New EU passenger-rights legislation, officially published in the EU’s Official Journal on 2 October 2026, will eventually give passengers the right to take a personal item and a cabin bag on board without paying an additional fee. The rules are expected to come into force from October 2027. However, these rules do not apply yet – and UK travellers might not benefit as much as others.
What the new rules include
Under the new rules, passengers will be entitled to a personal item that fits under the seat in front of them, with maximum dimensions of 40 x 30 x 15cm, plus one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 7kg and measuring a maximum of 100cm in combined dimensions. Airlines will also have to display fares including the hand-luggage allowance at the start of the booking process, making it easier to compare the true cost of different flights.
Impact on UK travellers
As the UK is no longer part of the EU, passengers departing from Britain might only be entitled to a free cabin bag when returning home. For example, easyJet has confirmed that the changes will apply to flights returning from EU countries, rather than departures from the UK. For now, your airline’s existing baggage allowance still applies.
Confusingly, every European airline has different rules, which are often subject to change. Ryanair, for example, currently limits its free ‘small personal bag’ to 40cm x 30cm x 20cm, while easyJet allows a slightly larger under-seat bag. British Airways, on the other hand, offers both a personal bag and a cabin bag as part of its standard allowance, while Jet2, Lufthansa, Iberia and Air France also provide a larger cabin-bag allowance on applicable fares.
Airline-specific allowances
EasyJet currently allows every passenger to bring one small cabin bag free of charge, provided it fits under the seat in front. A larger cabin bag can be added for an additional fee. The airline has said that the forthcoming EU changes will apply to passengers flying back to the UK from EU countries, but not to passengers departing from the UK. Ryanair’s current free allowance is limited to a small personal bag, while Priority passengers can also bring a larger cabin bag. The airline has said it will allow additional hand luggage under the new EU rules when they come into effect, although the new legislation itself does not begin until 2027.
Wizz Air currently permits one free under-seat bag, with a larger trolley bag available to passengers who purchase Priority. The airline has yet to confirm exactly how it will implement the new EU hand-luggage requirements when they come into force. Jet2 currently includes a larger cabin bag in its allowance, alongside a smaller personal item. TUI currently allows passengers to take a small under-seat bag and a larger cabin bag, subject to the terms of their booking.
British Airways currently permits both a personal bag and a larger cabin bag. As a UK airline, travellers should check the rules applying to their particular route when the new EU legislation comes into force. The new rights are not a blanket change to baggage allowances for flights departing the UK. Air France currently permits a personal item alongside cabin baggage on applicable fares.
What the new EU rules mean for you
The new legislation is designed to give passengers greater clarity over what is included in their ticket. From October 2027, passengers covered by the new EU rules will be entitled to one personal item measuring up to 40 x 30 x 15cm – plus one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 7kg. The baggage allowance will be included in advertised fares from the beginning of the booking process, rather than being presented as an additional cost later. But even after the new legislation comes into force, UK passengers flying out of Britain should not assume they will benefit, as the new rules are more relevant to flights departing from EU airports.
