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- ACSA will be reinforcing hand baggage regulations to enhance safety and compliance at airports.
- Passengers must adhere to specific hand luggage restrictions, including dimensions and weight.
- First-class passengers can only carry two bags, plus a slimline laptop bag.
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In an effort to enhance safety and compliance at airports and flights at this time of year, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is reinforcing new hand baggage regulations.
The aim of the regulations, which are applicable to all airlines under ACSA's airport network, is to effectively manage the carriage of hand baggage brought onto flights and to identify passengers who carry items that do not comply with the rules prior to getting to security checkpoints.
According to the organisation, depending on the flight selected, passengers will be expected to carry a limited number of hand baggage with a specific weight limit.
The allowance includes:
- Economy-class passengers: one bag, plus one slimline laptop bag or handbag;
- First-class passengers: two bags, plus a slimline laptop bag;
- Bags may not exceed the total dimensions of 56cm x 36cm x 23cm;
- Weight limit per bag: 7kg; and
- Passengers who exceed the hand luggage limit will be subject to the specific airline's excess baggage rules.
Slimline laptop bags, according to the airline, means the bag must only be thick enough to carry a laptop and charger, excluding bags that carry items such as documents, clothes and anything else.
Crime and safety
The initiative forms part of ACSA's efforts to combat crime at airports and to flag potentially harmful or illegal items in passengers' hand baggage.
"The safety of our passengers is of utmost importance to ACSA. As such, the hand baggage regulations are in place to ensure that we can provide the safest possible environment for our visitors and to ensure that they have a seamless experience at our airports," said Group Executive: Corporate Services at ACSA, Laurene Less.
With the support of the Board of Airline Representatives of South Africa (BARSA) and the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA), the initiative also aims to ensure consistent controls for hand baggage carriage, aligning policies for all flights departing from ACSA airports.
"The implementation of these regulations stem from a recognised necessity expressed by domestic airlines to establish consistent controls for the carriage of hand baggage on flights departing from ACSA airports.
"This initiative is supported by international airlines, emphasising the collective advantage of a standardised policy applicable to all flights," said the CEO of BARSA, George Mothema.
The CEO of AASA, Aaron Munetsi, emphasised that, from a safety perspective, the regulation would help in identifying overweight luggage which could impact both the aircraft and passengers.
"In line with ACSA's zero-tolerance approach to criminality, we are confident that our hand baggage regulations will result in the reduction of criminal activities and increase passenger safety during the festive season, while at the same time also ensuring that passengers have a seamless and satisfying experience at our airports," Less added, echoing the same sentiment.
