From backpacks to wheeled suitcases: Hardly anyone gets on a plane without some kind of carry-on luggage. Some people travel with nothing else – partly to save money on checked bags, which more and more airlines are charging for.
But things have been getting out of control on some flights. “Many people are now carrying more than one piece of hand luggage, which is often too big. Either because they don’t know what the airline’s bag policy is, or they do know but choose to ignore it,” says Nikolaus Moehren, a cabin manager at German carrier Lufthansa.
“This creates additional problems because on fully booked flights, the overhead compartments are sometimes already overflowing halfway through boarding,” he says.
“The easiest thing to do would be to check your booking before your flight and see what you’re actually allowed to take with you.”
This is recommended not only for the sake of the cabin crew’s nerves and out of consideration for the other passengers, but also to avoid wasting money. Airlines have precise guidelines regarding the dimensions and weight of the hand luggage, and these vary from airline to airline.
If you violate these guidelines, you can’t always expect the airline to show generosity, and you may in fact be asked to pay for the oversized and/or overweight bag at the airport.
At Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, the maximum dimensions for economy class are 55cm x 40cm x 23cm. Meanwhile, for contrast, American Airlines and Swiss have different carry-on dimensions: 56cm x 36cm x 23cm.
Budget airlines like Europe’s largest carrier Ryanair tend to only allow a small bag (40cm x 20cm x 25cm for Ryanair) for free, while you have to pay for a larger carry-on bag (up to 55cm x 40cm x 20cm for Ryanair).
These examples alone show that it makes sense to follow Moehren’s advice: Before your flight, check exactly what you can take on board.
Some airlines have even reduced the permitted hand luggage sizes in recent years. Budget airlines EasyJet, Ryanair and Wizzair, among others, will then give you a spot fee for bringing on a larger suitcase.
Hoping that an airline will turn a blind eye to a few extra centimetres is already a risk for the airlines mentioned, and reports suggest you definitely shouldn’t try it when travelling in the United States. On your first flight, at the very latest, your bags will be meticulously measured and any surcharge will be ruthlessly collected.
Items allowed
The general rule for liquids in Europe is that you can only take them in your hand luggage in travel-size containers of up to 100ml, stored in a transparent plastic bag with a maximum limit of one litre.
Although the liquid allowance was suspended at some security lanes in Europe with new CT baggage scanners, it has been in effect again since the beginning of September 2024. Therefore, larger bottles are still generally not allowed in hand luggage. The exception to this rule is bottles purchased after security, for example at a duty-free shop.
While a standard-sized shower gel, for example, can be left at home or put in your checked baggage, some items are not allowed in the cargo hold: power banks, for example, must be carried in hand luggage or on your person for safety reasons. The number and capacity permitted varies from airline to airline.
In any case, every airline provides fairly detailed information online on what is and what is not permitted in your carry-on luggage. – dpa
