Airports Ease Baggage Rules

[Mr Orlando]

Confusion As Airports Ease Baggage Rules

Baggage restrictions have been eased at some UK airports amid fears passengers will be confused by the new rules.

Restrictions vary across the UK

After security was stepped up in August 2006 passengers at UK airports have been restricted to one piece of hand luggage.

Now the rule has been lifted at 22 airports, including Heathrow, Stansted, Glasgow, Manchester and Cardiff.

But the one-bag regulation is still in force at others including Luton, Leeds Bradford and Liverpool.

This is because they have not satisfied the Department for Transport they could cope with the changes.

To add to the confusion, one-bag rules are being lifted for some connecting flights at Gatwick but remain in place for most other passengers.

Low-cost carrier easyJet is so worried about the new arrangement it has decided to retain the one-bag rule for all its flights regardless.

Of the 14 UK airports it uses, only seven have had the restrictions lifted.

EasyJet's chief executive, Andy Harrison, said: "There is massive scope for customer confusion."

Other restrictions such as the carrying of liquiids onto a flight remain in force.

The advice to air travellers is check ahead before setting out.

Experts say that if anyone is in any doubt about hand luggage, they should restrict themselves to one item.



Airports where the one-bag rule no longer applies:

Aberdeen
Benbecula
Birmingham
Cambridge
Cardiff
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Heathrow
Inverness
Islay
Kirkwall
London City
Manchester
Newcastle
Plymouth
Prestwick
Southampton
Southend
Stansted
Stornoway
Sumburgh
Wick

[Simon Veness]

Ye gods. How can one small country get its knickers in such a twist over such a minor transportation rule?? It is beyond pathetic that they can't sort it out and get a uniform arrangement. How are passengers supposed to know what to turn up with if even the airlines themselves seem confused???? :angry:

It's great that the hand-baggage allowance has been put back to normal (the one-piece restriction never made much sense to me anyway, as it just encouraged people to make their hand luggage as big as possible), but surely it shouldn't be difficult to get all the airports the same?

[Susan Veness]

Experts say that if anyone is in any doubt about hand luggage, they should restrict themselves to one item.

Wouldn't you think the more useful response to that would be 'If anyone is in any doubt about hand luggage, they should consult our website (insert address) for full terms and restrictions'? Or is it silly to think people actually want the correct ANSWER?