FAQsFind answers to our customers most common questions
Travel Tips
"Pack Essential items in your hand luggage where restictions allow. Such as essential medication, baby food, nappies and specific dietary items as we won't be able to provide these items during a tarmac delay."Customer Service Team
"If you're travelling with more than one person on a booking, you can combine your baggage allowance together as long as any one case does not exceed 30kgs in weight (Excluding USA flight only) There are no size restrictions on checked in baggage."Customer Service Team
"Pack and close your suitcase, sit down and stare at it and then remember all the times when you have been on holiday and not worn 20% of the contents brought. Remember we have our favourite items we wear more than once, plus if everyone does the same the cases are lighter, the plane flies faster and you start your holiday sooner!."Claudia G
Already Booked?
That’s great news, just a few things to note before you start packing for your well-earned break:
Are you flying with another Airline?
Remember baggage options are set by each airline and offered to you when making a booking or via the 'Manage Booking' area.
Booked a package holiday with a Thomas Cook Airlines flight?
Check your tickets for your
exact allowances booked as these can vary between 15kg - 30kg. If you would like to book the maximum allowance then you need to contact your travel supplier directly.
Lots more information about baggage can be found below:
All passengers receive a complementary hand baggage allowance of 6kgs.
You can take one piece of hand baggage up to 55cm x 40cm x 20cm in size and children can take Trunki’s.
We recommend that you pack your valuables such as Cameras. Jewellery, electronic devices etc in your hand baggage.
If you are travelling with an Infant they don’t have a hand baggage allowance but any Infant milk or baby food can be
carried within your own hand baggage allowance of 6kg. Please remember that this would need to be separated from your hand baggage when going through the security control. Milk/boiled water would need to be in a clear infant bottle and may need to be tasted.
Please note, at some UK airports a charge for a Gate Bag will now be applied. This means if youarrive at the boarding gate with more than one item of hand baggage (excluding airport shopping) the extra item/s will be taken and put into the hold. There is a fee of ?50.00 for Short Haul, ?60 for Medium Haul and ?70 for Long Haul per bag that will be charged.
You can book baggage online either during your flight booking journey or at any time before your flight (subject to restrictions) through the
In both cases you still benefit with a discount up to 40% on airport rates. Baggage allowances can be added to flight bookings online, at the time of booking, via
or by calling our Customer Help Desk .(Phone service fee may apply).
USA flight only fares include a 23kg checked baggage allowance and 6kg hand baggage and from May 2015 all long haul flights will include a 20kg luggage allowance, that’s good news for you!
If you're travelling with more than one person on a booking, you can combine your baggage allowance together as long as any one case does not exceed 30kgs in weight. Excluding flight only USA bookings where only one piece is allowed. There are no size restrictions on checked-in baggage.
Baggage Charges for flight only bookings, booked on :
Via Customer Help Desk*
Short Haul
Medium Haul
Short Haul
Medium Haul
* Call 0 between 08:00 - 22:00 (Please check with your service provider for any additional charges)
Travelling with a little one? A child younger than two years of age on arrival back into the UK, who will be travelling on your lap, may bring three of the following items free of charge: 10kg baggage allowance, a stroller/pushchair, a travel cot or a car seat (checked in to the hold). If all four are required, one item would be part of any pre-purchased hold baggage weight allowance on the same booking. Please remember that an infant does not have a hand baggage allowance.
If an Infant has been booked in a seat, the 10kgs baggage allowance no longer applies. A stroller or pushchair and car seat are still available for carriage free of charge. All other items would need to be part of any pre-purchased weight allowance on the same booking. A hand baggage allowance would apply if a seat has been booked.
Other Items
Stroller or Buggy
It must be completely collapsible and have a protective cover but may not contain any other items.
Travel Cot
This will be checked into the hold.
Car/child seats
This will be checked into the hold.
If you have reserved a seat for your infant, you will need to bring your car seat on board.
The car/child seat must be able to fit between the armrests of the aircraft seat and your child and the child seat need to be secured according to the seat manufacturer’s instructions.
Your child seat must show no defects and be approved for air transport and marked accordingly.
You need to reserve for the use of a car/child seat in advance. Please contact the customer help desk on 01733 224 800
Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES)
If you have booked a seat for your child, you may use a Child Aviation Restraint System:
Your child and the CARES need to be secured according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
The CARES may show no defects and must be approved for air transport and marked accordingly.
You need to reserve for the use of your CARES in advance. Please contact the customer help desk on 0 between 08:00 - 22:00 (Please check with your service provider for any additional charges)
Some of our partner airlines have different baggage rules to our own. Please contact your travel agency or the airline concerned for further details.
If you get to the airport and your bags weigh more than you have reserved then you will be charged an excess baggage fee.
The best way to increase your allowance is online – you can buy your additional baggage allowance online and avoid higher charges at the airport. Just head over to
Short haul flights (up to and including 3 hours flight duration)
Medium haul flights (3-7 hours flight duration)
Long haul flights (7 hours or more in flight duration)
To add an extra 5 kilos
?10.00 per person, per flight
?12.50 per person, per flight
?20.00 per person, per flight
Haven't pre-purchased your hold baggage? Don’t worry it is possible to arrange this at the airport as one piece of 20kgs. Prices are in the below table.
Medium Haul
If you need more you will charged the following:
Please note this cannot be guaranteed and is subject to load.*Prices valid for departures up until 30th April 2015, for departures from 1st May prices n/a on all long haul flights.
*For departures from 1st May 2015, USA flights allow multiples of 23kgs only. No single kilo can be added.
Planning an active break and want to take your own sporting equipment with you? Arrange carriage before you fly to take advantage of the best prices and guarantee space on the flight.
If you are taking Medical supplies with you and need extra baggage allowance this can be added by the airline you are travelling with.
If your booking is for flight only please fill in the Flight Only Special Assistance .
Alternatively, the Thomas Cook Airlines Special Assistance department are open Monday - Saturday 08.00 - 20.00.
Please call 9 for more information if required.
We do our best to help out charities where we can. If you are travelling as part of a charity or wish to take some additional items for charitable purposes we will do our very best to accommodate you free of charge.
Registered Charities: We can provide up to 10KG per person charity luggage free of charge, we require proof in the form of a letter or email from the charity that must include the registration number.
Non Registered Charities: We can provide 5KG at the discretion of the Thomas Cook Airlines, please note we will require a written request along with details of the beneficiary.
Due to the ever increasing cost of aviation fuel, we unfortunately have to limit the amount of charity baggage we can carry on our aircraft and once the limit is reached we will be unable to facilitate any further free charity allowance requests.
All charity baggage must be pre-booked in advance and packed in a separate bag and labelled as charity baggage. On very rare occasions we may refuse the carriage of charity baggage for operational reasons.
Important: Please note this does not apply to flight only bookings. This information applies to Thomas Cook wedding package holidays travelling with Thomas Cook Airlines.
Any additional items required by the Bride and Groom can be taken as hand baggage. The hand baggage allowance provided is 11kgs per person for the wedding couple only. This baggage must be split over two bags, one as 6kgs and the other as 5kgs. All hand baggage needs to be within the size restrictions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm. This information supersedes any other hand baggage documentation you receive.
Technology moves at such a fast pace that you may be confused about what electronic equipment you can use onboard. To help you, we have the following guidelines.
Mobile and smart phones can be used in “flight safe” mode. You need to activate it before you switch your phone off for take-off.
Personal CD, DVD and MP3 players may be used when the seatbelt sign is switched off. Wireless devices such as PDA’s, laptop computers, tablet computers, electronic games and E-readers may be used if the wireless function is disabled and can only be used while the seatbelt sign is off.
We want you to have the best most stress free trip possible, which is why we have created this handy guide so you can pack with confidence knowing what to take and what to leave at home.
Hand Baggage restrictions
You are allowed to take liquids, gels and pastes of 100mls or less in your hand baggage. These items need to be contained within a small, transparent re-sealable plastic bag, which will have to be removed from your hand baggage and x-rayed separately.
Plastic bags must not exceed one litre capacity per passenger – which is around half the size of a standard A4 piece of paper and it must be sealable.
Liquids include:
Water and other drinks, soups, syrups
Creams, lotions and oils
Sprays and Gels
Contents of pressurised containers, including shaving foam, other foams and deodorants
Pastes, including toothpaste
Liquid-solid mixtures
Any other item of a similar consistency.
If you are unsure on any of the liquid, gels or pastes restriction then just pack them into your suitcase when you check-in your hold luggage
You will be able to buy liquids such as drinks and perfumes in an airport shop after going through security or on-board our planes.
Remember if they are sold in a special sealed bag, don’t open it before they are screened otherwise the contents may be confiscated at the security checkpoint.
Dangerous Objects
Sharp, bladed or blunt instruments which are capable of being used to cause serious injury are not permitted in hand/cabin baggage. This includes loose razor blades, knives and scissors with blades of more than 6cm, drills, screwdrivers, chisels, saws, clubs, bats and bars.
Flammable, corrosive and explosive substances
Most flammable, explosive, corrosive and toxic substances are completely prohibited from any flight, including acids, bleaches, peroxide, phosphorous, fertilizers, weed killers and insecticides.
Large Electrical Items and Laptops
Laptops and other complex items of electrical equipment must be removed from hand luggage and screened separately.
Medicine and baby food
You can carry medicines and dietary requirements including baby foods in your hand luggage for use during the flight. This includes sterilised water (this must be in a baby bottle).
You can take prescription medication in containers over 100ml through security, provided that you have a prescription or doctors note for the medication.
The following dangerous articles are not permitted in cabin or hold baggage on Thomas Cook Airline flights:
Gas Cylinders
Deeply refrigerated flammable, non-flammable, and poisonous gases such as butane, oxygen, propane, and aqualung cylinders. Includes butane gas (e.g. for use with heated hair appliances) camping gas, and chef's blow torches.This does NOT include Diving Cylinders.
Flammable Liquids And Solids
Such as lighter or heater fuels, paint, and matches (except one box of matches or one cigarette lighter as provided below). Cigarette lighters are not permitted on any flights to the USA.
Such as insecticides, weed killers, arsenic, and cyanide.
Radioactive Material, Oxidising Materials And Organic Peroxides
Such as bleaches and fibreglass repair kits.
Firearms And Explosives
Handguns, automatic weapons, munitions, ammunitions including blank cartridges, pistol caps, fireworks, flares, smoke canisters and crackers. Note: As an exception, sporting guns and ammunition up to a maximum of 5 kgs may be carried in hold baggage. They will be subject to inspection at check in: documentation, licenses will be checked. Pre-booking is required, contact ourTeam for details.
Hypodermic Needles
Unless supported by medical evidence.
Infectious Substances
Such as bacteria and viruses.
Corrosives
Such as mercury, acids, alkalis, and wet-cell batteries.
Electronic/water vapour cigarettes
For safety reasons smoking on all Thomas Cook Airline flights is strictly prohibited. These also includes electronic/water vapour cigarettes.
However we do allow the carriage of electronic/water vapour cigarettes only as carry-on baggage or on one's person for use once off the aircraft or in destination where this permits.
Electronic/water vapour cigarettes are not allowed within checked baggage as may cause a fire hazard, therefore we decided not to permit electronic/water vapour cigarettes packed in the checked baggage.
This decision was made for your safety.
Flying on a Thomas Cook Airlines Flight
We do all we can to look after your baggage while it’s in our care - we know how important your belongings are to you! However, on rare occasions a bag can be lost or delayed.
If any baggage should go missing, we will make every effort to recover the missing item as quickly as possible. Please inform our handling agent in the arrivals hall if you have any lost baggage. Your baggage will be returned to you as soon as possible, at a time of your convenience.
In the event that you discover any damage to your baggage or its contents, you need to report the damage to our local representatives within the airport. This must be done before leaving the terminal building. The staff will complete a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) and will be given a letter to advise what happens next.
Your will also need to:
Notify your holiday or travel company (if separately insured) particularly if the loss is likely to exceed ?250 or includes money, Jewellery, and valuable items such as cameras or video equipment. Notify any other insurer who may be providing cover for valuables (e.g. householder 'all risk' policy and credit card protection). Retain all tickets, baggage tags or receipts to support any claim.
Once missing baggage has been reported to the handling agent at the airport, in the UK or overseas, tracing action will begin immediately. They will also do their best to advise you when baggage is located and confirm delivery arrangements.
Flying with another Airline
Please contact your carrier directly.
Baggage charges are non-refundable.
Customer Services
Flight Services
This website is operated by Thomas Cook Retail Ltd (ABTA J9375) acting as agent for Thomas Cook Tour Operations Ltd (ATOL 1179, ABTA V6896).
Financial Protection:
Many of the flights on this website are financially protected by the ATOL Scheme under thomascookairlines’s ATOL number 1179. But ATOL protection does not apply to all flights listed, please visit our FAQ section or ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then your booking will not be ATOL protected.
If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see the thomascookairlines booking conditions or go to www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate.
Travel Insurance:
Thomas Cook Tour Operations Limited is an Appointed Representative of White Horse Insurance Ireland Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. You can check this by visiting their website . Thomas Cook Airlines Travel Insurance is underwritten by White Horse Insurance Ireland Limited. Registered office: The Thomas Cook Business Park, Coningsby Road, Peterborough, PE3 8SB. Company Registration Number: 102630, England.
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