Airline hand luggage allowances: BA, Virgin Atlantic, EasyJet, Ryanair and Jet2 rules explained

Packing light might appear to be the sensible option after reports of travellers having to queue for hours at airports, of lost baggage and even of pilots loading cases on to planes to hasten take-off.

Before you squeeze everything into a carry-on compliant suitcase, however, it is well worth checking the hand and check-in luggage allowance of your airline, and your seat.

Despite some industry experts, and the GMB Union, recently recommending that holidaymakers limit themselves to carry-on in an effort to reduce airport chaos, some carriers are asking customers to check in their larger items of hand luggage.

If you need to, or would prefer to, take hold luggage, but still want to minimise the amount of time you will spend in airport queues, there are services that will check in your luggage for you and some airlines also offer a day-before drop-off service.

British Airways says it might ask customers to check in hand luggage if they are travelling on a busy flight, but it says this is free of charge.

Among other carriers, Virgin Atlantic, Tui Airways or easyJet are not advising customers to check in hand luggage. Ryanair also said it had not made any changes to its policy.

British Airways

British Airways customers can each travel with two cabin bags. Smaller pieces of luggage, such as handbags and laptop bags, can be taken into the cabin. But, as specified above, passengers may be asked to check in larger cabin bags on busy flights.

Smaller bags can weigh up to 23kg. They can be up to 40 x 30 x 15cm and can usually be placed under the seat in front. Larger cabin bags can also weigh up to 23kg with dimensions of up to 56 x 45 x 25cm. This makes BA's hand-luggage policies one of the most generous.

If your flight number starts with anything other than "BA", you are flying with one of the carrier's partners and that partner airline's luggage rules will apply.

If a journey with connecting flights includes British Airways and other codes, you will typically be given the allowance of the airline operating the longest leg of your journey.

If you are using a small, fully collapsible, and lightweight pushchair or stroller, you can usually take it right to the aircraft door and collect it again at the aircraft door, depending on its dimensions and the rules of the airport.

You can take a car seat on board if you have booked a seat for a child and plan to secure the car seat to that; it will need to fit the dimensions of the aircraft seat. See more information.

Virgin Atlantic

Economy and Premium passengers flying in Economy (Light, Classic & Delight) or Premium cabins can take one piece of hand baggage per person, weighing up to 10kg.

All passengers travelling in upper class can take up to two pieces of hand baggage per person, weighing up to 12kg for one bag, or up to 16k combined weight.

One bag of up to 6kg is permitted per baby or toddler aged 0–23 months. Children aged two or over, or younger children with their own booked seats, are entitled to the same cabin bag allowance as adults.

Passengers travelling with children can bring a fully collapsible pushchair, which will be taken from you at the gate, and a car seat in addition to the free check-in allowance. See more information.

EasyJet

All customers can bring one small cabin bag of a maximum size of 45 x 36 x 20cm, including any handles or wheels. It must be able to fit under the seat in front of you and it can have a maximum weight of 15kg.

If you booked an Up Front or Extra legroom seat, or paid to add a large cabin bag to your booking, you can also bring a larger bag with a maximum size of 56 x 45 x 25cm, including any handles or wheels. The bag will need to fit into an overhead locker and can be up to 15kg.

Infants with booked seats and children over two years old have the same cabin bag allowance as adults (plus a changing bag; see dimension below). If you are travelling with an infant who will be seated on your lap, only an extra baby changing bag with maximum dimensions of 45 x 36 x 20cm is permitted for the infant and must be put under the seat in front of you. See more information.

Ryanair

All passengers can take a small bag on board, which must be able to fit under the seat in front of you.

There are a limited number of "Priority and Two Cabin Bag" spots available on each flight. These allow you to board the plane via the priority queue and with a wheelie bag of up to 10kg in weight and with maximum dimensions of 55 x 40 x 20cm on board with you, as well the small personal bag. This option costs between £8–£32 extra and is non-refundable.

Children for whom you have booked a separate seat can take a cabin bag of up to 40 x 20 x 25cm. Infants aged up to 23 months who are sitting on an adult's lap do not have a baggage allowance. You can, however, take an additional baby bag with a maximum weight of 5kg and maximum dimensions of 45 x 35 x 20cm.

You can travel two items of baby equipment free of charge per child (a pushchair, plus a car seat, booster seat or travel cot). Children's pushchairs can be used up to the aircraft steps and after landing when it will be returned to you at the aircraft steps (provided local conditions permit this). See more information.

Wizz Air

All Wizz Air passengers have an allowance of one carry-on bag that must fit under the seat in front. It can be a maximum weight of 10kg with maximum dimensions of 40 x 30 x 20cm.

If you wish to bring another "trolley bag" onboard you can add "Wizz Priority" to your booking, with which you can bring two pieces of baggage on board. "Wizz Priority" spaces are limited and costs €5/4.25–€40/34 when bought online or through the Wizz Air call centre or €25/£21.30 when purchased at the airport.

Adults travelling with an infant are entitled to bring an extra, free carry-on bag with maximum dimensions of 40 x 30 x 20cm.

For children younger than two, a foldable baby stroller or small crib can be taken to the aircraft door or steps. See more information.

Jet2

Jet2 passengers can carry one piece of hand luggage for free. This can weigh a maximum of 10kg and have maximum dimensions of 56 x 45 x 25cm, including any wheels and handles.

You can also bring a small item, such as a handbag, laptop bag or airport purchase, which must be placed under the seat in front of you. See more information.

Tui Airways

Rules vary for passengers travelling with Tui as part of a package holiday, see more information.

For flight-only bookings, each passenger (excluding infants) can take one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 10kg with maximum dimensions of 55 x 40 x 20cm.

If you are travelling with children on Tui Airways on a flight-only booking, you can take a pushchair for infants under two years old, for free.

Some airlines will allow you to drop off your checked-in luggage the day before at certain airports, which is particularly useful if you live close to the airport or have an early flight and are staying nearby.

British Airways

British Airways allow to drop off your bags from 6–9pm the night before for flights departing the next day before 1pm from London Heathrow T5 and from London Gatwick.

Jet2

Jet2 offers a "Twilight Check-in" service through which you can drop your bags at your departure airport at 3–8pm until 12 June, or 4.30–9pm after 12 June the evening before for your morning flight departing before 12 noon.

This service is available at the following airports:

You will need to check in online at least 24 hours before your flight. One person in your party can drop off up to six people's bags. See more information.

Tui Airways

If you have a Tui Airways flight that departs before 12 noon from Birmingham Airport or London Gatwick's North Terminal you can check in your bag from 2–9pm the day before you depart. This service is not available for flights to the USA or P&O Cruises flights to Malta.

There are a handful of services that will collect and drop off your luggage for you.

Airportr is one such service: you choose a pick-up slot, usually the day before a flight, and it will collect luggage from a home, hotel or office within its service area.

Among the other companies that will allow you to travel to the airport free of hold luggage are Transfer Bags and Sendmybag.com.

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