checked-in baggage in international flights
N.B.: the information contained on this post was accurate at the time of publication. Baggage limits are changing constantly and we encourage you to get in touch with your airline for the most up-do-date information related to your ticket.
International flights follow the rules laid out by ITA. According to it, on economy class passengers can carry one item of baggage of up to 20 kg when the weight concept is applied (30 kg in business and first class) and two items of up to 32 kg and 158 cm (all three dimensions added) when the piece concept is applied (see also on this blog “weight concept” and “piece concept”).
Brazilians can’t complain much. Most companies give a generous weight allowance for flights originating in Brazil (for some companies the ticket must have been bought in Brazil). Others extend the benefit to inward flights. The piece concept, usually restricted to flights to the U.S. and Asia, is commonly used in flights to Europe as well.
For flights within South America IATA rules based on the weight concept are usually applied. The limit goes from 20 to 23 kg depending on the company. The exception is Pluna, a company that began charging 20 USD in flights going to Brazil for an item of baggage of up to 20 kg (and 3 USD for each additional kg up to a maximum of 32).
We don’t know for how long passengers beginning their flights in Brazil will be able to take advantage of the generous allowances the companies are currently offering. Some companies, mainly Americans, are reducing the maximum weight for the item of baggage passengers on the economy class can carry, from 32 to 23 kg, when the destination is Brazil.
You have to be very careful when making connections in Brazil to domestic or regional flights with a smaller baggage allowance (an item of baggage weighting no more than 20 kg). Sometimes the tourist finds out his baggage is above the weight limits for domestic flights when it is too late to do anything – the only alternative is to pay an extra charge.
Care must be even greater when the domestic flights is done with a low-cost company. A simple way of avoiding problems is to include all the flights of your trip under the same tariff – many companies extend the generous internacional baggage allowance to the domestic flights too.
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Category: baggage
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