Monday, September 19, 2016

Flying with your photographic equipment



Lots of our customers take equipment overseas, but what they don't always appreciate is that some airlines - including some that you might otherwise think of as "decent" airlines - are surprisingly stingy with their carry-on allowances. This can limit the maximum bag size and, perhaps even more importantly for photographers, weight. Obviously we all want our photographic equipment to go in our carry-on bag rather than being consigned to the hold where there is a greater risk of it being damaged, misrouted, lost, or stolen. So we thought it would be helpful to tabulate what various different airlines allow you to carry on.

Please note that the precise details of what you're allowed to take into the cabin can involve a lot of small print. For example some airlines allow you to take carry on a bag of duty-free purchases in addition to your allowance; others insist that any duty-free shopping must be packed into the bag you carry on. Some allow items such as books or newspapers, an umbrella, and food purchased in the airport in addition to your allowance; some don't. So it's a good idea always check the small print on the airline's website. But this guide should get you started.

We'll try to keep this guide up to date. If you spot any errors, or updates, do please let us know. And if there's an airline you think it would be useful to add to this list, again do please let us know.


AIRLINEDimensions
(cm)
Weight
(kg)
Notes
Aer Lingus55 x 40 x 2410Plus one small handbag, laptop, duty free or baby changing bag 33x25x20
Air Canada55 x 40 x 2310Plus one personal article 43x33x16, 10kg; plus small handbag 30x25x14
Air China55 x 40 x 205Just one item
Air France55 x 35 x 2512Plus one handbag, briefcase, camera or laptop, within same weight limit
Air India55 x 35 x 258Plus lady's hand bag or laptop; only 55x35x20 on ATR and CRJ aircraft
Air New Zealand56 x 36 x 237Other shapes allowed W+H+D<=115; plus one small personal item such as handbag or laptop
Alaska Airlines61 x 43 x 25not specifiedPlus one personal item such as handbag, briefcase, laptop; must fit under seat
Alitalia55 x 35 x 258Plus one briefcase, laptop or handbag
American Airlines56 x 36 x 23not specifiedPlus one smaller personal item, must fit under seat
Aurigny Air Services48 x 36 x 2010One item only; limit 6kg on some routes
Austrian Airlines55 x 40 x 238Plus one personal item 40x30x10, e.g. lady's handbag, laptop bag or shoulder-strapped bag
Blue Islands55 x 35 x 2010Plus one additional smaller item such as laptop or handbag, must fit under seat
British Airways56 x 45 x 2523Plus one personal bag 40x30x15 (45x36x20 on Brazil flights), must fit under seat
Cathay Pacific56 x 36 x 237Plus one one small handbag, small backpack or laptop bag, 40x30x15, must fit under seat
China Eastern56 x 36 x 235Just one item
China Southern56 x 36 x 235Just one item; other shapes allowed with W+H+D<=115
Comair56 x 36 x 237Plus one personal bag 45x36x20
Delta Air Lines56 x 35 x 23no limitMax 7-10kg on some Asian routes. Plus one item such as handbag, briefcase, camera bag, laptop
Easyjet56 x 45 x 25no limitMust be able to lift into overhead locker. Plus one small handbag or laptop bag 45x36x20 for an extra fee
Egyptair56 x 45 x 258Egyptair don't specify size; dimensions here are UK CAA maximum
El Al56 x 45 x 258Just one item; must comply with W+H+D<=115
Emirates55 x 38 x 207Just one item; if boarding in India only, can be larger up to W+H+D<=115
Etihad50 x 40 x 257Just one item
Eurowings55 x 40 x 238Just one item
Finnair56 x 45 x 258Plus a small handbag or laptop bag 40x30x15, must fit under seat
Flybe55 x 35 x 2010Plus one additional smaller item such as laptop or handbag, must fit under seat
Iberia56 x 45 x 25no limitMust be able to lift into overhead locker. Plus a handbag or small briefcase, and a laptop computer or camera.
Icelandair55 x 40 x 2010Plus one small personal item, such as small hand bag or laptop
Japan Airlines55 x 45 x 2510Other shapes allowed W+H+D<=115; Plus one personal belonging, such as a handbag
Jet Airways55 x 35 x 257Allowances can be less on India internal flights
Jetblue56 x 36 x 23not specifiedPlus one personal item such as handbag, briefcase, laptop 43x33x20
Kenya Airways55 x 35 x 2512Plus one handbag, briefcase, laptop, camera bag etc within overall weight limit
KLM55 x 35 x 2512Plus one handbag, briefcase, camera or laptop, max 40x30x15, within same weight limit
Korean Air55 x 40 x 2012Other shapes allowed W+H+D<=115; plus one handbag, laptop or briefcase within weight limit
LATAM55 x 35 x 258Max 5kg on Brazil internal flights
Loganair40 x 35 x 186Just one item
Lufthansa55 x 40 x 238Plus one small bag 40x30x10 e.g. handbag, laptop bag
Malaysia Airlines56 x 36 x 237Plus briefcase, laptop or camera bag max 4kg; plus handbag
Monarch56 x 40 x 2510Or two bags within the same overall dimensions and weight limit
Norwegian55 x 40 x 2310Max 8kg to/from Dubai. Plus one small personal item 33x25x20 e.g. small handbag or laptop case
Qantas56 x 36 x 237Plus one small personal item such as a handbag, laptop, small camera
Qatar Airways50 x 37 x 257Plus one personal item such as ladies handbag or one small briefcase
Ryanair55 x 40 x 2010Plus one small bag 35x20x20
Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)55 x 40 x 238Plus a small handbag or laptop bag
Singapore Airlines56 x 36 x 237Other shapes allowed with W+H+D<=115; plus one handbag, laptop or camera bag 40x30x10
South African Airways56 x 36 x 238Plus one small personal item e.g. small handbag, small laptop case
Southwest Airlines61 x 40 x 25not specifiedPlus one small personal item such as briefcase, handbag, laptop
Stobart Air (Flybe)49 x 37 x 227Just one item
Stobart Air (Aer Lingus Regional)48 x 33 x 207Just one item
Sun-Air45 x 36 x 206Just one item
Swissair55 x 40 x 238Plus one handbag, laptop bag or shoulder bag 40x30x10
Thai Airways56 x 45 x 257Plus handbag, laptop etc W+H+D<=75, max 1.5kg
Thomas Cook Airlines55 x 40 x 206Plus one laptop, handbag or small bag
Thomson Airways55 x 40 x 205Just one item
TUI Fly55 x 40 x 206Plus one notebook
Turkish Airlines55 x 40 x 238Plus one handbag or laptop
United Airlines56 x 35 x 22not specifiedPlus one personal item such as a shoulder bag, backpack, laptop bag 43x25x22
United Express56 x 35 x 22not specifiedItems close to size limit might not fit on some flights; no further details available
Virgin Atlantic56 x 36 x 2310Plus one handbag, or small backpack/rucksack
Vueling55 x 40 x 2010Plus one additional item of significantly smaller size
WestJet53 x 38 x 23no limitPlus one personal item 41x33x15 e.g. briefcase, camera, laptop

Update log:
19th September 2016 - First publication.
19th September 2016 - American airlines' usage of 'purse' changed to 'handbag' to improve clarity for British readers.
19th September 2016 - Aurigny Air Services added.
20th September 2016 - EasyJet clarified from 'not specified' to 'no limit'.
21st September 2016 - Delta Air Lines and Iberia clarified from 'not specified' to 'no limit'.
5th October 2016 - WestJet added.
6th March 2017 - El Al added.
13th January 2018 - British Airways corrected - allowances for Brazil flights and non-Brazil flights had been the wrong way round.