Airlines seem to be constantly shifting the goal posts and charges when it comes to luggage that you can take in the hold of the plane. Being uncertain about what allowances you have can lead to hefty excess baggage charges when it comes to check in. Travelling with children often means carrying lots of extra items and allowances can get confusing. If you are travelling with sports equipment it can be even more of a minefield with different charges depending on the type of equipment you are carrying and the weight of the equipment you are carrying. Here is a simple guide to what some of the top budget airlines allow in terms of hold baggage and sports gear in the hold.
Easyjet
Hold Luggage: 20kg per person (not per bag) at a cost of £31 (return journey.) You can purchase extra luggage allowance (£7 per Kilo online or £11 at the airport) but cannot exceed 32kg per person. Infants do not have free baggage allowance so this must be paid for. For every infant or young child you can take up to 2 of the following items free of charge: pushchair, buggy, travel cot and car seat.
Sports Equipment: You are allowed up to 12kg extra for sporting equipment (up to 32kg of baggage in total.) One item must be genuine sporting equipment. Charge for carrying sporting equipment is £27 online or £35 at the airport.
Jet2
Hold Luggage: Up to 22kg per person charged at £15.99 each way. Passengers can take up to 3 22kg bags t their booking. Price for the second and 3rd bag will always be charged at the same rate as the first (if booked in advance.) No single bag must weigh more than 32kg and your personal baggage allowance cannot exceed 30kg across all items of hold luggage. Excess baggage is currently charged at £12 per kg. Infants do not have free baggage allowance so this must be paid for. Pushchairs, car seats, cots, and buggys can be carried free of charge unless the combined weight is more than 10kg.
Sports Equipment: 20kg maximum charged at £25 each way.
Monarch Airlines
Hold Luggage: 20kg per person charged at anything between £12.99 and £19.99 depending on route and if booked online. If paid for at the airport it is £25 per bag for a one way trip. Vantage silver or gold members can carry up to 30kg of hold baggage but excess baggage fees still apply. You can pre-book excess baggage at a reduced online rate of £10 for the first 3kg and £7.50 for every kilo after that, up to a maximum of 32kg per person. If you book excess baggage through Monarch’s call centre it will be charged at £10 per kilo. Pushchairs, car seats and buggys can be checked in with no extra charge as long as they do not exceed 10kg per child. Infants receive baggage allowance and travel cots must form part of this.
Sports Equipment: You can check in additional sports equipment including golf clubs, surf boards, scuba equipment and canoes. Prices are £25 up to a weight of 20kg or £35 up to a weight of 32kg. You can save £5 on these rates if you pre-book your sports equipment on the flight over the phone or online.
Thomson Airlines
Hold Luggage: Each passenger can carry up to 20kg of luggage; this can be in a maximum of 5 items of luggage. Charges per one way journey (if booked in advance) can be anything between £12.50 for a short haul flight and £20 for a long haul flight. Up to 10kg of extra hold luggage can be added for an extra cost. The excess baggage charges are £12 per kilo for short or mid haul flights are £12 and long haul are £17. However, online prices can be up to 50% cheaper for this so book in advance if you know you are not travelling light! Push chairs and car seats are carried in the hold free of charge.
Sports Equipment: Prices can vary depending on the type of equipment you are carrying and what route you are in. Golf clubs can be carried from £15 return, bikes from £30 return and surf boards/windsurfs/canoes from £35 return. It’s always best to check exact charges with the airline before you travel and book in advance to avoid extra charges.
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