Aviation

Baggage Guidelines

Whether you are packing for a solo trip across Europe or taking the family to the Far East, we have all the information you need. Find out what you cannot carry onboard our flights or what to do if you have done a little extra shopping to take back home.

Cabin or Carry-on Baggage

Not sure of what you can carry as cabin baggage? Learn more about weight, number of pieces, and what you can take onboard our flights.

Cabin Baggage or Carry-on Allowances

All passengers flying with us can bring a carry-on bag onboard and one personal item such a satchel or a bag for devices. Below are cabin baggage allowances on Air India flights for both domestic and international travel.

Dimensions

Height	55.8 cm (22 inches)
Length	35.5 cm (14 inches)
Width	25.4 cm (10 inches)

Please ensure the total dimensions of the bag do not exceed 114.98 cm (45.27 inches).

Number of pieces and weight

Economy Class		Business and First Class
Number of pieces	1	1
Weight	8 kg (17.6 lbs)	12 kg (26.4 lbs)
Charges for extra baggage	INR 500 per kg for domestic sectors
	USD 40 per kg for US, UK, EUR, Australia, and Canada sectors
	USD 15 per kg for all other international sectors
Not allowed	Baggage weighing more than 10 kg (22 lbs)

Star Gold customers can carry only one piece of hand baggage as per the security regulations in India.

Additional allowance for personal items

In addition to one piece of cabin baggage, travellers may also be permitted to carry one of the following personal items, subject to security regulations:

Handbag
Overcoat or wrap
Rug or blanket
Camera or binoculars
Reasonable amount of reading material
For passengers flying with infants:
- Food for the flight
- Feeding bottles
- Carry-on tote for food and bottles
For passengers requiring assistance:
- Collapsible wheelchair
- Crutches or braces
Walking stick
Umbrella (folding kind only)
Medicines required onboard such as inhalers
Laptop

Carrying liquids

More than 100 ml of liquids, gels, or aerosols must not be carried in the hand baggage. Medicines, inhalers accompanied by prescriptions, and baby food are excluded from this list. These items should be carried in one clear transparent re-sealable, one litre plastic bag and are subject to prescribed screening and security checks.

Make sure your hand baggage does not have more than 100 ml of these liquids:

Beverages
Toiletries such as shampoos, toothpaste, sunscreen, and moisturisers
Hair gels and sprays
Liquid cosmetics or any other items of similar consistency

Please check local regulations before you pack your hand baggage.

Sikh travellers carrying kirpan

Sikh passengers on flights with both points of origin and destination within India, are permitted to carry a kirpan with them. The length of the kirpan, including blade and handle, must not exceed 22.86 cm (9 inches).

The length of the blade must be at most 15.24 cm (6 inches), and the handle not more than 7.62 cm (3 inches).

Passengers cannot take the kirpan as hand baggage or on their person on any international or domestic flights operating from an international terminal security hold area.

While travelling to or from canada

Your journey between Canada and India may include travel on an Air India codeshare flight operated by Air Canada. Each operating carrier determines rules for carry-on baggage and Air Canada’s allowance may differ from ours. Read all about Air Canada’s carry-on baggage allowance here.

Restricted items that cannot be carried on as cabin baggage

While most power banks can be carried as hand baggage, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 cannot be checked-in or carried onboard the aircraft as carry-on.

To learn more about the ban on carriage of lithium battery powered self-balancing devices, click here.

Here’s the list of other restricted items that you cannot carry as cabin baggage:

All drones, except those falling under nano and micro categories
Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS)
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

Checked Baggage Allowance

What you must know about your checked baggage on our domestic and international flights.

Domestic flights

Cabin Class	Brand	Baggage
Economy	Comfort	20 kg/44 lb
	Comfort Plus	25 kg/55 lb
	Flex	25 kg/55 lb
Premium economy	Comfort Plus	30 kg/66 lb
Premium economy	Flex	35 kg/77 lb
Business	Comfort Plus	35 kg/77 lb
Business	Flex	40 kg/88 lb
First	First	40 kg/88 lb

Points to remember

The above allowances apply only to Air India operated flights and not on Air India Express or codeshare flights.
For passengers travelling on Air India domestic sector and connecting to Air India international sector or vice versa on the same ticket, the allowance of international sector will apply.
Star Alliance Gold members are permitted an additional 20 kg/44 lb of baggage in the economy class.
Members of premium clubs and our Flying Returns programme will get additional baggage.
Infants are entitled to one collapsible stroller/carrycot/infant car seat.
The maximum weight permissible for a single piece of baggage is 32 kg/71 lb. This rule is applicable on the entire Air India network.
Passengers can carry assistive devices free of charge as additional baggage subject to the limitation of the aircraft as per DGCA guidelines.

Restricted Items & Baggage Advisory

Unsafe and restricted items

While packing your bags, it is always important to ensure that you only carry what is considered safe for air travel. Be it your carry-on or cabin baggage, carrying such hazardous items poses a threat to you, your fellow passengers and crew onboard. To make it easier for you, here is a quick guide to the list of items that are seen as unsafe for flight travel. If you are carrying any of these items, never hesitate to inform the security-check personnel and discard them as per the instructions given to you.

Not allowed in hand baggage

Flammable items like lighters.
Sharp objects: Box cutters, saws, cigar cutters, ice axes, ice picks, metal objects with sharp edges, scissors (metal with pointed tips), razor-type blades not in cartridge (excluding safety razors), knives (any length and type except round –bladed, butter, and plastic cutlery having no sharp edge), meat cleavers, sword, sabers, knitting and crochet needles, umbrellas with sharp edges.
Sporting goods: Baseball bats, bows and arrows, cricket bats, golf clubs, hockey sticks, lacrosse sticks, pool cues, ski pools, and spear guns.
Tools: Axes and hatchets, cattle prods, corkscrew, crowbars, hammers, drills (including, cordless portable power drills), saws (including, cordless portable power saws), tools (including, but not limited to wrenches and pliers).

Not allowed in checked-in or hand baggage

e-cigarettes: An electronic device that heats a substance, with or without nicotine and flavours, to create an aerosol for inhalation and includes all forms of Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), Heat Not Burn. Products, e-hookah and similar devices.
e-cigarettes (including e-cigars, e-pipes, other personal vaporisers, all forms of Electronic Nicotine Delivery System (ENDS), Heat Not Burn Products, e-Hookah and similar devices
Personal Mobility Aids (PMAs) are designed to transport individuals with difficulties walking. For example, motorised wheelchairs and mobility scooters are not controlled by the Land Transportation Authority (LTA) in Singapore.
Explosive materials: Flare guns, gun lighters, gun powder, blasting caps, dynamite, fireworks and firecrackers, flares (in any form), party poppers, bang snaps, hand grenades, plastic explosives, and realistic replicas of explosives.
Compressed gases and cylinders: Deeply refrigerated, flammable, non-flammable, and poisonous gases such as butane, oxygen, liquid nitrogen, and Aqua Lung cylinders and fire extinguishers.
Hair curlers containing hydrocarbon gas

Excess Baggage

Need to pack something extra? Find out what you need to do and review our excess baggage fees.

Rules for Excess Baggage

If you think your baggage might exceed the allowed limit on your flight, we have got you covered! For an additional fee, you can carry baggage heavier or larger than what is allowed on both our international and domestic sectors.

If you exceed the permissible weight limit, we charge a fee on the excess baggage applicable on your ticket. The weight limit on a single bag is 32kg/70 lb

Special Baggage

Take advantage of our special baggage feature to fly with your sports equipment or musical instrument right next to you.

Carrying Special Baggage

Whether it is your favourite cello or prized golf club, we are committed to the safe transfer of your special baggage. While all cabin baggage is subject to security clearance, you can stow small musical instruments in the cabin if they meet dimension and weight requirements. Book an extra seat for special belongings like diplomatic mail, expensive and fragile articles (antiques, artifacts, heirlooms, etc.), and non-bulky musical instruments

Pointers to consider while carrying special baggage:

Weight of the baggage must not exceed 75 kg/165 lb.
Baggage must be packed well to avoid injury to other passengers.
Secure the baggage in a seat adjacent to you with the seat belt to avoid mishaps during the flight.
It must not restrict access to the emergency exits or aisle of the cabin.
It must not obscure passengers’ view of the seat belt, no smoking, and exit signage.
Baggage must not contain dangerous goods.
The seat for baggage must be prepaid and booked in advance.

Unaccompanied Baggage

Are you sending baggage as cargo? Check this to know about what you can carry and when your unaccompanied baggage will reach you.

Send Your Extra Luggage as Cargo

Unaccompanied Baggage service

Planning a move to a different country? We suggest our unaccompanied baggage service. It allows you to travel light and ensures your excess baggage reaches your destination without any hiccups.

Unaccompanied baggage should include personal apparel and articles you own, such as:

Musical instruments
Portable typewriters
Portable sports equipment

Items that should be excluded from unaccompanied baggage include:

Machinery
Machine or spare parts
Money
Securities
Jewellery and watches
Plated wares
Furs
Films and cameras
Tickets
Documents
Liquors and perfumes
Articles of household furnishing
Merchandise and salesman samples

Lost or Damaged Baggage

Still waiting for your baggage to arrive? Has your baggage been damaged or lost? Learn about what we do to ensure your luggage is safe.

How we Handle Delayed, Lost, and Damaged Baggage

Delayed Baggage

Any baggage which is not received in a specified time is delayed baggage. Passengers may connect with Air India personnel at the arrival hall and report the delay in baggage. A Property Irregularity Report will be filed for further action and a copy of the report will be shared with you.

Lost Baggage

Luggage will be announced as lost if we are unable to trace it for 21 days from the date of Property Irregularity Report. All claims shall be substantiated with an itemized list of contents, description, age and proof of purchase or ownership of all items.

Damaged Baggage

If your luggage is broken, torn, or physically tampered, it is considered damaged. We recommend that you get adequate insurance coverage prior to travelling.

Travellers are advised not to carry valuables such as jewellery, encashable articles, negotiable papers, and currency in their checked baggage. We will not be liable for loss or damage to or delayed delivery of fragile or perishable articles or items of value or importance such as money, jewellery, silverware, cameras, electronics, video, computer or photographic equipment, negotiable papers, securities, heirlooms, antiques, artifacts, work of art, irreplaceable books or publications, manuscripts, business documents, precious metals, and other similar valuables or commercial effects.

Track Your Bags

Delayed or damaged baggage? Just enter your details into the WorldTracer Baggage Tracing System and leave the rest to us.

How to Track Your Misplaced Baggage

We take pride in flying your belongings safely and swiftly to your destination. But if something goes wrong, we do our best to ensure your baggage is returned immediately.

Our state-of-the-art computerised tracking system helps speed up locating and returning misplaced or damaged luggage at the earliest. Your baggage information has been added to this worldwide computerised baggage tracking system, where you can check the status of your baggage.

Ensure your name, address, flight information, and bag details are correct. In case of any inconsistency, please inform us at the earliest so that we can update your file. This helps us track and return lost items efficiently. All the contact information will be made available on the Property Irregularity Report.

We will advise you once your baggage has been received and arrange a convenient time for delivery.

Prepaid Baggage Charges

Pay less when booking additional baggage using Air India's prepaid baggage allowance scheme.

Make the most of our Prepaid Baggage offer to escape last-minute airport dashes!

Any additional weight carried by a passenger beyond the allotted Free Baggage Allowance (FBA) is considered excess baggage.Take advantage of our prepaid baggage offer to pay for excess baggage ahead of time (up to six hours before the flight departure) and save more. Any passenger holding a valid e-ticket with a number starting with 098 can utilise this offer for domestic flights on Air India.

Baggage Policy for International Airports

Find information on the baggage acceptance policy of airports in Oman, Bahrain, Sharjah and Dubai.

Travelling to the UAE or Southeast Asia with extra baggage? Find out what is the baggage acceptance policy in your destination to avoid last-minute hassles.

As per the current rules and regulations for baggage at the Bahrain International Airport, items that match the below description will no longer be accepted:

Irregularly shaped baggage tied with rope.
Round or irregularly shaped baggage
Baggage with long or loose straps that restrict the movement of the luggage handling system.

Everyday out-of-gauge and odd-shaped items like baby strollers, bicycles, wheelchairs, and golf bags will still be permitted. However, we recommend using baggage with at least one flat surface, regular travel bags, or suitably packed boxes with a flat surface for swift movement.