

Be Prepared to Measure and Weigh Your Hand Luggage at the Airport
Whereas previously, the weighing and measuring of hand luggage were rather rare, lately, airlines have started to control this more strictly. To prevent unpleasantness at the airport, it is worth considering that the luggage meets the dimensions and weight indicated on the ticket when packing suitcases. Be prepared that your hand luggage will be measured and weighed before being allowed on the plane.
Airlines sell tickets for the same flight at different prices, and usually, a cheaper ticket means that the passenger is allowed to take less luggage. With more and more airlines, the lowest-priced ticket class is only allowed to take a small personal item on board.
What is hand luggage and what is a personal item?
Hand luggage is, for example, a wheeled hand luggage suitcase that the passenger can take on the plane and place on the designated shelf for hand luggage. The wheeled suitcase is the most typical example, but the term hand luggage also includes suitcases without wheels or backpacks and sports bags.
A personal item is a small bag that fits under the seat in front of you on the plane. The most typical examples are women’s handbags, smaller backpacks, and laptop bags.
The permitted luggage dimensions and weights differ from airline to airline and there is no fixed rule that always works for all airlines. What is included in the ticket price for one airline may be an extra charge for another.
When buying a plane ticket, you should carefully read and delve into what the plane ticket exactly includes. Often, it is only at the airport when registering for the flight or boarding that the passenger unpleasantly discovers that the luggage does not meet the permitted weight of the ticket class and the dimensions are not suitable and the luggage simply does not fit into the control dimensions even after vigorous pressing. This means that to take more luggage, you have to pay extra on the spot, which is always significantly more expensive than doing it during the process of buying a plane ticket.
Why is the weight of the luggage so important?
From the point of view of placing luggage in the plane, it is important to know how heavy it is in order to plan the loading of the plane and take into account the correct weight of the plane, which in turn affects, for example, the fuel consumption of the plane.
In addition, passenger comfort is taken into account. The capacity of hand luggage shelves is limited, so airlines consciously want to limit the amount of hand luggage in the cabin. For example, if there are 180 seats in the plane cabin, but the airline only sells 100 tickets that allow hand luggage to be taken into the cabin. When the limit is full, it is no longer possible to buy tickets that include hand luggage. This is how airlines ensure that all passengers who bought tickets with hand luggage also find room for their hand luggage in the cabin.
To start the journey without unwanted hassle, we definitely recommend thinking about how much luggage you need to take with you when buying a plane ticket and buying a plane ticket that allows the corresponding amount of luggage.