If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

If you’ve traveled in and out of the United Kingdom recently, you might have been caught by the one bag rule that was applied in airports in August 2006. Unlike pretty much everywhere else in the world, where air passengers are usually allowed to carry two bags on to an airplane - a normal bag, usually, plus something like a briefcase or laptop - the UK airports had cut this down to strictly one bag. Stories of travelers searching airport shops for a bigger bag to fit the contents of their two bags in abound.

But for most travelers in and out of Britain these days are over. As of January 7, 2008, many major UK airports have reversed this rule, and returned to the more standard two bag rule. Perhaps the most important for international travelers, Heathrow Airport is one of the airports who will now allow you to take two bags.

Do note that not all airports have implemented this new rule, and if you are flying out of Gatwick Airport, or out of Northern Ireland, the one bag rule will apply until new equipment for searching is installed. Plus, of course, there are still individual airline rules, so passengers on budget flights with airlines like EasyJet will still only be allowed to take one bag. If in doubt, make sure you check with your airline - specifying the airport you’ll be taking - before you start packing your carry-on luggage.