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 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 or size allowance is exceeded.
Avoiding additional charges means being aware of cabin luggage restrictions, especially when it comes to weight. If you exceed the allowance you may be hit with surprisingly high fees at the airport. For example, when travelling with Cathay Pacific, you are provided with a cabin luggage allowance of 7kg, consisting of one bag and one accessory on all flights. However, cabin luggage exceeding the airline’s defined size and weight restrictions will incur a fee of HK$155 per kilo on short-haul flights and HK$465 per kilo on long-haul flights. When travelling with HK Express you will be charged HK$473 per piece of overweight cabin luggage on all short-haul flights.
It pays to be aware how cabin luggage policies may differ between international and regional airlines. On flights with Japan Airlines, you may carry a piece of cabin luggage weighing a maximum of 10kg. Bangkok Airways allows each traveller up to 5kg on board, while British Airways travellers can take a generous 23kg of cabin luggage with them. Exceeding this weight restriction on either carrier may result in excess baggage fees of up to HK$775 per piece for short-haul and up to HK$1550 for long-haul flights.
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 carriers allows you to make your trip as smooth as possible and free of any last-minute surprises at the gate.
Main image credit: @istock.com/Rrrainbow
