If you’re flying in our Economy (Light, Classic & Delight) or Premium cabins, you can take one piece of hand baggage weighing up to 10kg (or 22lb).

Please note: if your hand baggage exceeds the weight and/or size limits, you’ll need to remove some items and add to your hold baggage, or it must be carried as checked baggage and you must pay any applicable charges.

If you’re flying in Upper Class you can take up to two pieces of hand baggage, weighing up to 12kg (26lb) for one bag, or up to 16kg (35lb) combined weight. So for example, you could take a 12kg bag and another little bag of 4kg.

Please note: if your hand baggage exceeds the weight and/or size limits, you’ll need to remove some items and add to your hold baggage, or it must be carried as checked baggage and you must pay any applicable charges.

Hand baggage on flights to/from the United States is subject to U.S. regulations and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) rules.

Babies and toddlers aged 0-23 months are entitled to one bag each weighing up to 6kg (or 13lb).

Any children aged 2+ years are entitled to the same amount of hand baggage as an adult in the cabin allowances shown above.

When travelling with infants or children you can bring a fully collapsible pushchair (which we can take from you at the gate and pop in the hold) and car seat, in addition to the free check in allowance.

If you are travelling to London Heathrow, please be advised that pushchairs (with the exception of special assistance pushchairs) won’t be delivered to the aircraft door when you arrive and will be available to collect from baggage reclaim.

Alternatively, pushchairs that are a maximum of 23 x 36 x 56cm (that’s around 9 x 14 x 22 inches) when folded are permitted in the cabin with you as your hand baggage. Please note pushchairs carried onboard are part of your hand baggage allowance, not an additional item. If your buggy does not fit in the baggage sizer at check in or at the boarding gate, the pushchair will be tagged by ground staff and checked in either at check in or the boarding gate. You must be able to place your foldable pushchair in the overhead bins unaided.

Additional items you can take with you

To help with baggage conundrums, we’ve compiled the following list to clarify the bits and bobs you can take onboard in addition to the allowances above:

  • Your handbag, small backpack/rucksack, pocketbook or purse, as you would normally use it (in other words, not just being used to contain items that would otherwise be regarded as baggage). This must be small enough to fit under the seat in front of you.
  • Your overcoat or wrap.
  • Your umbrella or walking stick (these cannot be pointed or sharp).
  • A small camera and/or pair of binoculars.
  • A reasonable amount of reading matter for the flight.
  • An infant’s food (for consumption on the flight).
  • A small amount of duty-free goods.
  • Headphones for onboard use (they’ll need the standard 3.5mm jack).

You can bring laptops onboard, if you can fit them into your hand baggage.

If you're planning to bring any large electrical items with you (such as laptops), please remember that you’ll need to remove them from your bag for security screening. You’ll be asked to place them in a tray so they can be clearly scanned.

Mobility aids such as walking aids and manual collapsible wheelchairs can also be taken onboard some of our flights. Make sure you have a look at our Special Assistance page for all the information on this.

You can carry the following items onboard, but you can’t smoke them:

  • Electronic cigarettes
  • Rolling tobacco
  • Cigarette lighters including butane, absorbed fuel (Zippo style) and battery-powered lighters can be carried on the person, except on flights to Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Tobago, Havana and Delhi.
  • Cigarettes
  • Cigars
  • Cigarette papers

Liquids and powders in your hand luggage

For security reasons, there are limits to the amount of liquids you can bring with you in your hand baggage, on all our flights.

The term 'liquids' includes gels, lotions, pastes, liquid cosmetics, foams, and foodstuffs. And of course, drinking water.

Generally, all liquids must be in bottles or containers of 100ml or smaller. All your liquids must fit inside a single resealable clear bag no bigger than 20cm x 20cm (8ins x 8ins).

Unless you need them during the flight, we recommend you pack your liquid items in your hold baggage to avoid security delays.

If you are carrying baby foods or medications, you will be able to bring more of these liquids with you, see below.

There are also restrictions on liquids bought in Duty Free at the aircraft. Please check these carefully, especially if you have an onward connection, as your Duty-Free items could be confiscated if you don't comply.

 

Any liquids you carry in your hand baggage must meet the following requirements to pass security screening:

  • Liquids must be in individual containers of 100ml / 3 oz or smaller.
  • All liquid containers must be placed in a single transparent, re-sealable bag (i.e. with a zip or pressable seal). The bag must be no bigger than 20cm x 20cm (8ins x 8ins / one quart), and a maximum of one litre in capacity.
  • Only one transparent re-sealable bag is allowed. Bags not fulfilling the requirements above are not allowed.

The following liquids are allowed in amounts greater than 100ml. Please bear in mind that you still shouldn’t bring excessive amounts:

Baby food and formula milk, when the infant for whom the food or milk is intended for is present.

Liquid expressed breast milk can be carried even when the infant is not present, provided that the milk is in containers not exceeding 2000ml (2 litres). The milk must not be frozen, and there is no limit on the number of containers that can be carried. When the infant is not present, gel/ice packs can also be carried in order to keep the milk cool.

Prescription and over-the-counter medications, whether in liquid, gel, or aerosol form, including eye drops and saline solution for medical purposes. Read more on our Special Assistance page

Liquids or gels for passengers with disabilities, diabetes, or an appropriate medical condition.

Items used to augment the body for medical or cosmetic reasons, such as prosthetic breasts and bras containing gels.

Since 30th June 2018, there's a limit to the amount of powder you can take in your hand baggage on flights to the USA. This includes things like protein powders, talc, laundry powder and Bisto.

For security reasons, if you want to take any powder products larger than 350ml (12oz, 340g), they'll need to go in your checked baggage - you can't take them onboard with you.

If you buy any duty-free powder products at the airport over the 350ml (12oz, 340g) limit, make sure they put them in a tamper proof sealed bag for you (you'll be fine with your favourite face powder from Mac, as they're only about 10g).

There are some exceptions:

  • Travelling with your baby - you can bring along their baby formula
  • Travelling with human remains - with the relevant death certificate
  • Powered medication over 350ml (12oz, 340g) - with a letter from your medical practitioner

For more information about what items you can or can't bring in your hand baggage, please visit our Dangerous Items page.

Items not allowed onboard in your hand luggage

  • Smart bags (unless the batteries can be removed)
  • Torch-style cigarette lighters
  • Non-safety matches
  • Toy or replica guns (plastic or metal)
  • Catapults
  • Sharp items – this includes household items such as household cutlery, knives (of any length), paper knives, razor blades or darts
  • Hypodermic syringes – unless you have a medical condition that requires you to inject on the flight. Find more information below.
  • Scissors (scissors with blunt/round-ended blades, metal or plastic, less than 6cm in length or scissors with metal blades and pointed tips under 3cms are permitted)
  • Sporting bats
  • Billiard, snooker or pool cues
  • Tradesmen’s tools (however, US airports will allow screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers and other tools, but not crowbars, drills, hammers or saws, as long as they are seven inches or less in length)
  • Any dangerous articles such as flammables, corrosives, poisons, radioactive materials, ammunition, firearms or explosives.

For the full list of items that are not allowed onboard the flight, head over to our Dangerous articles page.

We realise it’s essential for some of our passengers to carry hypodermic needles and other medical equipment in order to treat a medical condition. If you have a medical reason that requires you to inject during the course of a flight, naturally you can carry your syringes in your hand baggage.

However, please ensure you’re able to provide adequate medical evidence in the form of a doctor’s letter and prescription. You’ll be asked to show this when you check in and at security screening, and you should keep it with you at all times. We also ask that you bring your own sharps box so you can dispose of your needles safely and hygienically.

For more information, please refer to our Special Assistance page.

Additional security

  • Do not pack wrapped gifts as our security agents may have to unwrap them for the purpose of searches.
  • Remember that no sharp objects are permitted in your hand baggage, so pack them in your hold luggage before checking in. All sharp items in hand baggage will be removed and confiscated at security search and anyone trying to take an illegal item through security could be prosecuted.
  • Open drinks are not allowed through security controls.
  • Do not carry packages at the request of people not known to you.
  • Do not leave your baggage unattended at any time.
  • Take all reasonable steps to prevent anyone from placing anything in your baggage without your knowledge.

The security measures in place are there to protect you, and we ask for your co-operation and patience. Please proceed to the security control and then the departure gate in a timely manner as we will not delay an aircraft departure due to late arriving passengers.

Garment bags, wedding dresses and suits

Garment bags

A garment bag can only be used as your hand baggage in Economy or Premium if it fits the dimensions of the hand baggage allowance. If you’d like to bring one but it exceeds 23 x 36 x 56 cm, it will need to be as additional checked in baggage.

In Upper Class, your hand baggage can also include one garment bag, 20cm (8 inches) thick - again, this shouldn't exceed 12kg. This will count towards your two bag limit.

You’re welcome to take your wedding dress or wedding suit onboard in addition to your hand luggage. Our crew will, where space permits, hang your dress or suit for you but on some flights the wardrobe space is very limited so we can't guarantee this. Please pack your dress in a box or bag so that when the crew can’t find space to hang it, it can be safely stowed. With any wedding suits, please make sure they're packed in a soft suit carrier.

If you prefer not to carry it and would like to check it in, please pack your dress or suit into a separate suitcase and mark the suitcase as ‘fragile wedding garments’. Where possible the items should be packed into a plastic bag for extra protection. Please note that if the separate suitcase is outside of your baggage allowance you will need to purchase additional baggage.

For customers travelling from London Heathrow, we want to ensure that your special day goes without a hitch, so we suggest that wedding dresses\suits are carried as hand luggage using the packing advice above.