Home / Ethiopian Airlines Baggage Allowance: A Complete Guide for Travellers
Packing for a flight can be tricky. No one wants to bring too much or too little, so knowing the baggage rules before flying is essential. Ethiopian Airlines has clear rules on how many bags passengers can get and how heavy they can be. Knowing these rules helps passengers avoid last-minute surprises at the airport.
This guide explains Ethiopian Airlines’ baggage policy, including the maximum amount allowed, what happens if a bag is too big, and how to handle lost or damaged baggage. Let’s get started!
Ethiopian Airlines allows passengers to bring small bags inside the plane. Below is a table to help you understand how much baggage you can carry on the plane:
| Cabin Type | Weight Allowed | Bag Size (Max Limit in cm) |
| Economy Class | 7 kg | 23 x 40 x 55 cm |
| Business Class | 7 kg + 7 kg | 23 x 40 x 55 cm each |
Apart from your main carry-on bag, Ethiopian Airlines allows passengers to bring extra small items free of charge. These are personal belongings that you may need during the flight. Below is a list of items you can bring in addition to your carry-on bag:
Important documents, cash, jewellery, and medicine should always be with you.
Your bag cannot be too big. Measuring its length, width, and height together must be no more than 62 inches (158 cm), including the handles and wheels.
If you are flying in Economy Class, it can weigh up to 50 lbs (23 kg). But if you are flying in Business Class, you can take a bag that is 70 lbs (32 kg).
| Summarising Baggage Allowance (Take a Screenshot) | ||||
| Type of Baggage | Economy Class | Business Class | Max Size | Max Weight |
| Checked Bag | 50 lbs (23 kg) | 70 lbs (32 kg) | 62 inches (158 cm) | Varies |
| Carry-On Bag | 1 piece (7 kg) | 2 pieces (7 kg each) | 23 x 40 x 55 cm | 7 kg per bag |
| Personal Item | 1 small item | 1 small item | Fits under seat | Small size |
Some sports equipment is big and heavy. It will be treated as cargo if it weighs more than 46 kg. Here are some everyday sports items you can bring:
| Allowed Sports Equipment (Take a Screenshot) | |
| Equipment | Items Included |
| Scuba Diving Equipment | Diving mask, snorkel, fins, wetsuit, BCD jacket, regulator, empty tank bottle, lamp (battery packed separately) |
| Horse Riding Equipment | Saddle, horse harness, riding boots, bareback pad, polo sticks, horse whip |
| Inline Skates | Skates, knee and arm protection, helmet |
| Bowling Equipment | Bowling ball, bowling bag, pair of shoes |
| Hockey Equipment | Hockey bag, hockey sticks, ice skates, knee and arm protection, helmet |
| Tennis, Squash, or Badminton Equipment | Set of rackets and balls packed in a bag |
| Snow Skiing Equipment | Skis, poles, boots, helmet |
| Golfing Equipment | Golf bag with golf clubs, golf balls, tees, golf shoes |
| Bicycle | Regular bicycle (without motor or battery), special children’s trolley |
| Kite Surfboard | Kite Board |
| Archery Equipment | Set of bows and arrows packed in a strong container |
| Parachuting or Paragliding Equipment | Parachute set packed in a container |
| Sporting or Hunting Weapons with Ammunition | Sporting guns, pistols, rifles, and ammunition (must follow airline safety rules, packed separately) |
| Fishing Equipment | Tackle box, angler’s basket, rod, fishing bag or box |
| Skateboard | Skateboard, knee and arm protection, helmet |
| Alpinist, Hiking, or Walking Equipment | Backpack, ice pick, climbing iron, poles |
| Fencing Equipment | Bag with helmet, fencing uniform, fencing sword |
| Wave Board | Board, knee and arm protection, helmet |
| Wake Board | Wakeboard |
| Water Ski Equipment | Pair of water skis or a slalom water ski |
| Snowboard | Snowboard, boots, helmet |
| Surfboard | Board (up to 3m in length) |
| Wind Surfer or Ski BOB | Board, sail, boom, mast, gear bag |
| Hang Gliding Equipment | Set of hang-gliding gear packed in a container |
| Canoe or Kayak | Canoe or kayak (without motor), set of paddles |
| Vaulting Poles | Set of vaulting poles packed in a container |
| Boogie Board or Body Board | Board |
| Long Board | Board longer than 2m |
| Rubber Dinghy or Boat | Rubber dinghy (without motor), set of paddles |
If your sports equipment meets these three rules, you can bring it for free:
If you have a musical instrument, you can take it with you on the plane. But it should not be bigger than 23 cm by 40 cm by 55 cm. Sometimes, instruments are too delicate to be carried in the baggage area. To keep them safe, you can book a seat just for them. This is called block seat baggage service. It helps protect items that could break easily.
Here are some things that can be carried like this:
Your pet must be inside a container (a small travel box) and should not weigh more than 8 kg, including the container. The box size should be no bigger than 55 cm long, 40 cm wide, and 20 cm high. If your pet and its box are bigger than this, it must travel in the cargo area.
Special rules apply for service dogs that help blind or deaf passengers. These dogs can sit in the cabin for free. They must be wearing their harness and a muzzle. If you are bringing a guide dog, inform the airline beforehand. You must also show a certificate proving that it is a trained service animal.
When you book your flight, you must also book for your pet. You will need to tell the airline these 3 things:
If a loved one has passed away and you need to carry their cremated ashes, you can take them on an Ethiopian Airlines flight. You can bring them in your hand luggage or checked-in baggage.
If any documents are in another language, get them translated into the destination country’s language.
The first thing to do is report the damage right away. This must be done before leaving the arrival area at the airport. If a bag can be fixed, Ethiopian Airlines might offer a repair service. If the repair service is unavailable, the passenger may need to fix it themselves. After fixing the bag, the repair bill and the Property Irregularity Report (PIR) must be sent to Ethiopian Airlines for a refund.
Ethiopian Airlines cannot take responsibility for every kind of damage. Some things are not covered, like:
The first step is to talk to an Ethiopian Airlines worker at the airport where the flight landed. This must be done immediately. The worker will help start a lost baggage report. After that, passengers can check the status of their lost bag online by clicking a special link. Ethiopian Airlines will try its best to find the bag within 25 days.
For the first five days, updates will be sent daily. After that, updates will be sent every three days until the 25-day period ends. Ethiopian Airlines will explain what happens next if the bag is not found.
Sometimes, bags do not arrive on time. Passengers must report their delayed bags immediately. After that, a delayed baggage claim must be filed. A link is provided to check the claim and track the status of the missing bag. Ethiopian Airlines will contact the passenger and arrange delivery when the bag is found.
We urge the readers to take a screenshot of this table for ease of use.
| Restricted Items Table (Take a Screenshot) | ||
| Item | Carry-on | Check-in |
| Batteries | No | No |
| Devices with spillable batteries | No | No |
| Spare Lithium Batteries ≤ 100WH | Yes | No |
| Lithium Batteries > 160WH | Needs Approval | Cargo Only |
| Lithium Batteries 100WH – 160WH (In Equipment) | Yes | Yes |
| Spare Lithium Batteries 100WH – 160WH (Max 2) | Yes | No |
| Lithium Batteries ≤ 100WH (In Equipment) | Yes | Yes |
| Poisons & Infectious Substances | No | No |
| Insecticides, Weed Killers, Live Virus Materials | No | No |
| Radioactive Materials | No | No |
| Knives (Hunting knives, swords, pocket knives) | No | Yes |
| Etiologic Agents | No | No |
| Corrosive Materials (Acids, alkalis, mercury, wet cell batteries) | No | No |
| Oxidizing Materials (Bleaching powder, peroxides) | No | No |
| Gases (Butane, oxygen, liquid nitrogen, aqualung cylinders) | No | No |
| Flammable Liquids & Solids (Lighter fuels, matches, paints, thinners, firelighters) | No | No |
| Sporting Equipment (Baseball/cricket bats, golf clubs, hockey sticks, billiard cues) | No | Yes |
| Sharp Objects (Scissors, icepicks, nail clippers) | No | Yes |
| Aerosols (Hair sprays, perfumes, medicines with alcohol – max 0.5KG/L per article, 2.0KG/L total) | Yes | Yes |
| Trionic Briefcases | No | No |
| Baby Strollers | No | Yes |
| Mace Canisters | No | Yes |
| Security Briefcases (Alarm devices, lithium batteries, pyrotechnic material | No | No |
| Power Banks (Max 160WH, max 2) | Yes | No |
| Weapons (Whips, nunchakus, batons, stun guns) | No | Yes |
| Other Dangerous Items (Magnetized, offensive, or irritating materials per IATA rules) | No | No |
| Toy Guns & Look-Alikes | No | Yes |
Ethiopian Airlines has simple baggage rules. If you plan ahead, you won’t face surprises at check-in. A little preparation makes travel smooth and easy.
Yes! You can pack snacks, dried foods, and sealed items. But fresh food, like meat and dairy, might not be allowed in some countries.
Yes, but the battery must be removed quickly. If it is stuck inside and cannot be removed, the bag is prohibited on the flight.
Yes. Domestic flights (flights within the country) usually allow less baggage than international flights.
No, each passenger gets their limit. You cannot combine your baggage weight with someone else’s.
