Baggage Allowances & Regulations
| Every airline has different rules and regulations regarding the amount of baggage you can take. It is important to ensure that you don’t exceed your luggage allowance, as fees for excess baggage are very costly. |
Cabin Baggage/ Hand Luggage Rules
Hand luggage refers to the bag and/or any items you take with you on board the plane. The less hand luggage you have, the quicker you will be able to get through airport security. As queues can form during busy times, you should factor in sufficient time before your flight to proceed through security screening. Here are some general rules:
- Amount of hand luggage: You are generally allowed to carry one small piece of hand luggage (with some exceptions). This has to be small enough to fit under the seat in front. Depending on your airline or the specific ticket type you have purchased, you may be able to bring additional or larger items on board with you. It is important to double-check your airline’s specific requirements before you set off to the airport, as excess hand luggage can incur costly charges.
- Your hand luggage must not hold any prohibited items as listed below.
- You are allowed to take liquids, gels, creams, and pastes with a maximum of 100ml in each container. These containers must be placed in a transparent, re-sealable plastic bag of 20cm x 20cm which must be sealed shut. For security screening, this bag must be removed from your luggage and placed into one of the trays provided.
It is important to check your hand luggage allowance with your airline
Liquids
The items below are considered liquids. They must be in a container of a maximum of 100ml capacity and need to be placed inside your resealable bag:
- hairspray and aerosols
- creams and lotions
- roll-on deodorants
- nail varnish
- sun-tanning/sun cream products
- lip gloss
- liquid soap
- toothpaste
- mascara
- contact lens solution
Baby food
If you are travelling with a baby under 2 years of age, you may carry the following items in your hand luggage as an exception to the usual hand luggage rules:
- Baby milk and sterilised water for the duration of your journey – this can be over 100ml and will be subject to additional security screening
- Expressed breast milk can be taken in unlimited quantities in containers with a maximum capacity of 2 litres.
- Baby food in a liquid, gel or paste form can be over 100ml.
Electrical Items
When passing through security screening, you will be required to remove tablets, laptops, and other electronic equipment from your hand baggage and place them in the trays provided.
Prohibited items
The following items are forbidden in hand luggage:
- Toy guns, replicas, and imitation firearms capable of being mistaken for real weapons.
- Catapults or slingshots
- Razor blades
- Sports bats, clubs, or cues
- Knives and scissors with a sharp or pointed blade longer than 6cm (scissors with blunt ends are permitted)
- Tools
- Darts
- Hypodermic syringes (unless for medical reasons)
- Potential weapon items
The above is not a complete or exhaustive list. Please check with your airline for a full list.
Checked-in or Hold Luggage
Hold luggage refers to the bags that you check in at your airline counter; These are stored in the hold of the plane for the duration of the flight. At Alicante Airport, all check-in counters are in the upper part of the airport’s departure area.
You are allowed to include certain items in your hold luggage that are not permitted in your hand luggage. Some of these items include:
- Liquids, creams, gels, and pastes in containers of over 100ml
- Walking/hiking poles
- Sporting equipment
- Certain razors and scissors
The above is not a complete or exhaustive list. Please check with your airline for a full list.
All airlines have weight limits for luggage. The industry standard used to be 23 kilograms (50.7 pounds), but nowadays there are many different rules across the airlines, and depending on the tariff you chose when buying your ticket. If your suitcase weighs more than the allowance included in your ticket, you will be charged per kilo. This can become costly, so it is worth double-checking the weight of your luggage before setting off to the airport.
Prohibited items
These items are prohibited anywhere on the aircraft, including your hold luggage:
- Party poppers
- Acids
- Poisons
- Flammable liquids
- Explosives
- Bleach
- Incapacitating sprays
- Ignitable gas devices
- Compressed gas
- Compressed air
- Firearms of all types
Further Information
Find out more about the security screening procedures at Alicante Airport.
See here for details on the luggage storage facility at Alicante Airport.
See our Lost Luggage page to find out what to do if your luggage doesn’t arrive or if you lose any items at the airport.
If you want to protect your luggage, there is a bag wrap facility at Alicante Airport.
