Dave Noble

Even if this is the case, it is still nothing to do with British Airways ; the BAA and BA are 2 completely different companies

Dave

alanR

Which bit of "BA and BAA are different companies" don't you understand?

ejmiami

I get the ONE bag rule for flying BA, however I'm wondering about getting my jacket onboard. As I understand it, this s hould not be a problem on the way to the UK, however can I carry the jacket onboard with me upon my return to the US ? (in addition to my carry on bag - obviously).

Before you snicker at the seemingly silly question, I live in Miami and the concept of wearing a jacket of any heft is just silly here - so I would normally be hand carrying (not wearing) any jacket I take with me to cooler climates. I am used to doing this flying domestic, however this is my first trip overseas.

I definitely do not want to hike it back to check-in when I depart Edinburgh to LHR on the return trip.

Thanks,
Liz Williams

Raffles

Since you need to take off your jacket for security, it is not a problem!

Do note, for total clarity for female travellers, that your purse / handbag counts as 1 item. You cannot go through security with a purse AND a carry-on bag. You need to put the former in the latter.

BAAZ

... And having a jacket with lots of pockets is useful as you can stuff all the things that won't fit into your one carryon bag.

RichardInSF

Absolutely, and BA has no influence whatsoever on what BAA does, is that also your belief? Come on guys, there is absolutely no remaining reason for that baggage restriction, none whatsoever. Furthermore, no other country in the world is going to adopt it so it is a competitive disadvantage for BAA to keep it.

bcmatt

Absolutely - BAA run several airports in the UK (we do have them beyond London you know) and many of them have limited BA presence (it is not the only UK airline you know).

This is BAA incompetence/unwillingness not invest money in running security and their successful lobbying of the DfT to impose it on all UK airports, not just BAA ones (they don't own every British airport by the way).

But you have decided that BA are solely responsible for the one-piece of hand luggage rule in the UK for some unknown reason and have conspired to impose it on all other airlines flying through the UK for some inexplicable motive, even airports they don't serve.

I'm neither a BA nor BAA apologist (rarely use either nowadays - yay BHX) but please!!

sdsearch

And you don't smell conspiracy here?

In case you're not aware: LHR, GTW, and the other UK airports operated by BAA are among the very few airports in the whole world operated by a for-profit company. BAA is more interested in maximizing sales at its airport concessions than in anything else! And guess what, this restriction is diverting airport concession sales from other airports that people originate at to the BAA airports (especially LHR) that they connect at! Ka-ching!!

So while on the one hand BAA may be losing some money by people choosing to not connect at LHR, for those people who continue to connect at LHR they may be making more money as a result of these severe carryon restrictions! And, oh my gosh, they're the ones requesting the severe carryon restrictions!!!

Aviatrix

GTW??? (I think that's the rail code for Gatwick train station...)

Do you have statistics to prove that "very few" airports are operated by not-for-profit companies?

Yeah, and I am sure that that whole Europe-wide liquid ban was introduced as a result of lobbying by airport shops...

basia

Hmphhh. I can't imagine BAA making a lot of money with people stuck in the FCC for hours on end...! Last time I connected through LHR to TBS I didn't even have time to stop and buy the Economist - very annoying since there are NO Western newspapers/journals in TBS.

RichardInSF

Oh, they are plenty profit oriented. Doesn't mean they are doing a good job of it, though. That's why they need help through legislation.

nbevan

The no liquids rule when passing through security is now applied in all EU airports. The exception is that you can take duty free purchased in one EU airports through security in other EU airports (it comes in a sealed transparent bag).

The UK is so far unique in strictly enforcing a one bag and size rule (despite some predictions to the contrary), but I can't see any financial benefit for BAA in this (other than speeding up security checks).

Aviatrix

But unless you left space for it in your one carry-on then the sealed transparent bag becomes a second item which you are not allowed to take through security...

I agree the one-bag rule is silly (even if it does speed things up slightly at security). But I don't think it's a conspiracy to increase duty-free sales at UK airports.

Raffles

It drastically REDUCES sales of duty free in UK airports - because if you are travelling with hand baggage only to Europe then you will not be able to bring anything liquid you buy over 100ml back into the UK!

cruisr

LGW and LHR are both 1 bag carry on limit. I went through the circus at LGW on Tuesday. If you fly out of Luton on Silverjet or Stansted on EOS you can bring more then 1 bag onboard.