New BAGGAGE RULES valid from 01 April 2011.

Does your itinerary involve more than one airline?
In case of two or more airlines are involved in your itinerary, which airline will decide the baggage rules?

 

NOTE: If you have separate tickets for each airline, the baggage allowance rules of each airline will apply. This chapter applies only in the case you have one ticket involving two or more airlines.

Airlines offer different baggage allowance rules. There are many versions of the baggage allowance, but these are the most common rules:
- The "weight concept"; 30 kg in Business Class, 20 kg in Economy Class.
- The "piece concept": 2 pieces max 32 kg each in Business Class, 1 piece max 23 kg in Economy Class.

Aeroflot Russian Airlines applies the piece concept.


But what happens if your itinerary involves two or more airlines with different baggage rules?

Such cases are ruled by IATA Resolution 302, adopted 01 April 2011.

IATA Resolution 302 says that the baggage rules of the "Most Significant Carrier" ("MSC") shall apply for the whole itinerary.

But which airline is the "MSC"?
This is also defined by IATA Resolution 302 according to the following priority:

1) For travel between two or more IATA Areas; the carrier performing carriage on the first sector that crosses from one area to another.
2) For travel between IATA Tariff sub-areas; the carrier performing carriage on the first sector that crosses from one sub-area to another.
3) For travel within an IATA Tariff sub-area; the carrier performing carriage on the first international sector.

IATA defines the world into 3 areas (IATA Areas) and each IATA Area into smaller areas (IATA Tariff sub-areas).
Area 1: The Americas.
Area 2: Europe, Near East, Middle East, Africa.
Area 3: Asia, West Pacific.
(For presise definition of IATA areas, please consult your travel agency or the airline).



Here are some examples (for the simplicity, examples show travel in Economy Class).

1.
You have a ticket Oslo-Moscow-Ulan Bator-Moscow-Oslo booked on the following flights:
SU212 Oslo-Moscow
SU563 Moscow-Ulan Bator
SU486 Ulan Bator-Moscow
SU1431 Moscow-Oslo

Outbound itinerary:
SU212 and SU563 are flights operated by Aeroflot's own aircraft. In this case there is no question about the baggage allowance; Aeroflot's piece concept (1 piece max 23 kg) applies for travel Oslo-Moscow-Ulan-Bator.

Inbound itinerary:
SU486 and SU1431 are code-share flights, operated by partner airlines. SU486 is operated by MIAT Mongolian Airlines (as flight OM135), while SU1431 is operated by SAS Scandinavian Airlines (as SK2731).
MIAT Mongolian Airlines uses the weight concept (20 kg), while SAS use the piece concept (1 piece, max 23 kg). In this case, it is necessary to check which airline is "MSC".
The flight Ulan Bator-Moscow crosses two IATA areas (Ulan Bator is situated in IATA Area 3, Moscow is situated in IATA Area 2). Therefore the baggage rules for this itinerary follows the weight concept of MIAT Mongolian Airlines.

Conclusion: for this journey the free baggage allowance will be 1 piece max 23 kg Oslo-Moscow-Ulan Bator, and max 20 kg Ulan Bator-Moscow-Oslo.


2.
You have a ticket Oslo-Moscow-Hong Kong-Manila booked on the following flights:
SU212 Oslo-Moscow
SU595 Moscow-Hong Kong
PR301 Hong Kong-Manila

SU212 and SU595 are operated by Aeroflot. PR301 is operated by Philippine Airlines.
Aeroflot uses the piece concept; 1 piece max 23 kg.
Philippine Airlines uses the weight concept; 15 kg or 20 kg (depending on booking class).

The flight crossing two IATA areas is flight SU595 (Moscow is situated in IATA Area 2, Hong Kong is situated in Area 3). Therefore the baggage rules of Aeroflot - 1 piece max 23 kg - will apply for the whole routing.

Conclusion: 1 piece max 23 kg applies for the whole routing Oslo-Moscow-Hong Kong-Manila.


3.
You have a ticket Oslo-Moscow-Yerevan-Moscow-Oslo booked on the following flights:
SU1432 Oslo-Moscow
SU195 Moscow-Yerevan
SU192 Yerevan-Moscow
SU211 Moscow-Oslo

SU1432 is a code-share flight operated by SAS Scandinavian Airlines (as SK2730).
SU195, SU192 and SU211 are operated by Aeroflot's own aircraft.

Outbound itinerary:
In general, SAS and Aeroflot have common baggage rules; both airlines apply the "piece concept" (1 piece, max 23 kg). But Aeroflot has an exception to four destinations in the world, offering "double baggage" - 2 pieces of baggage max 23 kg each. Yerevan is one of these destinations (the other three being Delhi, Goa and New York). So which airline is "MSC" in this itinerary?
Oslo, Moscow and Yerevan are all situated in IATA Area 2. Therefore neither SU1432 nor SU195 crosses any IATA areas.
Oslo, Moscow and Yerevan are all situated in IATA Sub-Area Europe. Therefore neither flights crosses any IATA sub-areas.
As none of the flights crosses any IATA sub-areas, the carrier operating the first international sector governs the baggage rules. As SU1432 is operated by SAS Scandinavian Airlines, SAS' baggage rules - 1 piece max 23 kg - apply.

Inbound itinerary:
SU192 and SU211 are flights operated by Aeroflot's own aircraft. In this case there is no question about the baggage allowance; Aeroflot's "double baggage concept" - 2 pieces max 23 kg each - applies.

Conclusion: for this journey the free baggage allowance will be 1 piece max 23 kg Oslo-Moscow-Yerevan, and 2 pieces max 23 kg each Yerevan-Moscow-Oslo.


4.
You have a ticket Oslo-Moscow-Delhi-Kathmandu booked on the following flights:

SU212 Oslo-Moscow
SU535 Moscow-Delhi
9W264 Delhi-Kathmandu

SU212 and SU535 are operated by Aeroflot.
9W264 is operated by Jet Airways.
Aeroflot uses the piece concept.
Jet Airways uses the weight concept; 20 kg.

First of all, MSC in this itinerary is Aeroflot, as flight SU535 crosses two IATA areas. Therefore the piece concept applies.
However, with this particulary itinerary there is another challenge; which piece concept will apply?
Aeroflots rule is 1 piece, but on tickets to Delhi the airline offers 2 pieces (the "double baggage" offer).
It is therefore important to understand that this ticket is a ticket to Kathmandu, not to Delhi. Delhi is only a transfer point.

Conclusion: 1 piece max 23 kg applies for the whole routing Oslo-Moscow-Delhi-Kathmandu.



If you feel the baggage allowance shown in your ticket is not according the the above rules, please contact the travel agency that issued your ticket for clarification.


Read more about Aeroflot baggage rules here.



Aeroflot Russian Airlines
Øvre Slottsgt 6
0157 Oslo