International Flights Carry-on Allowance/Amount - How Much/Many Can I Take?

Lvivibluemage on 19/01/2024 - 08:26
Last edited 19/01/2024 - 09:15

Hey everyone, question for the frequent and infrequent travellers on here.

How much/many carry-on can you bring for an international flight?

I'm travelling for the 2nd time ever, first time back in 2017.
Both then and now are to Japan via Qantas non-stop.

I'm a bit confused on the carry-on allowance qantas has listed here.

I distinctly remember on my first trip bringing three pieces of carry on as I wanted to arrive there without bringing any checked.
One big duffel bag with the majority of my things, plus a small backpack and a laptop/messenger bag.

At first, I assumed they had simply reduced their allowance for customers, I asked my friend who is a frequent traveller for work (albeit domestic), but he couldn't find anything of the sort. I was able to find the email with my e-ticket from my first flight and to my surprise, it also had the same 1 piece of carry-on allowance.

Qantas says I can additionally bring "one small personal item", which I think may cover my laptop/messenger bag, but even I am reluctant to reuse it as per Qantas's vague wording, I (personally), wouldn't consider it a slim laptop bag, but it also isn't one of the bulky laptop travel bags.
But I'm still confused on how I managed to have 3 pieces previously.

Travel

Comments

  • Lord Fart Bucket on 19/01/2024 - 08:33
    +3

    It's specified in your ticket conditions.
    As per your link:

    Economy class
    One piece 7kg (15lb) in the following options:
    Sketch of a small suitcase
    Single bag
    1 piece of 115cm luggage
    = 56 cm + 36 cm + 23 cm.

    What's the confusion?

    • vivibluemage on 19/01/2024 - 08:58
      -1

      Both my previous and my current ticket have the same allowance, 1 115cm piece, 7KG max.

      I'm not one to try bending the rules/fafo, so I can't remember what would compel me to bring 3 pieces of carry-on last time unless I was certain I wouldn't get stopped.

      I was wondering if there's perhaps some travel hack or pro-tip that everyone knows about carry-on baggage that I don't know about.

      • park on 19/01/2024 - 09:22

        Yeah just follow the guidelines if you want to be certain of no hassles. Lots of people bend the rules, but they're taking a risk.

      • sumyungguy on 19/01/2024 - 09:51

        Hacks and scams generally apply to low-cost carriers, not Qantas. Hacks are about travelling light without needing to pay for checked bags. Scams are where travellers over the 1-piece 7kg limit conceal their extra piece, shift weight into a gate-checked bag, avoid the weight check by joining the check-in queue late, etc.

  • mskeggs on 19/01/2024 - 08:45
    +6

    Sometimes they don’t enforce limits strictly, sometimes they do. Sounds like you got lucky last time.

  • Rukiata on 19/01/2024 - 09:10
    -1

    what about handbags?

  • sumyungguy on 19/01/2024 - 09:12
    +3

    In addition to your carry-on baggage allowance, you may also carry onboard one small personal item such as a handbag, laptop computer, overcoat, small camera, a reasonable amount of reading material or a small amount of duty free goods (where permitted). If you're taking two pieces of baggage, you'll need to stow one of your bags underneath the seat in front of you.

    • jv on 19/01/2024 - 11:00
      -1

      Depends on the airline, some airlines include the personal item in the weight allowance.

      • sumyungguy on 19/01/2024 - 11:01
        +1

        Yes, but I believe OP is flying Qantas

  • quietsarcasm on 19/01/2024 - 09:31

    In my experience the low-cost carriers like Jetstar will check thoroughly in case there is an opportunity to charge you extra whereas full service airlines like Qantas, Singapore, etc don't check.

    I flew back from Japan 1 week ago on Cathay with 1 heavy (maybe 14kg) carryon but saw many other passengers with 2-3 big bags, no questions asked. And yes, the ticket also said 1 piece up to 7kg.

    YMMV

    • Shoocat on 19/01/2024 - 10:17

      YMMV is right. How militant they are can depend on variables such as how full the flight is, whether they have large package deal groups on board etc.

      • quietsarcasm on 19/01/2024 - 10:27

        Just sharing my experience. The recent flight I mentioned was full and by the time everyone got on there wasn't actually enough space in the overhead compartments for all the bags so departure was delayed while they sorted it out

  • Ryk on 19/01/2024 - 10:44

    15lb is only 6.8kg, so you wanna definitely take kilos.

  • Derrick Crane on 19/01/2024 - 12:47
    +2

    Why don't you check in your baggage? It's free on Qantas.

  • dogboy on 19/01/2024 - 13:51

    In my experience most people now take on 2 pieces of carry on luggage + hand bag + duty free. This leaves no space in overhead lockers so need to get on early to get space now. Pretty ridiculous imo.

  • cashless on 19/01/2024 - 16:07

    Why take so much stuff on the plane? Check it in and be happily reunited with it about 9 hours later.
    Qantas provides meals, screens, blankets, pillow. All you need is NC headphones, maybe a neck pillow and a smartphone.

    • try2bhelpful on 20/01/2024 - 19:15

      Lip Balm. Lots of Lip Balm. If I’m travelling my chargers go in the hand luggage as well. However, we take small day backs that go under the seat in front. Don’t need to worry about the scrum in the overhead.

  • freekay on 19/01/2024 - 17:04
    -1

    Only "hack" I can think of is that medical equipment e.g. CPAP machine doesn't count toward your limit, as long as its for you. i.e. you can't be a CPAP salesman carrying 44 machines as carry on. It's not usually included in the luggage/carry terms and is buried in other parts of the conditions for carriage.

  • stickingly on 19/01/2024 - 18:25

    I have taken 6 international flight in the past year. On 2 they weighed the hand luggage and any multiples and over 7kg was taken away and forced to check in over the tears and wails of their owners .

    On the others they didn't care and there were the usual morons cramming large suitcases and multiples into the overhead lockers so they was no room for anyone else

    I wish they would all enforce them

  • kiriakoz on 20/01/2024 - 10:00

    I flew Singapore Airlines to India for the cricket World Cup. I took the full 7 kgs plus a laptop bag full of electronics and chargers. No issues but that’s on their website that you can take the extra bag under certain guidelines.

    I saved hours not needing to check in baggage and not needed to do the baggage carousel dance.

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