Difference Between Personal Items and Carry-On Luggage, Simplified

In recent years, low-cost airlines have been offering incredibly affordable tickets, but how do they manage it?

Simple: they have eliminated certain comforts, with one of the first compromises being the allowance for carry-on baggage.

I remember years ago, with some well-known European low-cost airlines, it was possible to travel

with checked baggage weighing 23 kg, a 10 kg trolley, and a backpack for around 50 euros.

Nowadays, this is nearly impossible.

Even for intercontinental flights, the baggage allowance has been reduced. The excuse given is to reduce emissions, but it has resulted in a maximum checked baggage weight of 23 kg and only one personal item weighing up to 10 kg. Unless you opt for more expensive fares that allow two 23 kg checked bags, trolleys, and various backpacks, tripling the ticket price, the emissions argument holds little weight.

Additionally, low-cost airlines push the sale of Priority Boarding Passes, which, in my opinion, is a rather unnecessary expense since seats are reserved, and passengers still have to wait for the last person to board. While some include the 10 kg trolley in the Priority Pass, the cost of just the carry-on bag, without the pass, is usually lower. Now, let's clarify the differences between a personal item and carry-on baggage.

This topic can be delicate because each airline often uses different names and information to confuse customers, but the essence remains the same.

A personal item refers to something that can be worn and fits within the maximum dimensions to be placed under the seat in front of you. For example, a backpack, a laptop bag, a sling bag, a shoulder bag, or a waist bag, as long as they do not have excessively large or visible wheels and cannot be “dragged by hand.” Otherwise, they may be subject to size and weight checks (advice from personal experience). Of course, not everyone would be capable of carrying a weight of 14/15 kg on their shoulders for hours, in addition to checked baggage, while travelling.

I have never had the weight and dimensions of my 30-litre backpack checked, and a couple of times, I was challenged on the weight and dimensions of the trolley and had to pay extra fees at the airport. Since then, I have stopped using trolleys and travel as minimally as possible.

On the other hand, carry-on baggage refers to the classic trolley with wheels, which ideally should weigh no more than 10 kg and have dimensions of 56×45×25 cm, although these dimensions may vary from carrier to carrier. It is possible for the dimensions to reduce to 7 kg for 45×30×15 cm, so pay attention to the flight's policy. The material of the baggage is not important for the check, although it does affect the weight, reducing your capacity. The most common

measurement used by various airlines is 55×40×20 cm, but in low-cost companies, the trolley is almost always an additional cost, which frequent travellers like me carefully consider.

In both cases, it is crucial to pay attention to what you pack in your carry-on baggage. Liquids must strictly be in containers of 100ml, with a total volume of 1 litre, which must fit in the provided transparent bags at the airport or in a personal one measuring 20×20 cm.

The following items are also prohibited:

Firearms Scissors Knives Razor blades Corrosive or flammable liquids Explosives Toxic or infectious substances Magnets or magnetic materials Medications and baby products must be identifiable and in limited quantities. It is always advisable to carry prescriptions if necessary.

In conclusion, regardless of what you carry in your baggage and who you are as an individual, remember that security checks are essential for the safety of travellers and those working in the industry, as well as for national security. Be prepared when arriving at the airport, but under no circumstances is it acceptable to harass, annoy, bully, bore, or disturb airline personnel or fellow passengers. None of these behaviours are tolerable.

[The travel diary created by Oigres Travel Diary is available on Amazon.]

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