The desire to travel with cabin luggage only is becoming increasingly common, as travellers seek to avoid the hassle and extra time associated with checked baggage. Airlines have recognised this trend and reacted accordingly, by offering reduced cost options for travellers wishing to fly with hand baggage only. We’ve conducted the research for you and have put together the handy infographic below, showing the hand baggage restrictions on short and long-haul flights, along with potential extra costs if the weight allowance is exceeded.
In Australia, if your cabin bag is overweight or oversized and this is discovered at the gate, many airlines will hit you with a hefty fee. The majority of airlines considered in our research offer a standard allowance of 7kg per passenger, including Australia’s national carrier Qantas. In contrast, British Airways is the only airline providing passengers with a very generous carry-on allowance of up to 23 kg on all flights, no matter how far the journey. If you’ve booked a long-haul flight and you still manage to exceed this generous allowance, you might find yourself in hot water, with a $282 fee for checking in your cabin bag.
Baggage dimension restrictions aren’t always easy to adhere to, and are catching many Aussies red-faced at the airport gate. The baggage size allowed differs significantly between airlines and also depends on flight route and ticket class. Air New Zealand is the most lenient, offering cabin baggage with a total linear dimension of up to 118cm. Some carriers, including Jetstar, are following stricter European-based budget airlines like easyJet and Ryanair, by measuring cabin baggage at the boarding gate and charging customers with oversized bags up to $160 for an additional bag on long-haul flights.
While you would usually incur a flat cost per additional bag if you’re made to check-in your excess cabin baggage, some airlines – such as Scoot – will charge you per excess kilogram. Virgin Australia’s baggage regulations are particularly tricky – on a short-haul flight you’ll be charged a fee of $120 per additional bag if your cabin luggage is overweight, whereas on a long-haul flight the charge is $70 per additional kilogram.
We recommend you always read the fine print for cabin luggage restrictions, which vary dramatically from carrier to carrier. After all, being aware of the carry-on luggage regulations for the different airlines allows you to make your trip as smooth as possible and free of any last-minute surprises at the gate. Our goal is to help you better plan and manage your trip, and these insights into potential extra costs will help you nab the flight offer that best suits your needs.
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