Is the 1 piece hand luggage rule still in force in UK airports?

[newbiee]

Last I heard, it was going to be phased out.

[ChezTinns]

I think it comes into force on the 7th of January.  Worth checking out the website of the airport you're flying from.

[Clair]

http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/airtravel/airportsecurity/

[Tony F Dordogne]

It was still in place at Southampton airport on Monday morning!

[Scooby]

Seems weird that the restriction has been lifted for some airports and not others.  You would think that, if it is a necessary security measure, it would apply everywhere - or not at all?

[Meg]

[quote user="Scooby"]Seems weird that the restriction has been lifted for some airports and not others.  You would think that, if it is a necessary security measure, it would apply everywhere - or not at all?

[/quote]

I think each airport is being assessed individually on if they can cope security-wise with the extra bags for screening.

[Cendrillon]

I think the variation has come about due to staffing and scanning machinery available. Some aiports can cope with extra hand luggage and some can't.

 

Meg

I think we both replied at the same time!

[Bastet]

As the link posted by Clair says, the airlines still have their own policies so does this mean that until, for example, Ryanair says otherwise, they will continue to allow only one piece of cabin luggage ?

[Clair]

Yes, individual airlines are free to apply their own restrictions, even if the airport they fly from or to doesn't.

More specifically, this would be the case if the plane flies to other airports where there are restrictions.

See her for a recent news article about it: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2007/12/29/nbags129.xml

[RicandJo]

Before the draconian introduction of one piece of hand luggage was introduced by the government and therefore controlled by security, every airline had it's own cabin baggage restrictions - which usually varied depending on class of cabin.

 

As of Jan 7 we will be back to that arrangement, whereby it is the duty of check in agents rather than security staff to check what you are taking on board.

 

The liquids thing is still in place though, which is fair enough.

[Will]

...though some airports, such as Gatwick, have not satisfied the authorities that they can cope with increased numbers of bags, so the one-piece restriction still applies at present. Heathrow, Manchester etc are OK, though as rightly noted, the actual limits are down to the individual airlines.

This is the text of a message I received recently from British Airways:

We've got some great news: thanks to new guidelines from the UK Department for Transport, we're increasing our cabin bag allowance. As of 7 January 2008 you will be able to carry two pieces of hand baggage through security when departing or transferring from London Heathrow, London City, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow or Manchester airports.

The British Airways hand baggage allowance is as follows:

•	One bag no bigger than 56 cm x 45 cm x 25 cm (22 inches x 17.5 inches x 9.85 inches) (including wheels, pockets and handles)
•	In addition, one briefcase or laptop sized bag

The maximum bag weight is 23kg and you must be able to lift the bag into the overhead lockers in the aircraft cabin unaided.

The restrictions on carrying liquids have not changed so make sure that any liquid containers you plan to carry do not exceed 100ml and that they are in a clear, re-sealable plastic bag.

Other UK airports are expected to phase out restrictions in line with the new guidelines. Until this happens, the one-bag allowance still stands for all other UK airports. If you are flying from or transferring through other UK airports, it's worth checking with the transferring airline or the airport operator before you travel. Also check if you are flying from another UK airport and transferring through Heathrow.

I hope you find the increased allowance makes travelling that much easier and more convenient. Thank you for flying with us and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

[Sprogster]

Even when the remaining airports re-introduce the two items hand baggage allowance, the low cost carriers such as Squeezyjet, Cryandair and Flymaybe will be strictly enforcing a one item hand luggage rule.

Not surprising really, when if you have to check that second item of hand luggage in, you pay the low cost airline an extra £8 to £10!!

I increasingly find my favourable opinion of the low cost airlines tested, with the questionable business practice of adding an increasing array of so called extras that are automatically added, unless you are sufficiently on the ball to spot and remove them if not required. For example, I am sure a lot of people end up paying for travel insurance not required, if they already have an annual travel policy which is usually far more cost effective. As for priority boarding that is just a rip off, when thirty or more passengers on each flight can have this and often you end up with being taken to the plane by bus! 

Also beware of using the low cost airlines website to book hire cars and hotels as often you will find it cheaper to book direct, as the low cost airline price is loaded with their introductory commission.

[AnOther]

I caught a snippet on the news this morning which highlighted the daft situation where passengers in transit through either GTW or LHR, I forget which, arriving from their point of origin with 2 legitimate pieces of hand baggage could suddenly find themselves restricted to one. Quite what they were supposed to do with their 2nd bag I didn't hear. Many bags carried as hand baggage may contain something of value or delicate so are not suitable for checking into the hold. Also look how many laptops and cameras disappeared when the draconian regulations first came in and of course most insurance companies won't cover checked in valuables even if you had no choice !

I wonder what will happen at Stansted now as well if different carriers implement different policies. Previously the gestapo at passport control/security were adhering strictly to the one bag rule for everyone, will they now have to remember each carriers rule ?

My personal workaround is to wear a jacket with multiple voluminous pockets in one of which is a packaway rucksack. Once airside I unpack it and decant the contents of my other pockets into it. Irrespective of the one bag rule, Ryanair included, I have yet to be challenged with 2 bags at the aircraft door and even if I was I would simply put everything back in my pockets [:P]

[Framboise]

My sister-in-law works at Heathrow doing security.  I asked her about this two bag rule and apparently it comes into force tomorrow whereby you can have two pieces of hand luggage again.   

There was a lot of trouble over this as passengers in transit with two bags were having to decant it all into one which is not always easy, so there were open cases and baggage strewn all over the place as people struggled to cram things into their luggage allowance.  It was also pointed out that anyone with dodgy plans could drop whatever they liked into this open baggage so this forced a review of the situation.  She is still having to check your toothpaste though!

[andyh4]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

I caught a snippet on the news this morning which highlighted the daft situation where passengers in transit through either GTW or LHR, I forget which, arriving from their point of origin with 2 legitimate pieces of hand baggage could suddenly find themselves restricted to one. Quite what they were supposed to do with their 2nd bag I didn't hear. Many bags carried as hand baggage may contain something of value or delicate so are not suitable for checking into the hold. Also look how many laptops and cameras disappeared when the draconian regulations first came in and of course most insurance companies won't cover checked in valuables even if you had no choice !

I wonder what will happen at Stansted now as well if different carriers implement different policies. Previously the gestapo at passport control/security were adhering strictly to the one bag rule for everyone, will they now have to remember each carriers rule ?

My personal workaround is to wear a jacket with multiple voluminous pockets in one of which is a packaway rucksack. Once airside I unpack it and decant the contents of my other pockets into it. Irrespective of the one bag rule, Ryanair included, I have yet to be challenged with 2 bags at the aircraft door and even if I was I would simply put everything back in my pockets [:P]

[/quote]

 

This has been a nightmare for transcontinental travellers for months.

Get on plane in New York - 2 pieces allowed

Arrive Heathrow to transfer to other European destination - 1 piece allowed.

Argue with ground staff why they let you on in NY with 2 pieces when they had booked you through to final destination. 

Result miss conection because you have to go out of the transfer area, book in you second bag as checked luggage and then queue to get back through security.

At least that won't happen with the new rules.

 

One other thing that will catch people out:

Fly Edinburgh to Exeter - 2 pieces of hand baggage

Fly Exeter to Edinburgh with the same airline - 1 peice

[Framboise]

Also, just to confuse things even more

Different airlines are using different criteria, ie. some allow two pieces through & others still one, so its probably best to check with your airline first before you turn up at the airport with two and end up trying to cram it all back into one bag.

Sister-in-law said that today looked like being a nightmare at work due to confusion about who-has-what and who allows this or that....

[Cerise]

A very simple answer is a large carrier bag.  Put handbag and other bag into it and put carrier bag through as one piece of luggage.  It works (I know I've done it) and proves how daft the whole thing is as the two bags are still going through the scanner, simply together.  If you forget your carrier bag, nip in to W H Smiths buy a newspaper and ask for their largest carrier bag.