I'm travelling HKG/DXB/VCE (Venice), econ class next month. I will be bringing one convertible wheeled backpack (Antler) and one medium sized backpack. EK website says each pax only permitted one carry on bag on econ class. How strict is EK on enforcing this rule? Or will they allow one carry on plus one personal bag, like most US domestic carriers?

I've flown EK before and seem to recall a lot of pax have multiple carry on bags.

Thanks.

Depends on the station and route. On my usual route to/from Accra, they ALWAYS enforce not only the one piece rule (excluding Duty Free bags which are allowed without restriction ) but also the 7kg limit. I've had to remove my laptop charger and some papers from my backpack on occasion to squeeze under the limit. 7.1kg was not acceptable to them. Business Class is allowed 2 pieces, but the 7kg limit is applied strictly there too. Elsewhere in the system, they are a lot less strict.

I fly with EK out of HKG very often and they seem to be quite nice and don't weigh the hand luggage, as long as it doesn't look too big/heavy.

wtjulianchan, thanks for reply. Any experience with being able to carry on one legitimate (say 22x14x9 inches) backpack/roller PLUS one medium size regular backpack? Or will EK check in staff say those are two carry on bags, and only one will be allowed as carry on? This is for econ class, where website says only one carry on bag is permitted.

Worse comes to worse I would check the backpack/roller for connection at DXB onward to VCE, but I fear risk of that bag not making it to VCE for whatever reason, and I have only one day in VCE before boarding a cruise ship. So I can't really wait even one day for a delayed bag to arrive to VCE. A lost bag or a delay of two days for bag to arrive would wreck havoc with my cruise arrangements, even with travel insurance.

These are the out stations where I've had trouble to carry with me an overweight carry on (not oversize; sometimes I carry a lot of books with me).

CPT
PVG
HKG
LHR
LGW
MNL

In each case (!) my carry on was weighed at check in, and I had to speak with Emirates uniform staff about the bag. In some instances, I used with success the excuse that I needed some of the items in the bag to take a shower in the lounge. In that case, it was agreed that the bag would be gate checked at boarding time, but this never happened.

Other places never check:

CAI
DXB
RUH
DMM
JED
FRA
MAN
BAH
BKK

I only list the stations I frequent 3+ times a year.

Thank you for perpetuating the perception that elite travelers don't believe that the rules apply to them.

B747, I think that comment is a bit harsh. I think almost any traveler would try to argue out of having to check a slightly heavier bag than the airline's rules permit, without necessarily having the attitude that the rules don't apply to elite travelers. UAworldwide did say "it was agreed..." meaning that he agreed to the condition, but at the gate, no one from Emirates followed up on having to check the bag. His gain was due to lack of follow up by Emirates, not by something devious that he did.

From my own travel experiences with Emirates - there have been times when each and every passengers carry on is once more rechecked by Emirates staff prior to boarding and everyone with overweight hand luggage could not take it on board but had to leave it at the boarding gate for check in. At other times nobody checks or says anything. So just for peace of mind it might be worth staying within the limits instead of risking it.

Indeed, maybe the subject exposure was a bit to direct, but indeed, there are many airlines that do this on a regular basis according to the place the fly to. From my experience EK has a good policy regarding cabin baggage, if it's fairly big, then you'll have to weigh it, it it seems decent, you're off the hook.


And as you've mentioned it, each airline has some stations that have preferential status and thus they don't enforce the rules.

At LHR, I've seen (on more than one occasion) a person being told his/her carryon is overweight or too big. The man/woman then says ok I won't take it, I'll just give it to my friend who will take it back home and then trotts off through security with the bag to board his/her flight. I have never done it myself but I always admire those people... gutsy.

Why bother having rules then? Passengers kick up such a fuss when the airlines don't honour any tiny thing in their favour, but are perfectly happy to condone violations the other way? Puhleez. It is cheats like that who are the real reason why the rest of us have to suffer from various cutbacks in services.

I don't see how having a 1-2kg+ luggage as an Elite+ can affect the quality of the services...
Don't get me wrong, I'm disgusted when I hear that staff is unwilling to let you take your carry-on just 'cause it's a bit too heavy, when you fly them all year round and even more so if people do as stated above (saying that they'll leave the bag and then just take it on board).

How strict are they with cabin luggage size? Got a 22" cabin luggage with wheels, would that be oke/accepted?

Here is link to FAQ's from Emirates' website on baggage:

http://www.emirates.com/hk/English/h...ry=214913#faq4

Basically rollers of size up to 45 inches linear measured in total (22 x 15 x 8 inches) under 7 kg is permitted, one such bag per pax in econ class, 2 pcs for biz and first class. I was told by HK Emirates sales office that in addition, one computer bag with computer and/or ladies handbag of reasonable size can also be brought on board. My question was, if computer bag contained not a computer but other personal items, would that be OK? Could not get an answer to that question.

For female pax, I suppose they would be permitted one carry on bag plus one computer bag plus one handbag, but who knows?

Maybe the elite members should have a higher allowance than others, but there still has to be a line drawn somewhere. Once that line is drawn it should be policed uniformly.

We've all seen the pax laden down like pack horses with hand baggage way beyond anything practical or sensible. Pure selfishness on their behalf.