Baggage

• Kinds of baggage:

The amount of baggage you are allowed to take on board depends on the tariff of the ticket you bought. Irrelevant of that, however, you are allowed to take two kinds of baggage: hand (cabin) baggage which will remain under your own custody and whose dimensions should not exceed 55 x 40 x 20 cm and whose weight should not exceed 5-8 kg and the registered (main) baggage which is registered at check-in. It is carried in the baggage compartment and it remains under the carrier’s custody.
Most airlines charge a fee for every item of the registered baggage.

• Limits:

It is worth checking what baggage limits are allowed on a given flight as airlines define them individually. The weight of the registered baggage should not, however, exceed 20 kg (i.e. 44 pounds) in economy class and country routes; 30 kg (i.e. 66 pounds) in business class and 40 kg (i.e. 88 pounds) in the first class.
Baggage that exceeds permitted limits and non standard baggage (for instance sports equipment) is subject to an additional charge which has to be paid at the airline ticket sales office at the airport or earlier via the Internet or a hotline.
The allowed amount of the registered baggage may also depend on the continent to which you are travelling. As long as in Europe, Asia, Africa, Southern America, Australia, Oceania and in the Middle East there is a weight system which allows to take one baggage item free of charge, in Northern America there is an item system, which allows to take two baggage items free of charge.

• Safety:

Make sure your baggage is marked in a characteristic manners so that you can easily recognize it. It is also advisable to attach a tag with your first name, surname, address and phone number. Suitcases tend to be similar to one another and it is easy to make a mistake when you are in a hurry.
If you are going to take sports equipment with you, such as: a bike, diving equipment or skis – remember that it will be subject to an additional charge and it will have to be carried in a special protective package.
International safety regulations prohibit carriage of dangerous items, among others, weapons, explosives or inflammable materials, knives of different types, spirit, solvents, paints and poisonous substances etc. Items which do not comply with safety requirements are confiscated at security checkpoint.

• Lost, stolen, damaged or delayed baggage:

Claims have to be submitted after arriving in the baggage collection area or in the lost property office in the transit area of the airport. After showing a ticket or a slip of the ticket, a proof of sending the baggage or an ID, you will receive a Property Irregularity Report to complete, on the basis of which, a search procedure will be started. Keep all the documents, including the declaration of the baggage value, and if it is necessary, apply for a compensation.