Hand Baggage on Flights

phil-k

phil-k

phil-k

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we are going abroad later on this month for the first time in a little while, on the flight details it say you can only have one piece of hand baggage each, no other bags etc. unless they are duty frees bought at the airport.
How strict are they, would my wife be able to take her handbag, me my camera and a bag of goodies to eat on the flight as well as our two bits of hand luggage, we will have no other cases, or would we have to cram them in the hand luggage for the flight.
We are flying with Monarch by the way.
Has anyone had their hand baggage weighed or checked to be over size and had to pay extra
Thanks
 
Your wife's handbag/purse doesn't normally count for the handbag limit. Your camera, i'm not sure. Normally laptop bags don't count either, so camera could be something similar, but it could depend on how arsy the guards are feeling. Goodies, same as camera really (I assume it's just a small plastic bag or something of chocolates etc.), depends on how the guards are feeling at the time.

I have had hand baggage weighed and checked for size. Normally done if they think it might too big/over the limit. Never flown with Monarch though, so not sure how they operate in these matters.
 
Just take a decent size hand luggage bag and put the handbag etc in that when checking in, then once thats sorted and you are through security just take them out.

Its not worth the hastle of ever having more than you are supposed to, all airlines will occasionally clamp down on hand luggage and there is nothing worse than having to repack some stuff from your handluggage into your case at the desk, or worst case having to do that and pay a fee for then pushing your cases over the limit.

Most hand luggage case size allowances are massive so you should easily be able to fit smaller bag(s) etc inside a larger one and then take out later.
 
It depends on the airline, so check out their website.

Quite a few have the policy of one piece of hand luggage to a certain size, then another smaller piece like a netbook, camera bag or small handbag.
 
SCMRubix said:
It depends on the airline, so check out their website.

Quite a few have the policy of one piece of hand luggage to a certain size, then another smaller piece like a netbook, camera bag or small handbag.
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they say only one piece of hand luggage and nothing else other than duty frees.
Our cases are probably going to be up to the 10kg limit already so we wouldnt be able to put anything else in them
 
Which airport is it?

Luton will make you put only one handbaggage through security so you'll have to be able to put your handbag into your handluggage for that.

I've flown on a trip with Easyjet - flying out they didn't mind me having two bags. Flying back I had to put my smaller bag in my handluggage to board the plane.

I'd plan to have only one piece of luggage to take on the plane. The reason is that there just won't be enough room for everyone's stuff if everyone brings two bags.

Yes, you can take up to one piece of hand baggage per person weighing no more than 10kg.

Take care to comply with our hand baggage restrictions or you will be charged £50 / €60 to have your bag put in the hold. One piece of cabin baggage per person to include handbags and laptops + one standard size carrier bag of goods purchased from the departure airport. Hand luggage dimensions must not exceed 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (including handles and wheels) and must not weigh more than 10kg.

hand baggage restrictions

You will be asked to place your hand luggage into the overhead lockers above your seat onboard the aircraft. Trolley bags should be placed, wheels first into the overhead locker. Small items of luggage, heavy bags or bottles should be placed under the seat in front of you.
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http://www.monarch.co.uk/faq/flights/baggage/hold-checked-in-baggage-charges-scheduled
 
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It's a bit of a lottery IME.

Security at some airports (Liverpool comes to mind) can be very fussy and make ladies put a handbag (or similar) into their larger item of cabbin bagage (assuming they have one) ie it's one bag per person through security.

{Edit}

I'd expect Monarch to be more fussy about size or weight limits than a non-budget carrier eg BA or Virgin
 
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virgin let my mrs check in at jfk with a backpack, handbag and 3 shopping bags, loads of people had loads of bags they didn't seem to care
 
we are going from Manchester.
if we do take extra bags and have to put them in the hand luggage it will probably go over the 10kg, it seems its probably best to put them in the hand luggage in the first place
 
as far as im aware hand luggage isnt weighed unless it blatantly looks like it will be over 10 kilos. i had my laptop bag crammed with stuff i usually put in hand luggage, and my main hand luggage containing speakers and a sub woofer that i was bringing home so that it wouldnt weight down my suitcase in the hold.

I did have to have my bag searched after it went tthrough the xray but everything was fine and no one else gave it a second glance, made it onto the plane without another question asked. This was a BA flight from phoenix to heathrow btw.
 
thingemajib said:
as far as im aware hand luggage isnt weighed unless it blatantly looks like it will be over 10 kilos. i had my laptop bag crammed with stuff i usually put in hand luggage, and my main hand luggage containing speakers and a sub woofer that i was bringing home so that it wouldnt weight down my suitcase in the hold.

I did have to have my bag searched after it went tthrough the xray but everything was fine and no one else gave it a second glance, made it onto the plane without another question asked. This was a BA flight from phoenix to heathrow btw.
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As said its pot luck, I have had small hand luggage weighed yet have seen people with small trolley cases not get weighed which could easily contain way more than 10kg

It suits the airlines to have some mystery about it, that way people think they may get away with it. Then bam you get weighed or turn up with more handluggage than your allowed on the day they decide to impose the limits. Nice hefty extra charges are incoming with little you can do to avoid.
 
I can't say I've ever had my hand luggage weighed. I just don't make a point of groaning when I lift it and stuff like that. make it look light when you pick it up etc and you'll less likely be asked to weigh it.

Oh and yes put one bag inside another and then take it out once you are through the check points.
Easiest way
 
MrMoonX said:
virgin let my mrs check in at jfk with a backpack, handbag and 3 shopping bags, loads of people had loads of bags they didn't seem to care
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Rules are completely different for flying long-haul (transatlantic) with the non-budget airlines.

That usually means you're allowed more and the budget airlines are known to be strict.
 
Just booked with Thompsons and their allowance says 15kg free each for main luggage and 5kg free each for hand luggage.
 
It depends on the airline, and you've been given monarch's policy above (strictly one item) so best stick with. It's usually the budget airlines that are strict and get arsey about the size as they like to make money by taxing people who don't read the smallprint. With non budget carriers you can normally walk on with an extended trolley bag that'd never fit the stated dimensions, a packed rucksack with a camera or laptop somewhere in it, tonnes of duty free and the wife will have her giant handbag. I sometimes wonder how far out the plane's takeoff weight calc is if people are taking the mick with hand baggage. I guess they add a safety factor :).
 
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I have flown from Moscow to Havana, London to Cairo, Bristol to Bordeaux, etc, with both a bag and a guitar on board, no problem. I realised how little coordination there is between the check in desk, and the on board attendants. I always tell the staff on board that I have already been hassled about it, and that I was told it would be fine, and guess what... It always is. :D
 
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