Stick to the carry-on rules so we don’t end up like US travellers

Saturday, 9 March 2024

It's fair to say most people have baggage, but some airline passengers are taking the absolute mickey with their jumbo sized hand luggage.

Juliette Sivertsen is the chief travel news director for Stuff.

OPINION: As Air New Zealand begs Kiwi travellers to stick to the carry-on rules, one key thought crosses my mind: please, let’s not become like the US.

Over there, checked luggage typically costs nearly double that of New Zealand, depending on the airline. Something most people don’t want to pay extra for - so they’ll do everything they can to travel with carry-on only. Even if it means wearing layer upon layer of clothing that would rival Joey Tribbiani from Friends, (“Could I BE wearing anymore clothes?”), or carrying bulky backpacks that take up an entire cabin hold designed for three people’s belongings, not one.

While we should all aspire to travel light, every domestic flight I’ve ever taken in the US has had overhead bins bursting like an overstuffed burrito, as passengers attempt to dodge extra baggage fees.

Prior to boarding, there is inevitably an announcement on the PA system begging for passengers to volunteer to check their bags in, explicitly stating there is not enough space for everyone’s bags. The message is repeated five minutes later, the begging becomes bribery and airline staff offer priority boarding to those passengers willing to part ways with their belongings.

Even if you do make it on the plane with your carry-on, chances are it’ll end up in an entirely different part of the cabin unless you can stuff it under the seat in front of you. You have to choose between leg room or waiting for the last passenger to deplane before searching up and down the aisle to find which row you stored your bag.

Boarding a plane can be stressful when you can’t find space in the overhead lockers.

But in New Zealand, we have it a bit different. I’ve noticed we seem to travel with a lot more checked in luggage, and typically have smaller carry-on. Air New Zealand enforces a strict 7kg limit for carry-on bags for domestic and international travel, which often surprises foreign travellers when they come here who are used to cramming as much as possible into the overhead locker. Business or premium economy passengers can take up to 14kg of cabin baggage.

Most US airlines, such as Alaska, America, Delta and United, charge between US$35-40 for the first bag - that’s about NZ$56-65 per bag. A second bag will set you back a further NZ$65.

For comparison, on an Air New Zealand domestic flight, the difference between the most basic fare (seat only) and a seat with checked in luggage of up to 23kg, is about NZ$30. To upgrade to two bags you’ll typically pay an extra $40 on top, (more if it’s an international flight), but that also includes seat select, fully refundable fares and flexible changes, as well as higher status points for Airpoints members.

A passenger stores his luggage in a overhead locker.

Reflecting on our giant checked-in suitcases, when Kiwis travel we are generally travelling longer distances, and for longer periods of time, potentially crossing multiple climates.

We love a big trip, a long trip, a holiday that ticks off multiple destinations in one go, a filled itinerary to maximise every moment of our time on the other side of the world. If you’re travelling 18,000 kilometres to London, then you might as well throw in France, Germany, Spain and Prague in the meantime. Let’s add a long layover in Singapore on the way back home to make the most of the trip, even if it means a sleep deprived tour in stinky travel clothes and fighting every urge pulsing through your veins that just wants you to lie flat somewhere and have 40 winks. No, we must make sure every dollar counts from that long-haul flight from Europe.

And so we pack as if we’re off to a far flung desert far from shops and supermarkets where we could purchase any item we might have forgotten or desire. Disaster preparedness is part of our DNA thanks to our shaky isles and volcanic land - and that means packing for all possible scenarios - a hot change, a cool change, a sudden monsoon or snowstorm, or in more recent times, a pandemic that will leave you stranded on the other side of the world and unable to get home.

We love nature and the outdoors so in goes the hiking gear, the thermals and the obligatory Kathmandu jacket. Then the fancy frocks for our foodie and fun nights out when we want to give more European refinery than backpacker on a budget. Togs (or undies?) for the beach. Pack a few sweaters and a rain jacket in case it’s cold at night, because that’s what we’re used to in New Zealand; an unstable climate that can take us from a beating sun to a biting southerly within hours. Sometimes we’re off on a ski trip and that’s an entirely separate piece of luggage.

We have our fair share of carry-on only travellers (all praise to you for your practical capsule wardrobe to cover the above scenarios), but when I’m standing in check-in queue in LAX, it’s always the Kiwis with the largest amount of luggage to check in.

And I can’t help think that’s what helps free up our overhead cabin space a bit more than most travellers in the US.

Is it better to check in more luggage in order to have lighter carry-on? Or should more of us try carry-on only? Let us know in the comments.