame/stick is also allowed | A suit bag is considered a standard bag |
| Emirates: Economy | 1 | 7kg | 55cm x 38cm x 20cm | A suit bag is considered a standard bag | |
| Emirates: First and Business | 2 | 12kg (combined) | Hand baggage: 55cm x 38cm x 20cm And Briefcase: 45cm x 35cm x 20cm OR Garment bag: 20cm thick when folded |
Suit carrier 20cm thick when folded is permitted as one of your two bags allowed | |
| Flybe: Essentials and New Economy** | 1 | 10kg | 55cm x 40cm x 23cm | Any bag containing sharp items must be checked into the aircraft hold | A suit bag is considered a standard bag |
| Flybe: Plus*** | 1 | 10kg | 55cm x 40cm x 23cm | An additional personal item of hand baggage such as a laptop or handbag is permitted | A suit bag is considered a standard bag |
| KLM: Economy | 1 | 12kg (combined) | 55cm x 25cm x 35cm | 1 accessory allowed e.g handbag, notebook computer, camera | A suit bag is considered a standard bag |
| KLM: Business | 2 | 18kg | 1 bag measuring: 55cm x 25cm x 35cm AND 1 bag smaller than: 45cm x 20cm x 35cm |
1 accessory allowed e.g handbag, notebook computer, camera | A suit bag is considered a standard bag |
| Qantas Group: Economy | 1 | 7kg | 1 x 115cm bag OR 1x 185cm non-rigid garment bag |
1 accessory allowed e.g handbag, notebook computer, camera | 1x 185cm non-rigid garment bag allowed instead of hand luggage |
| Qantas Group: First, Business, and Premium Economy | 2 | 7kg per piece | 2 x 115cm bags OR 1x 115cm bag plus 1 x 185cm non-rigid garment bag |
1 accessory allowed e.g handbag, notebook computer, camera | 1x 185cm non-rigid garment bag allowed as one of your two bags permitted |
| Ryanair | 1 | 10kg | 55cm x 40cm x 20cm AND 1 bag smaller than: 35cm x 20cm x 20cm |
All accessories must be carried in cabin baggage | A suit bag is considered a standard bag |
| Thomson Airways | 1 | 5kg | 55cm x 40cm x 20cm | All accessories must be carried in cabin baggage | A suit bag is considered a standard bag |
| United | 1 | No weight limit | 56cm x 35cm x 23cm | 1 accessory allowed e.g handbag, notebook computer, camera | A suit bag is considered a standard bag |
| Virgin Atlantic: Economy and Premium Economy | 1 | 10kg | 23cm x 36cm x 56cm | All accessories must be carried in cabin baggage | A garment bag cannot be used as your hand baggage unless it fits the dimensions stated |
| Virgin Atlantic: Upper Class | 2 | 12kg (individual item) 16kg (combined) |
23cm x 36cm x 56cm | All accessories must be carried in cabin baggage | Your hand baggage can include one garment bag 20cm thick. This will count towards your two bag limit |
*for flights after the 24th September 2013, cheaper hand luggage only fares apply on flights from Heathrow to Amsterdam, Stockholm, Barcelona, Paris (Charles de Gaulle and Orly), Rome, Rotterdam, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Hand luggage only fares are also available from London City to Amsterdam, Stockholm, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
**as part of your New Economy ticket you are entitled to a free 20kg standard hold bag, if you are not carrying a hold bag and your hand baggage is either oversized or overweight or both, as long as it does not exceed 20kg, it will be placed in the hold free of charge.
***as part of your Plus ticket you are entitled to two free hold bags up to the weight of 40kg; if you are not carrying a hold bag and your hand baggage is either oversized or overweight or both, as long as it does not exceed 40kg, it will be placed in the hold free of charge.
Date first published 01/11/2012
All information correct at date of publication in November 2014
If there are any airlines or information not included here that you would like to know more about, email us at feedback@purpleparking.com and we'll include the most popular.
