UK Airlines

If you’re travelling as a family or group, a little-known hack can be useful for those who pack a lot, and most airlines allow it as long as you follow certain restrictions that they set

Every group of travellers inevitably has one person who is filled with dread when they put their suitcase on the baggage scales. It might be the person who is super organised and taking the essentials everyone needs, or just a holidaymaker who loves to have multiple outfit options per day.

If you’re travelling as a couple, family, or group, then ‘bag pooling’ can be a handy hack to know, and many passengers haven’t heard of it. When you book checked luggage with airlines such as Ryanair, Jet2 and easyJet, you can choose a weight allowance, usually 15, 20, or 23Kkg, and if you book more than one suitcase, the allowance can be shared between them and doesn’t have to be equally divided.

For example, if as a couple you book two 23kg bags, that gives you a 46kg allowance, which can be distributed as you please. One of you could take 15kg and the other 30kg. But airlines do have an upper limit, due to restrictions on the maximum weight that baggage handlers can deal with. Here’s what some of the UK’s most popular airlines say about bag pooling and their specific rules around it.

EasyJet

Bag pooling is allowed on easyJet flights, and the airline clarifies: “If you’re travelling with family or friends on the same flight and booking, you can pool your total weight allowance.

“This means the total weight allowance can be split among the total number of bags booked, as long as no single item weighs more than 32kg. Maximum total size (length + width + height) = under 275cm. Please note that you cannot pool weight between hold bags and sports equipment.”

Ryanair

One of Ryanair’s FAQs asks: “Is bag pooling allowed?” to which the airline replied: “Yes. Bag pooling is allowed between passengers with check-in bags on the same flight reservation. This means that checked baggage allowances can be shared across passengers on the booking. For example, if you have 2 20kg Check-in Bags (40kg total) on your booking, one of those bags could weigh 15kg while the other weighs 25kg. However, no bag can weigh more than 32kg.”

TUI

TUI has clarified its rules around bag pooling on its website, however, passengers who’ve booked a TUI package holiday should double check which airline they’ll be flying with, as they sometimes use airlines such as Ryanair or easyJet. You’ll need to follow airline specific guidance.

On its official FAQs page, asking “Can I pool our luggage allowance?”, TUI states: “If you’re travelling with TUI Airways, you’re allowed to pool your luggage allowance with anyone else travelling on your booking. However, each bag can only weigh up to 25kg.

“If you’re unsure of your luggage allowance, then you can find this on your booking confirmation or by logging into Manage my booking. If you’re flying with any other airline, you’ll need to contact them directly.”

Jet2

Jet2 representatives took to social media after a passenger asked about bag pooling: “If one person is over does all the weight pool together or does everyone individual need to be 22kg?”, they queried, going on to explain that they had a group booking for 10 passengers, each with 22kg of checked luggage included in their booking.

A Jet2 spokesperson advised: “Yes you are able to pool your luggage providing you do not go over your overall weight limit and no one bag weighs more than 32kg.” The customer then followed up to ask: “So one person won’t be charged if their case is overweight slightly and the rest are under?”, to which Jet2 replied: “That’s correct. If one bag is slightly over, but others are under, you will still have room within your overall allowance and will not be charged.”

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

With the summer holidays set to be one of the busiest travel periods, everyone needs to be aware of the different rules when it comes to taking a nifty gadget on board flights

Before jetting off abroad this summer, it’s vital to understand the little-known gadget rule that varies by airline.

For most of us, packing a power bank for our holiday is top of the list, whether it’s to use at the airport or while exploring a new city. But there are strict rules for carrying the nifty gadget onboard.

Earlier this year, the International Civil Aviation Organisation amended its rules on passengers carrying power banks, along with lithium cells or batteries, onboard any aircraft. The changes came into effect on 27 March, limiting how travellers pack and use their power banks, with a cap on the number that can be taken on board.

The amended rules from the ICAO stated that power banks:

• Must be carried in carry‑on baggage
• Must be individually protected when not in use
• Must not be recharged on board the aircraft
• Should not be used to charge other portable electronic devices on board the aircraft
• Maximum of two power banks per person

There have been various reports of power banks causing hazardous issues onboard, with safety experts at the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) explaining that lithium batteries found in power banks can be dangerous on planes, primarily because they can enter “thermal runaway.” This is a process in which a battery experiences a rapid, uncontrollable temperature surge, potentially leading to fires, explosions, and the release of toxic fumes.

In accordance with International Civil Aviation Organisation rules, most airlines allow passengers to carry two power banks per person on board. However, they cannot be used during the flight and must be taken on board in their hand luggage.

What airlines allow two power banks?

• Asiana Airlime
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• China Airlines
• easyJet
• EVA Air
• Jet2
• Lufthansa
• Korean Air
• Loganair
• Qantas
• Ryanair
• Singapore Airlines
• Starlux Airlines
• TUI Airways
• United
• Vietnam Airlines
• Wizz Air

While these airlines allow two power banks on board, they also outline their own additional rules, including the permitted watt-hours and the required device condition. So it’s vital to check your airline’s specific power bank rules before jetting off abroad.

What airlines only allow one power bank?

While most airlines allow travellers to take two power banks on board, Emirates restricts customers to just one power bank per person. They state that it must be under 100 watt-hours, carried in hand luggage, and cannot be used to charge devices on board.

The airline also outlines that the power bank should not be placed in the overhead lockers, but must be placed in the seat pocket or in a bag underneath the seat in front. For full details on Emirates’ power bank rules, visit their website.

What airlines allow more than two power banks?

Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic permits passengers to carry up to five power banks or spare batteries per person. However, it depends significantly on their watt-hour (Wh) rating.

They also need to be stored in hand luggage and cannot be used during the flight. For full details on Virgin Atlantic’s power bank restrictions, visit their website.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

The airline cancelled its flights from London-Gatwick back in 2012, but now it’s back offering an affordable route to Asia via the Middle East with flights resuming this autumn after its break

A low-cost airline that axed its flights from the UK over 14 years ago is set to resume services with a new route from London-Gatwick, creating an affordable way to visit Asia.

AirAsia X, a Malaysian airline, launched flights to Kuala Lumpur from London-Stansted back in 2009, moving the service to London Gatwick in 2011. This made it the first budget carrier covering the so-called Kangaroo Route, connecting long-haul travel between Australia, Southeast Asia and Europe.

But just one year later, AirAsia X withdrew from unprofitable routes, including London, focusing instead on its operations in Sydney and Beijing.

The airline has now announced that it’ll once again offer flights to London-Gatwick. Although the newer flights will offer a stopover in Bahrain in the Middle East in order to cut costs. Flights will be on an Airbus A330-300, holding up to 377 passengers, which, on most airlines, has a 2-4-2 seat configuration in economy class.

The route was due to launch in June, but due to the conflict in the Middle East, it’ll now launch four times a week from August 27, before being available daily on dates from November 2.

Flights from Kuala Lumpur to the UK will leave at 10pm, stopping in Bahrain for an hour and 45 minutes, then arriving at London-Gatwick at 6.25am the following day.

London-Gatwick services will depart at 9.25am, with a two-hour stopover in Bahrain, before heading onto Kuala Lumpur for an arrival time of 9.25am the next day. This puts the journey time at 16-and-a-half hours overall, split almost evenly between the two legs of the flight.

Flights are now available to book online via Skyscanner, with dates in November currently showing at £551 return, which includes a small personal item and a carry bag, but no checked luggage. Travellers can also book the route for Bahrain alone if they wish.

If you prefer a direct flight, then British Airways flies to the city from London-Heathrow daily, while Malaysia Airlines also flies the same route twice a day, although these options are likely to be more expensive.

Kuala Lumpur is Malaysia’s capital, and it’s a vibrant city with plenty to do. You can see its stunning high-rise skyline from the Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest twin towers in the world that have a skybridge connecting them. Merdeka Square in its centre hosts a range of unique architecture, from British colonial to Moorish and modern, showing all the different styles that make this city so unique. Just outside the city, the Batu Caves are a huge draw for tourists, as they contain a number of Hindu temples and one of the tallest statues of a Hindu god in the world.

Pierre-Hugues Schmit, the chief executive of London-Gatwick airport, previously said in a statement: “The arrival of AirAsia X and flights to Kuala Lumpur is fantastic news for London Gatwick passengers. The new daily service will provide excellent opportunities to visit the city or onward connectivity across the region – ideal for holidaymakers, businesses and the many British‑Malaysian families who will now have even better options for visiting friends and relatives.”

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

Passengers flying on popular budget airlines this summer have been warned over a 32kg bag rule that many holidaymakers don’t know about, and it can see your suitcases turned away at check-in

There are endless packing hacks online to help you minimise the amount you take on a plane, but let’s face it, some of us just like to take a lot of extra stuff when we go on holiday.

And it’s not always out of choice. If you’re travelling with a baby, or you need to pack medical equipment, the size of your suitcase can soon grow and the luggage scales at the airport could end up groaning under the weight of your luggage.

Some passengers who travel as a group will use a bag-pooling hack. This means their luggage allowance as a group is spread between multiple cases. For example, if you travel as a couple and buy two 20kg bags, you could have one that weighs 30kg and one that weighs 10kg. But this travel hack does have a major exception some travellers don’t know about.

Not only do airlines’ policies vary on bag-pooling, with each one having its own rules about whether you can use this method, there’s also a strict upper weight limit for a single piece of luggage.

This rule isn’t about the airlines trying to charge extra for luggage. Bags need to stay under a certain weight due to baggage handlers having restrictions on how much they can lift. For most carriers, this is a strict 32kg weight limit for a bag or any item being checked in. Anything tipping the scales over this weight could therefore be refused at the check-in desk.

Here’s a look at what the UK’s most popular airlines say about upper weight limits and whether they allow bag pooling on their flights.

EasyJet

On easyJet’s website, it explains the rules about upper weight limits and sharing baggage allowances: “If you’re travelling with family or friends on the same flight and booking, you can pool your total weight allowance.

“This means that the total weight allowance can be split among the total number of bags booked, as long as no single item weighs more than 32kg. Maximum total size (length + width + height) = under 275cm.”

Jet2

Recently, a passenger with a booking for 10 people took to social media to ask Jet2: “If one person is over does all the weight pool together or does everyone individual need to be 22kg?” The airline replied: “Yes you are able to pool your luggage providing you do not go over your overall weight limit and no one bag weighs more than 32kg.”

The customer then followed up to ask: “So one person won’t be charged if their case is overweight slightly and the rest are under?”, to which Jet2’s customer service representative replied: “That’s correct. If one bag is slightly over, but others are under, you will still have room within your overall allowance and will not be charged.”

TUI

Passengers flying with TUI should check their booking to see whether the flight is operated by TUI airways itself, or another carrier. Some packages booked through TUI fly with third-party airlines.

TUI’s website states: “If you’re travelling with TUI Airways, you’re allowed to pool your luggage allowance with anyone else travelling on your booking. However, each bag can only weigh up to 25kg.

“If you’re unsure of your luggage allowance, then you can find this on your booking confirmation or by logging into Manage my booking”. Passengers who have booked a TUI package with a flight on a different airline should contact the company they are flying with directly for advice.

Ryanair

Ryanair’s FAQs are very clear about bag-pooling, saying: “Yes. Bag pooling is allowed between passengers with check-in bags on the same flight reservation. This means that if you have two 20kg Check-in Bags (40kg total) on your booking, one of those bags could weigh 15kg while the other weighs 25kg.”

But it was clear about its upper weight limit, saying: “However, no bag can weigh more than 32kg.”

Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com