You might have heard that free hand luggage could finally be coming back thanks to new EU rules. But what’s actually happening, when will it come in, and does it affect us in the UK?
Let’s find out!
What Are The New Hand Luggage Rules?
The new hand luggage rules are part of a wider update to European air passenger rights, which was first proposed back in 2013 and has now finally been agreed by the Council and European Parliament after years of debate.
The big change for baggage is that airlines will have to include hand luggage in the ticket price.
What hand luggage will you be allowed to take for free?
Under the new rules, passengers should be allowed to bring two pieces of hand luggage on board without paying extra.
This means one small underseat bag, with minimum dimensions of 40 x 30 x 15cm, plus one larger cabin bag for the overhead lockers.
Will this impact UK flights?
Yes, we expect it will.
Although the UK is no longer in the EU, UK air passenger rights still largely mirror the European rules, so it’s likely these changes will end up affecting UK travellers too.
Also, many airlines that operate in the UK – including Ryanair and Wizz Air – are European so they would need to comply with the new EU rules. As would UK airlines that are flying to European destination.
What airlines will this impact?
The rules are for all airlines that the laws cover, but the ones most likely to be impacted are those that currently include a small underseat bag for free, but charge extra for a larger cabin bag.
That means the big ones to watch are Ryanair, Wizz Air and easyJet.
However, airlines like Jet2 and British Airways already include both a small bag and a larger cabin bag in many of their standard fares, so for them, not much should need to change.
Why are these rules being introduced?
These rules are being introduced to make flight prices clearer and stop passengers being stung by extra hand luggage fees part-way through booking.
At the moment, two flights can look like they cost the same, but once you add a cabin bag, the final price can be very different. The idea is that by including hand luggage in the fare from the start, it should be easier to compare flights properly and know what you’re actually paying before you book.
When will these new rules come in?
The new rules are expected to come into place in 2027.
There are still some final steps to go through before they officially apply, so nothing is changing straight away. For now, you’ll still need to check each airline’s hand luggage rules before you book.
Will these new hand luggage rules make flight prices go up?
Potentially, yes.
While it sounds like brilliant news that hand luggage will be included, it doesn’t necessarily mean flights will suddenly get cheaper. Airlines who currently charge for a large cabin bag may simply build the cost of cabin bags into the ticket price instead.
So rather than paying a low fare and then adding hand luggage later, we could see the starting price of some flights go up around £20-£40.
But what if I only want to take one piece of hand luggage?
This is where it gets interesting.
Under the new rules, airlines will need to show you the price with both pieces of hand luggage included: one small underseat bag and one larger cabin bag.
However, if you only want to travel with the small bag that goes under the seat in front of you, airlines may still be able to offer you a discount for removing the larger overhead cabin bag.
So ultimately, it could end up being similar to what happens now – it’s just been flipped on its head. Instead of starting with the cheapest fare and adding a cabin bag on top, you’d start with the cabin bag included and potentially remove it for a lower price.
Will there be enough space on the plane?
This is one of the big questions.
Ryanair has said its planes only have space for around 90 larger cabin bags, despite seating up to 197 passengers. So if lots more people start bringing a bag for the overhead lockers, we could see more bags being taken at the gate, more competition for space, and potentially a slower boarding process.
However, it’s worth remembering that passengers may still be given the option to travel with just one small underseat bag for a cheaper fare, so not everyone will necessarily bring both pieces of hand luggage.
Plus, airlines like Jet2 and British Airways already include a small bag and larger cabin bag as standard, and they’ve managed to make it work for years.
What do the airlines think about these new rules?
As you can probably imagine, not all airlines are thrilled.
Ryanair has already criticised the changes, arguing that airlines will be forced to advertise higher fares with a second cabin bag included, even though some passengers would prefer to travel with just one small bag and pay less.
And it’s not hard to see why airlines are pushing back, as low-cost carriers make a huge amount of money from extras like seat selection, priority boarding and luggage fees.
But whether they like it or not, airlines flying in and out of Europe will have to follow the new rules once they come in – so the more interesting question is what they’ll do to cover the shortfall.
What positives could the new hand luggage rules bring?
While there are still lots of unknowns, the new rules could bring some really useful changes for passengers.
- Clearer flight prices: it should be easier to see the real cost of your flight upfront, rather than getting halfway through booking and realising a cabin bag costs extra.
- Easier comparisons between airlines: you should be able to compare fares more fairly, because the main price shown will include both a small underseat bag and a larger cabin bag.
- More hand luggage included: if you usually travel with a larger cabin bag, you shouldn’t have to pay an extra hand luggage fee just to bring it on board.
- Fewer nasty surprises at checkout: the price you see at the start should be closer to what you actually end up paying.
- More pressure on airlines to be transparent: airlines should have to be clearer about what is and isn’t included before you book.
What negatives could the new hand luggage rules bring?
As much as free hand luggage sounds like a win, there are a few potential downsides too.
- Flight prices could go up: airlines may build the cost of hand luggage into the ticket price, so the starting fare could become more expensive.
- You could pay for baggage you don’t need: if you only travel with a small underseat bag, you may end up seeing a higher fare first, even if there’s a cheaper one-bag option available later.
- Overhead lockers could fill up faster: if more people bring larger cabin bags because they’re included, there may be more competition for space on board.
- Boarding could take longer: more bags could mean more measuring, weighing, gate-checking and, let’s be honest, the odd argument.
- Airlines could get stricter: if they lose money from baggage fees, they may become more militant about checking bag sizes and weights.
- Weight limits could come down: even if dimensions are standardised, airlines may still try to limit how much you can pack.
- There could be an environmental impact: if more people bring more luggage on board, it could increase the overall weight of the aircraft.
What do we think about the proposed changes at Holiday Expert?
Chelsea here! I think it’s great that airlines are having to standardise their baggage allowances, as it’s currently so confusing that some bags are allowed on some airlines and not on others.
However, with airlines making so much of their income from these ancillary products, I am wary of how they will recoup the cost elsewhere.
A few things I’ll be keeping an eye on:
Higher starting fares: airlines may simply build the cost of hand luggage into the ticket price.
More expensive checked bags: if cabin bags are included, hold luggage could become pricier.
Pricier seat selection: choosing where you sit could become another way to make up the difference.
More fare bundles: we could see more “basic”, “regular” or “plus” fares designed to push you into spending more.
Higher admin fees: changes, corrections and other small extras could get more expensive.
More expensive priority boarding: especially if overhead locker space becomes more competitive.
A bigger push on add-ons: think insurance, hotels, car hire and anything else they can sell during booking.
Watch My Full Explainer on YouTube
If you want to know more about this issue, you can come and watch The Holiday Expert Show where we drill into this topic and I share all my thoughts about what I think is going to happen next.
Stay Updated On The New Hand Luggage Rules
The new hand luggage rules are expected to come into place in 2027, but there are still details to be confirmed around exactly how airlines will apply them.
We’ll keep this article updated with the latest information on free hand luggage, cabin bag allowances and what the new rules mean for UK travellers, so keep checking Holiday Expert for the latest updates.
