Air New Zealand cabin baggage weight limit

I have been comparing the baggage allowances on different flights we will be taking in the next two years.

Air NZ has a cabin baggage allowance limit of 7 kg / 15 lbs in economy. (We will be in premium economy on our return flight SYD-AKL-LAX and have a 30 lb limit between two bags).

How have other folks managed with the 15 lb limit?

I have been comparing the baggage allowances on different flights we will be taking in the next two years.

Air NZ has a cabin baggage allowance limit of 7 kg / 15 lbs in economy. (We will be in premium economy on our return flight SYD-AKL-LAX and have a 30 lb limit between two bags).

How have other folks managed with the 15 lb limit?

I'm not sure what your question is about -- what's to manage? It is what it is.

I'm not sure what your question is about -- what's to manage? It is what it is.

Yes --it is what it is! That's the issue….compared to domestic airlines 7 kg is a very low limit.

Did folks buy ultra lightweight roller carry-on bags--if so which ones? I'm not seeing much under 5 lbs.

Did you pack differently --maybe things that normally you would carry with you are now in checked baggage?

I would just like ideas of strategies that have worked with a low cabin baggage weight limit. I know it all boils down to weighing bags and strategizing what goes where but if someone has had success with this I will be most grateful for your advice.

Hi - with the 7kg limit per person travelling to Australia - shouldn't be too hard - carry / wear jacket and this won't count in your limit. With the 14kg limit per person travelling home you can have this across 2 pieces of carry on, one of which can weigh up to 10kgs. I would suggest taking a carry on that has the capacity to "expand" to carry the extra weight limit and / or purchasing additional carry on luggage on your trip to stash anything you may purchase on your trip. This bag doesn't need to be too sturdy (saving on weight) as you will be the one handling it (not rough baggage handlers).

We try to take just enough toiletries etc to last for the trip and dispose of the containers when we pack to come home - this saves on excess luggage in our suit cases for flights. Also wear heaviest shoes on flight to save on weight in bags....

Also if you have picked up lots of brochures, paperwork etc on your trip, carry it onto the flight as reading material. Paperwork can really add up in weight in your bags.

Yes --it is what it is! That's the issue….compared to domestic airlines 7 kg is a very low limit.

Did folks buy ultra lightweight roller carry-on bags--if so which ones? I'm not seeing much under 5 lbs.

Did you pack differently --maybe things that normally you would carry with you are now in checked baggage?

I would just like ideas of strategies that have worked with a low cabin baggage weight limit. I know it all boils down to weighing bags and strategizing what goes where but if someone has had success with this I will be most grateful for your advice.

I think the key is to remember that a lot of the rest of the world travels like that all the time. Most also don't use roller bags.....they use briefcases, knapsacks, messenger bags, and tote bags. Don't pack a carry on bag with anything other than your electronics, medications, jewelery, money/ID, and any toiletries and entertainment you'll need for the flight.

I wish North American airlines had lighter limits and we could do away with the ridiculous rushing and crowding to get bulky, heavy wheely things hoisted up over innocent people's heads and into the overhead bins.

Note - DO NOT include your toiletries if they exceed the current travel requirements - e.g. container cannot exceed 100mls and they must be in a clear ziplock bag (there is a maximum size for this) and shown at each scanning point during travel. Also as per Calliopecruiser's response there is a size limit to the carry on luggage.

Thanks. I think the big change for us is where we put our heavier shoes as they typically go in our cabin bags-- along with anything else that is very difficult to replace. Thankfully DH's CPAP is allowed as an extra cabin piece by Air NZ. Just need to get my head around what goes where.

Did you pack differently --maybe things that normally you would carry with you are now in checked baggage?

Although a 7kg allowance actually lets you take quite a lot on. I can do a three-night weekend with a 7kg cabin bag. On a longer trip, with checked bags, this still allows me to take some changes of clothes with me so that I can get into clean clothes after a shower somewhere en route.

I think for us it will simply be a matter of wearing heavier walking shoes onto the plane and then changing into lighter slip-ons once on-board. I'm getting some LeSportsac, or similar, bags for the additional luggage we are allowed on the return flights.

Thanks for helping me think through this.

I don't understand why you need 2 pairs of shoes in your carry-on luggage? Just wear your lightweight comfortable ones on the plane and pack your heavy bulky ones in your checked luggage. The only thing that goes in my carry on is entertainment for the flight (book, iPad), electronics, medication and 1 lightweight change of clothes just incase my checked bag doesn't make it to the other side. I use a soft sided duffel bag that has wheels and it only weights about 5kg with all of this. Carry on isn't designed to supplement your checked luggage allowance, its supposed to be to allow you to take things you need with you during the flight.

I've found North America is the only place I've flown that allows those huge roll away bags stuffed to bursting as carry on, and I hated that rush to the plane just so you could get to the bin first. I learnt quickly to just take my handbag on these flights to avoid the drama.

I have been comparing the baggage allowances on different flights we will be taking in the next two years.

Air NZ has a cabin baggage allowance limit of 7 kg / 15 lbs in economy. (We will be in premium economy on our return flight SYD-AKL-LAX and have a 30 lb limit between two bags).

How have other folks managed with the 15 lb limit?

Have been in the last few years on long flights with Singapore Airlines, KLM & Malaysian Airlines, but all three had a 7kg carry on luggage restriction. For checked luggage it was 20kg.

Never found the 7kg hard to manage, but the 20kg is a totally different story:o:( Always a major hassle, especially when you go from summer here to winter there.

I think for us it will simply be a matter of wearing heavier walking shoes onto the plane and then changing into lighter slip-ons once on-board. I'm getting some LeSportsac, or similar, bags for the additional luggage we are allowed on the return flights.

Thanks for helping me think through this.

Having a personal luggage scale is valuable to have before you leave as well as to take so you can measure the weights yourself when packing. It's tough to re-pack in the airport although we saw plenty of people doing it.

We just returned to the US on Air New Zealand and they did indeed weight the carry on bags. You are allowed a "personal item" as well which they didn't weight. Those travel vests such as the Scott Vest allow you to pack a lot of extra weight on your body which also isn't weighed.

We met several US residents who ended up being forced to check what they expected would be their carry ons. That can put valuables in there at risk and also result is a huge extra luggage fee.

Good luck.

I don't understand why you need 2 pairs of shoes in your carry-on luggage? Just wear your lightweight comfortable ones on the plane and pack your heavy bulky ones in your checked luggage. .

We both have walking shoes that include orthotics for a variety of foot problems --expensive and difficult to replace if checked baggage does not make it--and we have had that experience! We love wildlife/walking excursions so treat the shoes as a valuable and take them in cabin baggage. Other than the shoes we only take on what everyone else is mentioning and certainly don't have bulging duffel bags.

I would love to see the same baggage rules on all airlines. We are flying on 5 different airlines in the next 10 mths --all have the same checked baggage requirements in economy --all have different cabin bag dimensions and/or weight limits. The dimension differences are understandable due to bin sizing. The variation in cabin bag weight allowance from no-limit to 7 KG is a little mystifying--as is what is allowed as a personal item.

My research has come up with some really light bags for both checked and cabin. The addition of wheels and pull handle add significantly to the weight.

This line has all sizes http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012NT44W/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This has some that will work

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C40VGS4/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This brand uses internal dimensions and does not include the addition of wheels. You can see the total size on the luggage tag but not on websites

http://www.amazon.com/IT-Luggage-Generation-Lightest-2-Wheeled/dp/B006CS5ICY/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1397663727&sr=8-6&keywords=it+luggage+world%27s+lightest

It's one of (many) irritants that airlines often don't enforce their own baggage weight limits although they do seem to be tightening up recently. Good.

I admit I'm very bad at packing way too much anyway but with carry on you do have to be very firm with yourself about what you actually NEED during a flight and it's surprisingly little. Kindle, medication, jewellery, travel docs, iPad, that's it.

I have been comparing the baggage allowances on different flights we will be taking in the next two years.

Air NZ has a cabin baggage allowance limit of 7 kg / 15 lbs in economy. (We will be in premium economy on our return flight SYD-AKL-LAX and have a 30 lb limit between two bags).

How have other folks managed with the 15 lb limit?

You will find threads on cc about the Air NZ baggage allowance.

I admit I'm very bad at packing way too much anyway but with carry on you do have to be very firm with yourself about what you actually NEED during a flight and it's surprisingly little. Kindle, medication, jewellery, travel docs, iPad, that's it.

I find that my electronics and cameras alone unfortunately weigh a lot and take up a lot of space (DSLR camera), especially when you include all the cords and chargers :(

I find that my electronics and cameras alone unfortunately weigh a lot and take up a lot of space (DSLR camera), especially when you include all the cords and chargers :(

It certainly all adds up….we have a few trips before our AirNZ one so I'll have chance to determine our absolute minimum of essential and valuable items and see what the weight is. Previously I have not paid a lot of attention to the weight of our cabin roll-on bags --even our 17" ones weigh about 5 lbs.

Luckily (?) we aren't super keen photographers so no bulky DLSR camera + gizmos for is. A good quality small point-and-shoot camera does a pretty good job at a fraction of the size/weight (and cost!).