BA baggage rules contradictory

[Vertigo]

Umm, so am I going mad here?

The basic rules on the BA site say this:

Umm, no electronics in the cabin bag? That sounds ludicrous.
If you then click through to the "restricted and prohibited items" page however, you get this bit:

This would appear to contradict the first part as it refers to keeping batteries in devices in "hand baggage".
You could argue that by "hand baggage", they mean specifically the "Hand Bag" and not the "Cabin Bag" but this is tenuous and the note at the bottom refers specifically to batteries in the cabin bag.

What on earth is going on?

 

[OldKitMan]

Basically, a 'hand bag' will not go in the hold so you can put electronic devices in that.
Your 'cabin bag' could go in the hold so in order to avoid anyone putting anything that must not go in the hold (lithium batteries, life saving medicine, lighters) they state to not put those kind of things in it.

You know for a fact if your bag is picked to go in the hold you'll likely be flustered and forget about these kinds of items and only realise hopefully before departure or less than ideal at 30,000 ft. These items would be picked up when the baggage is x-ray'd at check-in but there is no further screening for bags going in the hold chosen at the gate.

 

[Kenai]

They want those items specifically in the 'hand' baggage so that there's no faffing around if/when your cabin bag is selected to be put in the hold instead of the cabin.

All spare device batteries and power packs must be carried into the cabin in your hand baggage, as these are not permitted in the aircraft hold as checked baggage under any circumstances.

If you choose to put your laptop, tablet or similar electronic device into your checked baggage, they must be completely switched off (not in sleep or hibernation mode) and protected from unintentional activation and damage.

You should ensure that you have adequate baggage insurance to cover all eventualities as we would refuse any claim for damage, removal or loss of electrical devices from hold baggage.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

Unless your flying cattle class I wouldn't worry, its really only cattle class where the overhead capacity can be low.

When we fly BA I use a boot bag (you know like a football boot bag) for my electronics, wallet etc and the cabin bag has the less important stuff like clothes etc (depending on departure I either have thicker clothes in case and turn up in shorts, or vice versa so I can change on the plane for destination)
Most of the time my boot bag is inside my cabin bag.

We flew home just before xmas and BA were asking for people with buggies etc to put them in the hold. They were making a lot of fuss but a couple with small kids and like 6 bags and 2 buggies can take up so much overhead. Plus they tend to board earlier so people coming after them tend to be the ones with a problem of no space.

 

[Vertigo]

Thanks for the info all, makes a bit more sense now.

I'm flying Club World so, providing my cabin bag is under the size limits, I don't see any reason they should need to check it.
In this instance, would I be ok throwing my laptop and tablet in the cabin bag?

Also, regards the "hand bag", how strict are they with size on this? The 15cm thickness limit seems rather restrictive.

 

[Shadowness]

They aren't keen on laptops or tablets in checked luggage, so you'd have no issue with that.

Plus, in all my years of flying, BA have never asked to check the size of a 'hand bag', backpack etc. Especially in CW. Not like flying with the plebs on Easy Jet or Ryan Air you know!

(PS. I fly eco, or prem eco mainly, so I'm a pleb too)

 

[Vertigo]

Ok cool.

I think I'll just take my camera in the Retrospective 7, along with any spare batteries and other odds and ends, then put the laptop and tablet in the cabin bag and see how I get on.

EDIT: Thinking about it, I guess the 15cm restriction on the hand bag is so it'll slide under the seats, which obviously isn't an issue in CW/First.

 

[Raymond Lin]

When I do overseas photoshoot I take my pelican case with my camera and lenses. It’s FULL with electronics obviously and batteries and to keep things together I keep the batteries in camera and spares in the same case. It is my carry on luggage.

One time I was in Chicago and the 2nd flight was on a small jet between O’Hare to Erie. At the door of the plane they took my case of of my hand and put it into the hold because the plane was too small to have a carry on luggage size on.

I even explained what was in it etc but totally forgot about the batteries.

It happened another time between New York to Atlanta and I have my old 5D in my hand luggage, they put that into the hold too and again, the case had things like my electric shaver, laptop. I got as far as inside the plane but no overhead space so they put it in the hold.

 

[Vertigo]

When I do overseas photoshoot I take my pelican case with my camera and lenses. It’s FULL with electronics obviously and batteries and to keep things together I keep the batteries in camera and spares in the same case. It is my carry on luggage.

I actually did exactly the same the last time I went to NY as I took several lenses with me, some large. That way I knew that, in the unlikely event I was forced to check it, it'd survive.

This time I'm only take a (smaller) camera and a couple of compact lenses so a small shoulder bag is fine.