HELP Please -- London Heathrow carry on restriction
 

Hello all, I have a stop over in London Heathrow for five hours and my final destination is India. I fly into London by United and leave London by British Midland. I am really concerned about the carry on restriction and I would like to get other fellow traveler’s experience regarding the new carry on restrictions. Questions:

1) The new carry on size is 37.5 liner inches? Correct?!

2) Are the authorities at the airport being really strict about the dimensions of the carry on? What if my carry on exceeds the limitation by few inches? Are they ok or are they going to ask you to throw the stuff out? Really confused and concerned?!

3) What are my options if they don't allow me to take my carry on with me on the plane? Can I check the baggage at the gate?

I would really appreciate if fellow travelers could share their experience. Will really help me to be prepared.

45x35x16cm is the maximum size permitted. Accounts vary about exactly how strict they're being in enforcing this, from 'fairly strict' to 'very strict'. The simple solution is make sure your bag is smaller than the limit to start with.

Sorry, but I agree with Owain. We are going to London in a couple of weeks and are planning to adhere to the new restrictions as listed on the British Airways website.

I think you are foolish to "rely" on someone else's experience since those can vary from day to day and agent to agent.

Would you rather be CERTAIN or bite your nails?????

The only thing I can add is that when I flew last week, they only allowed 1 piece of hand luggage; so my handbag and small bag of newspaper, magazine, counted as two and I had two fit them into one bag. This was from London City. I saw some small wheeled cases, nothing large.
Be prepared to check it if you have to. In any case, no liquids, gels are allowed, so no toothpaste, cosmetics etc.

1) It's 45cm x 35cm x 16cm - not a total of 86cm, so if your bag doesn't fit the frame, it has to be checked even if the total dimensions are less than 86cm.

2) VERY strict - this from experience yesterday

3) You won't be allowed pass security with a bag that's too big, so there's no chance of checking it at the gate. You'll have to check it at the checkin desk

Note it's ONE bag only and purses / hand bags / shoulder bags count as a bag

BTW that you can buy anything once you get through security - even luggage.

I'm also flying through Heathrow in a couple of days en route to Nairobi. I've attempted to fit my camera gear into a bag that started out being almost exactly the right size under these new rules. It's now packed and is bulging on the sides. It may be an inch too thick! I'm well under on the width and length.

Can anyone comment on what sort of measuring devices they're using at security? Just wondering how much "squeeze" room there may be?

It obviously looks like a laptop bag and I guess I'm hoping they'll cut me a break on the extra inch. But when I hear "VERY strict" I get a bit worried. Any comments?

Thanks.

< Can anyone comment on what sort of measuring devices they're using at security? >

It's a frame that you drop your bag in, just a lot smaller than it used to be. If it doesn't go in or it sticks out over the top then tough, you have to check it.

However if you have things like ipods / small cameras then you can put them in your jacket pockets and you can carry an overcoat. Note that jackets, overcoats & their contents will be X-rayed and you will be sent back if they are excessive

I wonder how OP can be "confused" about the stated size restrictions -- do you think those numbers apply to everyone but you? I would just take owain's sensible advice.

< Just wondering how much "squeeze" room there may be? >

Just enough (ie millimeters) so that legal bags don't get stuck

Another problem might be that United allows 45 linear inches and no weight restriction , while BMI uses the 45x35x16cm restriction , not a linear limit . BMI also has a weight restriction.

Another carry-on question---If my carry-on fits in the "sized frame" at check-in (actually it is somewhat smaller), would I be allowed to put my handbag inside my carry-on? I will be flying from Heathrow to USA.

<<Another problem might be that United allows 45 linear inches and no weight restriction , while BMI uses the 45x35x16cm restriction , not a linear limit .>>
It isn't an airline restriction it is the Airport restriction. BAA(the airport operator) has posted very clear instructions. One poster did say that the restrictions will be relaxed on August 31 - we will have to wait & see.

Molly
I don't see why not.

We just flew back to LAX from Heathrow last week. Three checkpoints. Heathrow is very strict about the size of the carryon. If it doesn't fit in the little bin that they have at check in then you can't take it on. My husband and I had to check on our carryons. My 9 year old daughter has a soft fleece blanket that she carries in her backpack.It wouldn't make the requirements.So I took it out put it around my shoulders(cape) and crushed her backpack in the little bin and it worked and they let her take her backpack. I even had my soft pajama pants also around my neck (like a scarf).I looked pretty ridiculous but who cares I wanted to be comfortable on the flight. Only 1 piece of hand luggage.Drano,My daughters backpack is a "Roxy" backpack.Not really big.I think you have the right idea about the size of a laptop bag.MollyB, if you can fit your handbag into your caryyon and it fits into that bin...you are o.k.

< If my carry-on fits in the "sized frame" at check-in (actually it is somewhat smaller), would I be allowed to put my handbag inside my carry-on? >

Yes, you are only allowed to take one bag through security. If you wanted you could fill that bag with your handbag collection and put smaller bags in each of your handbags. Apart from the liquids/gels/sharp objects type of thing UK security isn't interested about the contents of your ONE bag, only that it fits the frame

Why is the word "maximum" hard to understand? I hope they keep up the strict restrictions, it's quicker and safer for everyone. Obviously, if there is less carry on luggage then there is less to search. The new limit is fairly reasonable anyway.

we are going in november to london. can anyone recommend a type bag to buy that fits these restrictions? I think every carry on we have is over the 6".
Some might be ok with the rest of the dimensions.

The size of carry-on bag you can take (right now) onto a flight to the UK is more like a briefcase or laptop bag, but it needs to be something small. One of those old-fashioned, squarish "tote" bags would work, as would a small daypack-style backpack. I'm not sure you'd be able to carry on an 18-inch wheeled suitcase, but you might (I'd feel more comfortable if someone who has flown this route would confirm that for you.) I'm also traveling through London on my way to Italy in November, and I'm planning to take a smallish messenger bag.

I flew back to NY last night on American #131 out of Heathrow. Yes, they are being very strict. Only one bag and it can't exceed their new dimensions on any one measure; it is NOT linear inches.

At check-in they suggest you use the form to confirm the carry-on is acceptable but are not standing there over your shoulder. They were gently but firmly checking bags that obviously would not fit in the form. (There was a guy with a 21" roller who was giving argument but did not see the final act on that little scene...)

They did not seem concerned about the size or number of the bags at the security check point. At the gate, they were going through bags by hand--and pulling out all sorts of items for disposal! I'd say about 50% of the passengers were being checked at this point. The gate officials were taking all rolling luggage that had made it that far for gate check. The only rolling bag I saw on board was a pink Barbie number about the size of a shoe box.

Also of potential interest: they were not allowing any cosmetics in carry-on. They made a big point of this at check-in so was able to put a clinique pressed powder compact, a Mac powder eye shadow and a charcoal pencil into the checked bag. I hadn't heard about that in advance.

Hope this helps, but...

I hope this becomes permanent quite frankly...it has speeded things up immensely and there is actually room to breathe in the overheads and none of this telling me to take my smaller items out of the overheads so some clown with a bag that should be checked can wedge it into the overhead.

As a matter of interest, has anyone tried getting on board with an armful of papers (could be newspapers, could be mags, could be office files) as well as the bag?

I can manage a 10 hour flight without mascara. Running out of reading matter would have me battering the doors down.