Ingrid

Hi all!<BR><BR><BR>I am about to leave for my trip tonight to Thailand, but have not received a clear answer from Cathay Pacific on carry-on bags.<BR><BR>They allow a roll-on bag with 9x14x22 dimensions or something like ths (which mine is), but with a limit of only 15lbs (which is insane). All other airlines allow 40lbs.<BR><BR>Anyway, I need to know how strict this is for Coach passengers.<BR><BR>I basically want to take my roll-on bag with clothes and things (it now weighs 24 lbs)<BR>and another medium sized bag with my camera equipment, book, medications, etc.<BR>Basically two bags and that's it.<BR>What has been your experience with this airline and carry-ons?<BR><BR>Do they weigh the bags at the gate?<BR>I am flying from LAX.<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR>Ingrid <BR><BR>

Pete

I have flown with them twice - once from Zurich to HK (return) and once one way from Tokyo to London with a stop over in HK. With the exception of my outward trip from Zurich to HK I got upgraded to business class - not bad Zurich to HK, Tokyo to HK, HK to London. Flying back to Switzerland I had a lot of hand luggage (souvenirs) but looked smart and arrived to check in in good time and got the upgrade. When I flew from Tokyo they explained that I was way overweight in terms of luggage to check into the hold and luggage to carry on so they said they would put me in business class so I could take more on. I was still way over even in business class and they made me pay a few hundred dollars.<BR><BR>I guess that if you are flying from the US they won't be as nice as they are in Asia but in my opinion they are the most generous airline I have ever flown on. I have only ever had one other upgrade and that was on Swissair. I have flown BA loads and have never had one of that snooty airline.

Ingrid

Thanks for your reply.<BR>So, if I do not get a business class upgrade - which I won't because I can't afford it - what will they do?<BR>Do they weigh the bags you carry-on.<BR>I have the correct amount of two bags, but one weighs 23 lbs vs. the 15lbs.<BR>Do they even care about that?<BR><BR>Ingrid

John

I never had to pay for my upgrades - they just gave them to me - I only paid for having too much luggage in b-class.<BR><BR>I do not know if they will weigh your hand luggage so cannot really help you. <BR><BR>But, I think you will probably get away with it - I have not had hand luggage weighed before, although Virgin once made me show that it fitted in this bag measurer. The key I guess is to make sure they don't realise your hand luggage is heavy - so do not lug it off the trolley and drop it on the floor - they might question you as to why you are struggling with your luggage. Also get to the airport in good time. You are more likely to get it past them early in the check in procedure rather than at the last minute.

Michael From New York

I will be on a Cathay Pacific flight from the states to Hong Kong within the week. I have flown with them From New York to Hong Kong and back 4 times - this is the 5th time. And I have flown with them from Hong Kong to Bali, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Bangkok 3 times all with return. Not once have I paid for excess baggage.<BR><BR>As for Cathay's facilities in Hong Kong and Bangkok: I though both airports handled baggage fairly quickly...much better than JFK in New York. When I come back from Asia to JFK with Cathay Pacific, I want to carry as little as I can on the plane.<BR><BR>Don't forget - with the heightened security - and they require you to arrive that much earlier - you have to keep track of your bags while you wait...so it makes sense to check more luggage in than to carry it around with you as you kill time waiting.<BR><BR>M

Brenda

Dear Ingrid,<BR>They adhere to their one carry-on per person rule and the measurements are 9x14x22. If you stick to the measurements, as we did, they do not weigh your carry-on bags. Their limit is 15 pounds but they go by how small your bag looks. We just flew back from Bangkok last week on Cathay Pacific. You can, however, have two bags of 75# ea. checked baggage. While we were in China, before that, we were only allowed 44# in one bag each and that was tough!!!! Besides our carry-on, we were allowed a purse, a camera, my cane, that sort of thing. There really isn't a whole lot of room for more than that. Enjoy Thailand......we certainly did!!!!!!!

dko3tgk

I have only flown Cathay Pacific to Asia from NY. I have made three trips in the last two years. The whole luggage thing is somewhat luck based. I have never been stopped for carry-ons leaving the US. I usually have a normal sized backback. And a small bag for my documents and wallet. <BR>Coming back to the US, I add a carry on duffle to bring back all my booty. <BR>As far as I know, they never weighed my carry-ons. So weight doesn't matter. I even carried back a small desktop stereo system from HK in my backback and it didn't matter. <BR>However, the rules say that you are only allowed one carry-on in coach and a small handbag or jacket or umbrella. I have gotten hasseled in HK once for carry-on. One of the airport staff wouldn't let me pass through the security check point before the metal detectors because I had a duffle and a backpack. They said I had to check it. I went back to the check-in line and told them that I always carry-on a backpack and a duffle. The Cathay check-in desk employee gave me a tag to attach to the bag that allowed it to be carry-on also. Just be sure your bags don't look big. That will get you hasseled alot more than weight. The weight is just up to you dealing with carying heavy bags all over airports. <BR>However, be careful of some staff concerning the weight limit of your checked luggage. You are entitled to two bags of 70 lbs each, if your itinerary has the US as part of it. But since I usually travel to multiple countries within Asia I'm not always flying to and from the US. I was asked to pay once by Cathay because my bag was over the 44lb. Asia region weight limit. I had to argue with her and then the manager came over to correct her. Oh and if you fly another airline within Asia. Such as Thai Air from Bangkok to Phuket, and it isn't part of your larger US-Asia ticket, you are limited to that 40lb checked luggage weight. I had to store half of my luggage at the Bangkok airport last time I went to Phuket.

Ingrid

Hi all!<BR><BR>I was in Thailand November 13th to the 30th.<BR>My husband and I went ahead and took all of your advice and packed two rolling carry-on bags, one shoulder bag for me and his laptop.<BR><BR>We were way over their crazy 15lb limit for carry-on, but they let us on all our flights without a problem. We didn't have to check anything.<BR><BR>We do not check luggage, so we can get through customs faster than everyone else.<BR><BR>Thanks for all of your replies.<BR><BR>Ingrid

Susan

Hi, we recently got back from China. I would agree that the policy was not uniform. We did try to stick to the wight limits thogh and in some places luggage was weighed and we had to see if our carry on was within the size limit. Yes, they did measure the bag.<BR><BR>Susan