Hand luggage or cabin baggage (also commonly referred to as carry-on in North America) is the type of luggage that passengers are allowed to carry along in the passenger compartment of a vehicle instead of moving to the cargo compartment. Passengers are allowed to carry a limited number of smaller bags with them in the vehicle and contain valuables and items needed during the journey. There is normally storage space provided for hand luggage, either under seating, or in overhead lockers. Trains usually have luggage racks above the seats and may also, especially in the case of trains travelling longer distances, also have luggage space between the backs of seats facing opposite directions or in extra luggage racks for example at the ends of the carriage near the doors.
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sets guidelines for cabin baggage/hand luggage/carry-on luggage size.[1] They are not mandatory, however, and individual airlines can and do vary their requirements. The IATA guideline states:
Cabin baggage should have a maximum length of 56 cm ( 22 in ) , width of 45 cm ( 18 in ) and depth of 25 cm ( 10 in ) including all handles , side pockets , wheels etc.
Most low-cost airlines have smaller limits for the cabin baggage where one bag is commonly allowed at a size of 55 cm x 40 cm x 20 cm. Still the maximum weight differs widely in the range of 5 kg to 12 kg. A second bag is mostly not allowed for low-cost travel. As an example these restrictions apply to:
Air Berlin (one bag max. 6 kg / for laptops max. 8 kg)[2]; BMIBaby (one bag max. 10 kg)[3]; Germanwings (one bag max. 8 kg)[4]; Malév Hungarian Airlines (one bag max. 10 kg)[5]; Lufthansa (one bag max. 8 kg / Exception: foldable garment bags 57 cm x 54 cm x 15 cm.)[6] Ryanair (one bag max. 10 kg. 55 cm x 40 cm x 20 cm)[7]; Swiss International Air Lines (max. 8 kg. 55 cm x 40 cm x 20 cm/ plus some hand items as listed)[8]; Wizzair (one bag max. 10 kg)[9]
The actual size and weight limits of cabin baggage can differ widely, in some cases they are dependent on the aircraft model being used, in other cases it depends on the booking class. As an example of the lack of standardisation, the maximum permitted cabin luggage restrictions of some airlines are:
| 43 cm x 30 cm x 18 cm | Aurigny class Regional (one bag max. 10 kg) or class Inter-Island (max. 6 kg)[10] |
| 50 cm x 35 cm x 23 cm | Flybe (one bag max. 10 kg)[11] |
| 50 cm x 45 cm x 20 cm | Jet Airways for ATR aircraft (one bag max. 7 kg)[12] |
| 55 cm x 35 cm x 25 cm | Jet Airways for Boeing/Airbus (one bag max. 7 kg)[12]; Air France (one bag plus one accessory like handbag, laptop, photocamera - overall max 12 kg)[13] |
| 55 cm x 40 cm x 23 cm | Austrian Airlines (one bag max. 8 kg)[14][15] |
| 56 cm x 35 cm x 23 cm | United Airlines; (sum < 114 cm)(One bag plus one personal item)[16] |
| 56 cm x 36 cm x 23 cm | Malaysia Airlines; (sum < 115 cm) (one bag max. 5 kg)[17]; Virgin Atlantic (One bag max. 6 kg)[18]; Delta Air Lines (One bag plus laptop bag)[19]; |
| 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm | (IATA size) British Airways (one bag plus laptop bag)[20][21]; EasyJet (one bag, no special weight limit)[22]; Finnair (one bag, max. 8 kg)[23] |
Commercial airline pilots and flight attendants also comply with standards. Those standards are set by individual airlines under "uniform restrictions" which guide and maintain professional dress codes.
Business Class, First class passengers and holders of high level milage club members are often allowed to carry on a second luggage of same size and weight, or a smaller size and weight (except UK).
On smaller sized aircraft the hand baggage can be carried in the cargo area. In this case the baggage is collected when boarding the aircraft and is handed back to passengers right after landing.
Following the increase in restrictions imposed on flights from UK airports and to the USA after the events of August 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot, hand baggage on such flights was restricted to one cabin bag no bigger than 45 cm x 35 cm x 16 cm effective since 15 August.[24] On 21 September 2006, the British Airports Authority advised that from the following day, the allowable size of the single item of hand baggage on outgoing flights from the UK would be increased to 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm (approx. 22 in x 17.75 in x 9.85 in),[25] the IATA guideline size. Still most airports have a strict limit of one piece of cabin baggage per passenger - especially passengers in the business class are used to have two pieces of cabin baggage allowance within Europe which does not apply for flights to and from the UK.
Since 6 November 2006 there is a common regulation for cabin baggage restrictions in extended European Union (including Switzerland, Norway and Iceland).
The United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has introduced a series of restrictions effective since 26. September 2006 under the name "3:1:1" for liquids[26]
Furthermore the TSA has additional restrictions for security searches - for example all baggage should not be locked (there are special padlocks that only TSA staff can open), gifts should not be wrapped, and shoes may be required to be taken off during body search with the metal detector. Food items in the luggage may be mistaken for dangerous material triggering an intensive search. These advises are of special importance for cabin baggage - especially on international flights there are frequent intensive searches on the border control on anything suspicious.