Even if you are allowed to take your suitcase into the cabin of the plane, this does not mean that you will be able to take it there. Photo: iStock photo
Airlines are tightening conditions regarding hand luggage
Airlines are tightening conditions regarding hand luggage. In the meantime, European politicians are examining options for providing consumers with greater transparency.
Airlines have long been famous for frequent complications regarding the luggage that passengers try to take into the plane cabin. One of those unpleasant surprises that regular air travelers are familiar with is the removal of their suitcase just before boarding the plane. It doesn’t matter that the weight and size of the suitcase meet the regulations, they still take it from you and put it in the luggage compartment.
Airlines can do this because published rules are not the only criteria. The space available in the overhead lockers, the occupancy of the flight, the type of aircraft used and the operational decisions of the crew are also determined. Especially on fully booked flights, on low-cost airlines or on smaller planes, pieces of hand luggage are increasingly removed afterwards. Such incidents remind us again and again that “allowed” in air transport does not mean “guaranteed in the cabin”.
More transparency
At the same time, many airlines are tightening their tariff policies. The Lufthansa Group is introducing the new cheapest “Economy Basic” ticket on short- and medium-haul flights, which only includes a smaller carry-on bag. Lufthansa lists the dimensions for it as 40 × 30 × 15 centimeters; the classic suitcase on wheels up to the size of 55 × 40 × 23 centimeters and a maximum weight of eight kilograms is no longer a self-evident part of hand luggage. For passengers, this means: those who only look at the price of the ticket may often have to pay extra later on.
That is why discussions on new rules are already underway at the EU level. MEPs are working to ensure that in the future passengers can take a small personal item and an additional small piece of hand luggage with them without extra charge. Standardized measures and greater transparency of additional costs are at stake. The rules have not yet been finally adopted, but the direction is clear: they want to limit the confusion regarding hand luggage. Until then, the most important rule for air passengers remains: don’t just look at the ticket price before booking, but check exactly what is actually included in your hand luggage – so there are no problems later.
Remove necessary items and batteries
However, if you are asked to check in your hand luggage during boarding, this is usually not a big problem. Ground staff scan the boarding pass and apply a bar code associated with the passenger’s information to the checked piece of luggage. Thus, in case of loss or delay, it is easier to track and follow the movement of luggage. In addition, airlines usually strive to get checked-in baggage to the baggage carousel as quickly as possible.
It is important, however, that you take all essential items out of it before sending it, including electronic devices, spare batteries and medicines.
