Holidays are a time to relax and unwind but when it comes to going abroad, there’s an endless list of things to prepare before you can finally kick back and put your feet up.
Packing is an essential part of going on holiday that can be both time-consuming and stressful. Not only do you have to make sure you’ve got your passport, boarding passes, money and clothes packed, there’s also the added stress of making sure your luggage meets the correct requirements for the airline you’re flying with. While all airlines follow the same rules on what passengers are banned from taking onboard, there can be slight variations on luggage sizes and allowances between carriers.
Packing a carry-on bag can be particularly tricky as hand luggage rules can vary from airline to airline, which can leave passengers getting stung by extra fees. So if you’re travelling abroad this year and planning to take a backpack onboard as your carry-on bag, these are the rules you need to follow on TUI, easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2 and British Airways (BA).
TUI
TUI’s luggage policy says passengers can take one piece of hand luggage per person – excluding infants. This bag can be up to 10kg and must be no larger than 55 x 40 x 20cm and must be stored in the seat in front of you.
Passengers can also take one small personal item, such as a backpack, laptop bag or a handbag, onboard, with maximum dimensions of 40 x 30 x 20cm. The same hand luggage rules apply if you’ve just booked a flight only, rather than a package holiday.
easyJet
All easyJet passengers can bring one small cabin bag onboard, such as a backpack, that will fit under the seat for free. This bag can be a maximum size of 45 x 36 x 20cm and no heavier than 15kg.
Passengers also have the option of bringing a larger cabin bag onboard, with a maximum size of 56 x 45 x 25cm, but this must be added to your booking for an extra fee. easyJet Plus members, or customers who have booked an Inclusive Plus fare, can bring a large cabin bag – in addition to the small bag – as part of their membership or fare benefits.
Ryanair
All Ryanair passenger fare types include a small personal bag that can be carried onboard, but it must be able to fit under the seat in front of you. A small carry-on bag can be a backpack, handbag or laptop bag, with a maximum size of 40 x 20 x 25cm. All bags that are larger than these dimensions face an extra charge.
Passengers can take a small cabin bag onboard with a maximum size of 55 x 40 x 20cm, and maximum weight of 10kg, and this must be stored in the overhead locker on the plane. To take an extra cabin bag with you (in addition to your small carry-on), costs between £6 and £36 at the time of booking, or between £20 and £60 post-booking or at the airport.
Jet2
Jet2 passengers can bring one piece of hand luggage onboard for free, such as a backpack, which weighs no more than 10kg and is no larger than 56 x 45 x 25cm. This bag must be placed under the seat in front of you.
Passengers can also bring one small under-seat bag onboard, such as a handbag, laptop bag or airport purchase, providing it doesn’t exceed 40cm x 30cm x 15cm in size.
British Airways
British Airways’ standard checked baggage weight allowance is 23 kg per bag and the number of checked bags you’re allowed for free depends on your booking, cabin class and British Airways Club membership tier.
All passengers on British Airways, BA Cityflyer and BA Euroflyer can carry a small bag, such as a backpack or handbag, and a cabin bag on Basic fare flights. The small bag can be a maximum of 40 x 30 x 15cm and up to 23kg, and must be placed under the seat in front of you. A cabin bag can be a maximum of 56 x 45 x 25cm and up to 23kg and may need to go in the hold.