I've thought of myself as a fairly intelligent person until my recent confrontation with the Turkish Airlines instructions about baggage. Would someone who has recently flown Turkish Air economy class from the West Coast IST clarify what are the exact requirements?
I think I'm clear that one piece of luggage is allowed as a carry-on. It must be no heavier than 17.5 pounds with dimensions within 21"x15"x9". A "personal item" is also allowed. The example given is "headphones" but the weight restriction is 8 pounds or under, which makes me think a small backpack or purse would be allowed.
It seems that either one or two checked bags are allowed, each no heavier than 50.5 pounds and their combined measurements (length+height+width) must be no greater than 62.2 inches. I'm boggled and would love to hear what real people have actually experienced as acceptable on recent flights.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA
777 posts
Turkish is very strict about 8 kilos (17.5 pounds) for the overhead carryon. They will weigh your carryon and attach a "cabin baggage" tag if it passes muster. They did let me on once with 8.1 kilos once only because the gate agent was nice, my bag was full of camera gear that I really didn't want to check, and my checked bag was very light --- but they made it clear that it was an exception.
I have never had them weigh my personal item --- at least not yet. As long as it fits under the seat, they seem to be okay with it.
I have never come even remotely close to the limit on checked luggage. Turkish has a generous checked luggage allowance, and what you say sounds about right.
Posted by
near San Francisco
5296 posts
I think the use of headphones as an example is not meant to indicate size, but rather to illustrate that such items, assuming they are large-ish headphones, "count" as a personal item.
which makes me think a small backpack or purse would be allowed
Yes, you are correct. I just flew Turkish last week and the gate agent eyeballed my backpack and Baggalini purse and tagged them both as acceptable cabin baggage.
Posted by
near San Francisco
5296 posts
either one or two checked bags are allowed
Yes, depending on your fare class, the checked baggage allowance will differ.
Posted by
66 posts
I just flew Turkish round trip from Seattle to Istanbul and back. I did not check luggage but got on the plane with an Osprey daypack and my small (RS small) rooler bag. Nobody checked a thing. And I did not have cabin tags on anything either way.
Checking a bag is different. It will definitely be weighed and they mean it when it comes to weight restrictions.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
19874 posts
Not too hard to figure out.
One piece of cabin baggage per passenger not to exceed 23x40x55 in size and 8 kg in weight and one personal item as bag per passenger not to exceed 40x30x15 in size can be taken on board in the Economy Class. The personal item should not exceed 4 kg. Business Class passengers may carry two cabin bags if the bag sizes and weights do not exceed 23x40x55 and 8 kg (16 kg in total) and one personal item as bag per passenger, not to exceed 40x30x15 in size can be taken on board. The personal item should not exceed 4 kg.