Thomson Hand Luggage 'size' problem ! HELP.

[Tizzy]

Am I the only one struggling with the size for the Thomson Hand Luggage allowance ?

I have several cabin bags and small trolley cases but not one of them is small enough. 43cm x28cm x23 cm is a very ODD and very small size.

I have a slight disability and need a very small trolley type case that I can wheel along rather than carry. Any suggestions from anyone else who has bought a suitable case would be much appreciated. I am imagining they are going to be very strict about the hand luggage but it does say 'approx' 43 x 28 x 23cm. Has anyone travelled via Gatwick lately, using the Thomson charter ? How strict were they ?

[Midsomer Madness]

We use Tripp lightweight flight bags available at Debenhams, if your lucky they may be in the sale! Never had our hand luggage bags measured but they are usually weighed at check in :). Try this

 

http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_36536+T42161_-1?breadcrumb=Home%7Etxttripp

 

Currently £16 in sale similar to what we use, hope link work if not just type Tripp in search on Debenhams website

[annieuk]

We have never had our bag measured but the last time we flew with Thomson out to Barbados on a P&O fly cruise the check-in assistant asked to see our hand luggage. She was satisfied. Whether, if she thought they had been too big we would have had to put them in that basket thing that hand luggage has to fit in I don't know. We haven't had hand luggage weighed but met other people on board who had theirs weighed. I agree Debenhams is a good site to look at lightweight luggage.:)

[Starbright]

I'm going the week after next and have bought a small trolley case specifically to fit in with Thomson's requirements - hope it'll be OK.

 

It's IT-0-2 (supposed to be the world's lightest luggage) and measures 41x31x16.4) so hope this will satisfy them and fit in with their "approximate" description!

[JenniC]

If you look on the the Thompson Flights website they give a different size and we have gone with that before with no problems 55 x 27 x ?? Or round about! Taking same this time as well.

[davecttr]

The P&O website say your dimensions are guidelines only and chack with the airline and when I checked on the Thomsons flights site they say 55x40x20cm for hand luggage and that is the size I have always used without problems on a Thomson flight.

 

You might have an ex first choice plane but the hand baggage size for them is again 55x40x20

[Tizzy]

Thanks everyone for your kind replies. It would help me greatly to be able to take my usual trolley case and I too checked the Thomson website for measurements. They do say 55 x 40 x 20 cm. I wonder why we have been given different measurements by P&O ? Unfortunately our larger suitcases are not the sort you can fit a flight bag on top as this would sort the problem ! The Debenhams ones look great 'Midsomer madness' but we are not in the Uk so can't get to see them sadly. The IT-0-2 lightweight one sounds ideal Starbright.

We are finding that they make you put your case in the baskets at check-in nearly every time we fly now so I am going to try hard to keep within the size limit. Nothing worse than having to unpack at the check-in desk. Been there done that !!!

[Starbright]

I bought the It-0-2 one on line. I had to shop around as lots of sites only had the bigger ones. Finally got it at webretail.co.uk

[Cristaltips]

http://www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_36536+T41106_-1

 

This is the one I'll be using. It says 27x44x24 and we always put a couple of pairs of shoes in there to keep down the weight in the cases. If you've got 5kg for hand luggage, you need to use it wisely!!

[Tizzy]

Thanks Cristaltips

I wish we were able to go shopping in the UK before the Cruise. I am not sure one ordered online would get here in time now. The one Starbright mentioned looked ideal.

I think I have given up on the idea of trying to find a case on rollers. They are all too big. I have found one similar to the one in your picture and I think it is going to have to do. Thanks for putting the picture online for me to see.

[Starbright]

Didn't realise you were travelling so soon. However, good job you didn't try to order from Web Retail - I've just discovered they've gone into liquidation! If you ever want to try and track down the case I mentioned, the Style No is 12-0288-001.

[Britboys]

Not sure when you are going but Flylite are fabulous and have a very small trolley case. I have bought a couple from them. It is a small operation and customer service is swift and great. http://flylite.uk.com/

 

Good luck.

[Tizzy]

Many thanks Starbright and Britboys(Andrew)

Have just sent an order for the smallest cabin bag from Flylite as they will deliver to Europe. Just hope it will arrive in time but if not it will certainly come in handy for the Ryanair and Easyjet flights we use regularly. Really appreciate all the suggestions. I did look at the Web Retail site and realised they had ceased trading but thanks anyway Starbright.

[Starbright]

Have a good cruise. Mine starts next Thursday (24 Jan)!

[crafty sue]

I have travelled with Thomson many times and they have never ever checked my hand luggage size, they just ask how many piece of hand luggage etc. I got 2 nice small cases from Poundstretcher ! - don't know if you have one near you but they are quite small but my friend just borrowed them to fly ryanair and you may know how small their requirments are !

[Flynnboy]

Starbight, I have just bought the world's lightest hand luggage bag for the cabin, also IT. Bought it in Argos.:)

[Starbright]

I have the full set of IT. I love it. For my cruise this week I've decided to use the flight bag to take on board. It only weighs .56kg when empty, so that leaves more weight for things I want to put in it! Thomson only allow 5kg for in cabin luggage.

[chubbycharlie]

Hi, more luggage advice please , we fly on Thursday with Thomsons, we have a very small fly lite hand luggage bag and IT cases. How strict are they with the 23kg checked - does 23.6 go through? Can you pay for excess weight?

Thanks

[JEBEV]

Going on Azura in 2 weeks time out of Manchester on a TOM / FIRST CHOICE flight.

 

We have previously flown out of Manchester to our P&O cruises on a Thomas Cook charter ... last year we were asked at check in to try our hand luggage in the size frame and although the main body fitted OK the handle and wheels were slightly proud, despite appealing that the guideline was "approx" we were told we would have to check the case into the hold.

 

This year we obviously want to avoid the same issue so we took the 43x28x23 dimensions to a couple of local luggage shops and were told that we would struggle to get this size of case.

 

Asked who we were flying with, we said Thomson and the shop said they have 55x40x20 on their system for Thomson

 

Further they said 43x28x23 sounded like the old Thomas Cook size who used to be one of the smallest but even Thomas Cook had upped now to 55x40x20.

 

So (and it shouldn't be this complicated) I rang P&O flight dept and they said the web site was just a guideline and that the Charter company's T&C always applied.

 

Interestingly the P&O colleague then said they would flag internally as they thought there was a chance the size requirement may not have been updated.

[Tizzy]

Just back from our Cruise on Azura and guess what ! Thomson didn't even weigh the hand-luggage or check the size of the cases. There were some enormous travel bags on board. I am not saying you should ignore the rules but I wish I had taken my usual favourite trolley case. Coming back was a breeze, they didn't even check the liquids in your bag and certainly weren't bothered about weighing anything. Hope this helps anyone travelling soon.

[cruisebore]

Given that Thomson are now checking the weight of hand luggage and with the parsimonious allowances, we have elected to use lightweight climbers backpacks (Lowe Alpine) weighing just 600gms. Also useful for the beach.

 

Cb