Planning to travel soon? Check out LATEST revised guidelines for hand luggage on flights

Plan your next flight?  Learn about the latest BCAS hand baggage restrictions before you travel.  Avoid airport delays by understanding the one-bag policy and airline-specific size/weight limits. Exemptions apply for tickets purchased before May 4, 2024.

If one is planning to travel by air, they should familiarise themselves with the new hand baggage policy by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) before heading to the airport. Ignorance of these regulations may result in preventable issues when you get there.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is in charge of airport security, and BCAS have tightened restrictions regarding the new hand luggage policy due to the growing number of passengers at pre-embarkation security checkpoints. Airlines have followed the BCAS and CISF's more stringent approach.

The new BCAS hand baggage policy states that travellers are only allowed to bring one piece of hand luggage on board. A traveler is only permitted to bring one handbag or cabin bag on an aeroplane, regardless of whether they are travelling domestically or internationally. Any extra luggage has to be checked in.

According to Air India, travellers in economy or premium economy classes are permitted to bring up to 7 kilogrammes of hand luggage. However, there is a larger restriction of about 10 kilos for passengers flying in first or business class. According to airline regulations, luggage must not be more than 55 cm (21.6 inches) tall, 40 cm (15.7 inches) long, and 20 cm (7.8 inches) wide.

One cabin bag, up to 115 cm in length and 7 kg in weight, is allowed per person on Indigo Airlines. Additionally, travellers are permitted to bring a personal bag up to 3 kg in weight, such as a laptop bag or a woman's pocketbook.

The updated requirements for handbag size do not apply to travelers who purchased their tickets before to May 4, 2024. The maximum weight or size restrictions for hand luggage are also waived for passengers whose tickets were purchased prior to the specified date. Eight kilograms for economy travelers, ten kilograms for premium economy passengers, and twelve kilograms for first or business class passengers are excluded.