One Hand Bag Rule | Domestic Flyers Can Only Carry One Cabin Bag: Check List of Exclusive Items

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on Friday issues a circular and remind airlines to reduce the number of handbags per passenger to one for domestic flyers in the country.

This comes after the BCAS found that domestic flyers with more than one cabin handbag are choking the security check-in counters at airports.

As per the circular issued by the BCAS AVSEC Circular Nos. 06/2000 & 11/2000, domestic passengers are only allowed to carry one cabin baggage and this rule is for all the domestic flights in India;

One Hand Bag Rule

No passenger should be permitted to carry more than one hand bag other than those items already listed in the circular including a lady’s bag. However, it has been seen that passenger on average carries 02-03 Nos of hand bags to the screening point. This has led to increased clearance time as well as delays, congestion in PESC points, and inconvenience to passengers.

BCAS advised the airlines to implement the following measures:

• All airlines and airport operators may be instructed to take steps to implement the ‘One Hand Bag rule’ meticulously on the ground to ease out the congestion and other security concerns.

• Airline may be made responsible and depute staff to guide pax, check and verify their hand bag status etc, before allowing the passenger for Pre-embarkation security checks.

• All airlines may be directed suitably to inform pax and to display “one hand bag rule’ on their tickets/boarding passes very conspicuously.

• Airport Operators may be instructed to place hoarding/banner/board/standees displaying the contents of the ‘One hand bag Rule’ near the check-in counters, vantage locations before SHA at the airports so that passengers get sensitized and if required, have an option to switch their extra hand bags to registered baggage.

However, this will be exclusive of the following items;

• Laptop
• Lady’s hand bag.
• An overcoat or Wrap.
• A rug or a blanket.
• A camera or a pair of binoculars;
• A reasonable amount of reading material for the flight;
• Umbrella or walking stick.
• A gilt item purchased from a duty-free shop.
• Infant’s feed for consumption during the flight and infant’s carrying basket provided an infant is carried.
• Collapsible wheelchair and/or pair of crutches or braces for passenger’s use if dependent on these; and

Cabin Baggage Allowance For Domestic Flights