In-Europe and Transatlantic Baggage Limit Question
May 19th, 2004, 09:20 AM
#1
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In-Europe and Transatlantic Baggage Limit Question
I am flying BOS-LHR-HEL in a couple of weeks. The trip is all on BA. The transatlantic leg is world traveller + class, but the european leg is eurotraveller or whatever they call coach/economy. I am hoping to avoid checking a bag (it's an unbelievably short trip and I'm sure LHR will be no picnic to negotiate).
Can anyone tell me how strict they're likely to be about carry-ons at these three airports? I had hoped to take a briefcase (or large purse) and small wheeled suitcase, but am not sure that this will pass muster. Having once had to frantically repack bags at the Lufthansa counter in Boston, I'd really like to pack properly this time...
Thanks!
p.s. If anyone has suggestions for a pleasant afternoon/evening in Helsinki, I'd love to hear them!
Can anyone tell me how strict they're likely to be about carry-ons at these three airports? I had hoped to take a briefcase (or large purse) and small wheeled suitcase, but am not sure that this will pass muster. Having once had to frantically repack bags at the Lufthansa counter in Boston, I'd really like to pack properly this time...
Thanks!
p.s. If anyone has suggestions for a pleasant afternoon/evening in Helsinki, I'd love to hear them!
Jun 2nd, 2004, 01:46 PM
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BA is STRICT! I suggest you go to thier website and read the requirements. They have something like a 13 pound weight limit on carry on and they do weigh! They will take you luggage and check it if it does not meet thier requirements regardless of space on the plane.
Actually I did not find LHR hard to navigate at all.
Actually I did not find LHR hard to navigate at all.
Jun 2nd, 2004, 03:39 PM
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As you are flying WT+ from BOS to LHR, you will be allowed more than 13lbs as cabin baggage, so it should hopefully be enough that you don't have to faff around at LHR waiting at the carrousel.
As you will be checked through for the entire BOS-HEL flight on BA at BOS, they will allow will allow you the higher baggage allowance, even on the HEL leg. The same will also apply on the return.
As you will be checked through for the entire BOS-HEL flight on BA at BOS, they will allow will allow you the higher baggage allowance, even on the HEL leg. The same will also apply on the return.
Jun 2nd, 2004, 03:42 PM
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Oh and BA do have a good reason for limiting the amount of cabin baggage!
There is nothing more frustrating than someone cramming half their living room into the overhead lockers, leaving no room for my little rucksack!
So if you do turn up at BOS over-laden with cabin baggage, don't be surprised if they make you check some of it in the hold. You aren't the only person on the flight!
There is nothing more frustrating than someone cramming half their living room into the overhead lockers, leaving no room for my little rucksack!
So if you do turn up at BOS over-laden with cabin baggage, don't be surprised if they make you check some of it in the hold. You aren't the only person on the flight!
Jun 2nd, 2004, 05:53 PM
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BA will thru check your checked baggage, but as to carry-on, even if allowed more than 13-lbs in the cabin for Traveler+ on the trans-Atlantic, this might be a problem on the Coach leg to HEL.
Your weight limit on the trans-Atlantic should be 70-lbs for 1 bag, but do read the BA site as weights change regularly.
As to LHR - it can be a horror, especially on weekend if you have to change terminals, but I found that mid-week flights can be a breeze. About 20-minute or less from one terminal to another including clearing Immigration.
Your weight limit on the trans-Atlantic should be 70-lbs for 1 bag, but do read the BA site as weights change regularly.
As to LHR - it can be a horror, especially on weekend if you have to change terminals, but I found that mid-week flights can be a breeze. About 20-minute or less from one terminal to another including clearing Immigration.
Jun 3rd, 2004, 05:19 AM
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Just flew Seattle to London on B.A. I had checked my luggage right through to Cairo on the shuttle to Seattle. At B.A. in Seattle I was told my carryon was overweight. I had bought an 18" carryon to be sure and be under their size restrictions and never gave weight a thought. From some articles I have read the size restrictions include appendages like wheels and handles on suitcases. Don't know whether it was because we were so early and/or my overweight bag but the kindly B.A. employee upgraded us for free to World Traveler +. So, do be careful - we were just lucky.
Jun 9th, 2004, 06:39 AM
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Hi, all,
Just back and I wanted to leave the details of my experience here in case someone else finds the thread useful later.
I brought one bag, a small wheeled suitcase (I think it's the 18" size, not the 21" size allowed on some domestic flights) and *nothing* else; no purse, no briefcase, no nothing. At no point did anyone weigh my bag or even look twice at it. I suspect that it was over the in-Europe limit as it was probably 15-17kg, but it didn't occupy more space than I was nominally allowed. [The bag itself is a decent one and so it consumes a substantial fraction of the weight allowance itself. I opted not to carry a computer as the computer + bag would probably have exceeded the weight limit!]
As a result, I made both of my Heathrow transfers airside, i.e., without having to go through customs or pick up baggage (not that I had any). Everything worked extremely smoothly -- even an upgrade to Club World on the BOS-LHR leg, though a midnight east coast time landing in LHR meant I didn't *actually* get to sleep -- except a 2hr delay onboard the LHR-BOS flight while they went through a comedy-of-errors routine trying to repair the air conditioning. (High points: They had to rip the part off another plane. They couldn't get it across the airport because it was too big for the initial van. They got it to our plane and then discovered that, while the part fit, the hinges were in the wrong place.) LOL and I'm glad they did eventually work it out.
Just back and I wanted to leave the details of my experience here in case someone else finds the thread useful later.
I brought one bag, a small wheeled suitcase (I think it's the 18" size, not the 21" size allowed on some domestic flights) and *nothing* else; no purse, no briefcase, no nothing. At no point did anyone weigh my bag or even look twice at it. I suspect that it was over the in-Europe limit as it was probably 15-17kg, but it didn't occupy more space than I was nominally allowed. [The bag itself is a decent one and so it consumes a substantial fraction of the weight allowance itself. I opted not to carry a computer as the computer + bag would probably have exceeded the weight limit!]
As a result, I made both of my Heathrow transfers airside, i.e., without having to go through customs or pick up baggage (not that I had any). Everything worked extremely smoothly -- even an upgrade to Club World on the BOS-LHR leg, though a midnight east coast time landing in LHR meant I didn't *actually* get to sleep -- except a 2hr delay onboard the LHR-BOS flight while they went through a comedy-of-errors routine trying to repair the air conditioning. (High points: They had to rip the part off another plane. They couldn't get it across the airport because it was too big for the initial van. They got it to our plane and then discovered that, while the part fit, the hinges were in the wrong place.) LOL and I'm glad they did eventually work it out.
