Trade Air operates two distinct flight services: scheduled domestic flights across Croatia under a regional Public Service Obligation (PSO) network, and international charter or wet-lease flights operated for other carriers. On scheduled domestic flights, tickets typically include one small personal item, one carry-on bag (often limited to 5 kg and subject to aircraft-step delivery), and one checked bag up to 15 kg. For wet-lease flights, your ticketing airline's baggage policy strictly applies.
Trade Air Baggage Allowance Snapshot
Scheduled domestic routes in Croatia include a checked bag and cabin piece, but turboprop aircraft strictly limit carry-on size. On wet-lease charter flights, the partner airline that sold your ticket sets the luggage allowances.
What can change: Operating aircraft type, specific domestic tender route agreements, ticket fare conditions, and charter airline partner contracts.
Official Source Verification
Baggage rules can vary by fare, cabin, route, operating carrier, traveler status, and purchase channel. BaggageBase separates published rules from practical guidance.
How Trade Air Operates: Understanding Your Flight Type
To determine your exact luggage allowances, you must first confirm which type of Trade Air flight you are boarding. The airline manages two distinct operations that handle baggage differently:
1. Scheduled Croatian Domestic Flights (PSO Network)
Trade Air operates subsidized Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes within Croatia. These services connect regional hubs across the country, including:
- Osijek (OSI)
- Zagreb (ZAG)
- Pula (PUY)
- Rijeka (RJK)
- Zadar (ZAD)
- Split (SPU)
- Dubrovnik (DBV)
These flights are operated with small regional commuter aircraft (such as the Saab 340 or LET L-410). Because these aircraft have limited cabin space and strict takeoff weight limits, luggage rules are tightly monitored. When connecting across the region, travelers often compare these allowances with the Croatia Airlines baggage policy or the neighboring Air Serbia baggage policy.
2. Wet-Lease and Charter Flights (ACMI)
Trade Air also operates a fleet of jet aircraft, such as the Airbus A320, under wet-lease (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance) contracts for other airlines across Europe.
If you bought your ticket from another airline and the boarding pass says "Operated by Trade Air," your flight is a wet-lease service. In this scenario, the airline that sold you your ticket dictates all baggage allowances, hand luggage limits, and excess fees. You must manage bag bookings through that ticketing carrier, not through Trade Air.
Trade Air Carry-On and Hand Baggage Rules
Hand luggage rules on Trade Air scheduled flights are governed by the small cabin dimensions of regional turboprops.
| Hand Luggage Item | Scheduled Domestic (Turboprop) | ACMI / Wet-Lease Jet Flights | Placement on Board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Item | 1 small piece (handbag or slim laptop bag) | 1 piece per marketing carrier rules | Under the seat in front of you |
| Carry-On Bag | 1 compact piece (typically up to 5 kg) | Usually 1 piece up to 8 kg | Regional overhead bin or gate check |
Personal Item Guidelines
Every passenger on scheduled flights can bring one compact personal item into the cabin free of charge. This item must fit completely under the seat directly in front of you. Examples include:
- A small handbag or purse
- A slim laptop sleeve or briefcase
- A compact camera bag
Due to low seat clearance on regional aircraft, rigid briefcases and bulky backpacks cannot be stowed under the seat.
Regional Turboprop Carry-On Constraints
Standard overhead storage bins found on major jet aircraft do not exist on regional turboprops. Overhead racks on these planes are very shallow and narrow.
- Weight Enforcement: Ground staff and flight attendants keep cabin baggage light to balance the aircraft. Carry-on bags are generally capped at 5 kg.
- Delivery at Aircraft (DAA): If your cabin bag fits standard commercial dimensions but cannot physically fit inside the small overhead bin, airport agents will tag it with a "Delivery at Aircraft" (DAA) tag at the gate.
- Tarmac Loading: You carry the bag to the aircraft steps and leave it on the luggage cart. Ground handlers load it into the cargo compartment. When you land, the bag is placed back on the tarmac steps for you to collect as you step off the plane.
To see how standard international rolling bags compare to these regional limits, review our guide to international carry-on size standards.
Trade Air Checked Baggage Allowance
On Trade Air’s scheduled domestic routes in Croatia, checked baggage is typically included as part of your standard ticket fare.
| Route / Service Type | Included Hold Pieces | Included Weight Limit | Maximum Allowed Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic Scheduled (PSO) | 1 piece | 15 kg (verify on ticket) | 32 kg (Strict health and safety limit) |
| Wet-Lease / Charter Flights | Per ticketing carrier | Per ticketing carrier (often 20–23 kg) | 32 kg (Strict health and safety limit) |
Key Domestic Checked Baggage Rules
- Standard Weight Limit: Most scheduled domestic tickets include 1 piece of checked luggage up to 15 kg. Some contract fares allow up to 20 kg. Always check the luggage line on your booking confirmation or itinerary receipt.
- Linear Dimensions: A standard checked suitcase should not exceed 158 cm (62 inches) in total linear dimensions (length + width + height).
- The 32 kg Maximum Rule: No single piece of checked luggage may weigh more than 32 kg (70 lbs) under European occupational health and safety rules. Luggage exceeding 32 kg will not be accepted at the check-in desk and must be repacked or shipped via cargo.
Excess, Overweight, and Oversized Baggage Fees
Excess baggage on Trade Air domestic flights is handled strictly on a space-available basis due to limited payload capacity on regional planes.
- Per-Kilogram Charges: If your checked bag weighs more than your ticketed allowance (for example, weighing 18 kg on a 15 kg allowance), you must pay an excess fee for each additional kilogram at the airport desk.
- Extra Bags: Bringing a second checked bag is not guaranteed. Ground handlers will only accept an extra bag if the flight's total fuel and passenger weight balance allows it.
- Payment at Airport Desks: Trade Air does not run an automated baggage purchase portal for domestic flights. Excess luggage charges must be paid in Euros (€) directly to the local airport handling desk (such as the passenger service desk at Zagreb, Osijek, or Split) before boarding.
- Fee Transparency: Because regional ground handling is managed by third-party airport authorities, the exact per-kilogram rate varies slightly by airport tariff. Always confirm the current rate with the check-in agent.
Special Luggage, Sports Equipment, and Traveling with Children
Because regional commuter aircraft have compact cargo holds, non-standard items require careful advance planning.
Sports Equipment and Bulky Gear
- Advance Notice Required: Large items such as bicycles, surfboards, and heavy scuba equipment often cannot fit through the cargo door of small turboprop aircraft. You must declare oversized sporting items to your booking agent or Trade Air prior to travel.
- Skis and Snowboards: Ski equipment may be accepted if total dimensions fit within the cargo hold and weight permits, but excess baggage rates generally apply if it exceeds your base ticket allowance.
Musical Instruments
- Small Instruments: Instruments like violins or flutes can be carried into the passenger cabin in place of your primary carry-on bag, provided they fit within the shallow overhead compartments or under the front seat.
- Large Instruments: Large instruments (such as cellos or large guitars) cannot travel in regional turboprop cabins unless an additional passenger seat has been purchased in advance through Trade Air operations. Otherwise, they must travel in a rigid flight case in the hold.
Traveling with Infants
- Collapsible Strollers: Passengers traveling with an infant can check one fully collapsible stroller or pram free of charge.
- Gate Check Process: You can push the stroller through security and right up to the aircraft door. Handlers will stow it in the cargo hold and return it to you at the aircraft steps upon landing.
Trade Air Luggage Checklist
Follow these steps before heading to the airport for a Trade Air domestic or charter flight.
- Verify your operating carrier on your ticket. Confirm whether you are flying a domestic Trade Air turboprop or a partner flight operated on an Airbus jet.
- Check your ticket's hold baggage weight limit. Domestic flights often cap bags at 15 kg, so weigh your luggage at home to avoid airport excess fees.
- Keep essential items in your personal item. Pack chargers, prescription medicine, and travel documents in your under-seat bag in case your carry-on is gate-checked.
- Keep lithium batteries in the cabin. Power banks, loose lithium batteries, and e-cigarettes are prohibited in the cargo hold and cannot go into gate-checked bags.
- Declare sports equipment before arriving at the airport. Regional turboprops have tiny cargo doors that cannot accommodate large bike boxes or surfboards without prior clearance.
- Arrive at the airport check-in counter early. Online check-in is not available for all domestic PSO airfields, so allow at least 90 minutes before domestic departure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the carry-on baggage allowance on Trade Air domestic flights?
On scheduled domestic flights, passengers are permitted one small personal item to place under the seat and one small carry-on bag weighing up to roughly 5 kg. Because regional turboprops have tiny overhead bins, standard rolling carry-ons are frequently checked at the aircraft steps and returned upon deplaning.
How much checked baggage is included on Trade Air flights in Croatia?
Most scheduled domestic PSO tickets include 1 checked bag with a weight limit of 15 kg. Some contract fares may allow up to 20 kg. Always review your electronic booking confirmation to check the exact allowance printed on your ticket.
Which baggage rules apply if Trade Air operates my flight for another airline?
When Trade Air operates a flight as a wet-lease (charter) provider on behalf of another airline, the marketing airline's baggage policy applies. You must follow the ticketed carrier's rules for carry-on sizes, checked baggage weights, and excess fees.
Can I buy extra baggage online for Trade Air domestic flights?
No, Trade Air domestic scheduled routes do not feature an online baggage self-service portal. Excess weight and additional pieces must be approved and paid for in Euros directly at the airport check-in counter on the day of departure.
Can I bring a bicycle or oversized sports gear on Trade Air?
Oversized sports gear like bicycles or kayaks requires advance approval from Trade Air. Due to the small cargo hold doors on regional turboprops, large gear boxes may not physically fit into the aircraft hold.
Can I bring a stroller for my child on Trade Air?
Yes, you can bring one fully collapsible stroller or pram free of charge for an infant. You can take the stroller to the aircraft steps, where crew members will load it into the hold and return it upon arrival.
What is the maximum weight for a single checked bag on Trade Air?
The maximum weight for any single piece of luggage is 32 kg (70 lbs). Even if you are willing to pay overweight fees, airport baggage handlers in Europe cannot accept single items weighing more than 32 kg due to workplace safety regulations.
Baggage rules can vary by route, aircraft type, fare class, and ticketing carrier. For flights operated on behalf of another airline, the operating transport company's official terms prevail. Always confirm your final allowance on your ticket itinerary before travel.
