I carried Microwave Oven as check-in item In Flight
Microwave Oven is not a common check-in item In Flight hence lots of confusion surrounds it.
There are always some doubt in mind while taking a flight. Every time we carry some stuff that we did not carry before puts a doubt in our mind about the airline rules.
I had the same doubt when I found myself in a situation where I had to carry microwave in flight. If you find yourself in same situation, keep reading…
Is Microwave oven allowed in flight?
Yes, you can carry microwave oven in flight, both International and Domestic. I carried a microwave oven as check-in luggage in AirAsia (domestic flight) and in this post I have captured my experience. Other non-conventional items that can be brought in flight are: Electric stove Toaster TV Continue reading to know details..
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I was traveling from Bangalore to Pune and found myself in a situation where I had to carry a microwave oven.
I had booked air tickets but was not sure if the microwave is allowed as a check-in bag.
I searched on Google and got posts that said it can be carried but no one had shared their personal experience. It was all about chats with customer care.
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Table of Contents
Questions that were bothering me were:
- Can I carry microwave in flight?
- How does airlines handle luggage marked as Fragile?
- Will it be handled carefully to avoid damage?
A big risk was if the authorities did not allow, i will have to leave the microwave at airport itself (as good as throw it in thrash) as no one accompanied me to the airport to whom I could have handed over the box.
Even though I had these doubts, I decided to go ahead with it.
I had a 20L LG microwave (20″x11″x15″). Its weight was around 20kg’s and dimension just right for the check-in baggage ie within 27″x21″x14″ (the requirement is that the sum of these sides should not be more than 62″).
I used the box with approximate dimension of 24x14x18. I had a big box in which some stuff was delivered, I cut it out in the size of microwave (with some buffer) and used it.
As I was traveling domestic, the check in bag weight was 15kg’s but since my wife and kid were traveling with me, the airline allowed me to club the weight.
I checked in 2 bags of 22kg and 21kg for the 3 passengers in my itinerary, one of it was the Microwave.
How to pack a microwave for moving in flight?
The best way will be if you have retained the original packing i.e both the box and thermocol fillers, but this is not very common.
Same was the case with me. I did not have the original packing, so I made a hardboard box from the packing of some other stuff, as per the size of the microwave box!!
Make sure the glass turntable and the wheel attachment is properly secured. I wrapped it in bubble paper & towels and kept it in my check-in box.
Note: Glass is not allowed in cabin luggage, so better put it in check-in luggage.
There was some gap on the front and sides between the microwave and the box, I cushioned it with the extra cardboard.
For cushion, I Made small cylinders from the left over cardboard and pushed it in the gap such that the microwave will not move.
The cylinders were soft enough so that not to put a dent on the microwave and sturdy enough to keep it from moving from its place.
Wrap a lot of packing tape on the outside of box to make it sturdy.
If possible, get a tape with “Fragile” written on it & put/stick it on all the sides of the box.
Click to get duct tape with Fragile written on it
Microwave In Checked Luggage
At the check-in counter, the attendant was surprised when I told them I was checking in a microwave.
She called her supervisor and confirmed if it can be checked in. To my relief, the answer was yes.
The attendant asked me if the packing was good, then she pasted Fragile sticker on the box.
Instead of putting the box on conveyor belt, she asked another attendant to take it manually.
This gave me some confidence that there will be no problem with the microwave.
After landing, I was curious to see the status of my microwave.. There were no external visible damages on the box, first level check passed!
We reached home and unpacked the box. To my joy, the Microwave reached its destination without any damage!!
A special thanks to the AirAsia crew for handling the fragile item carefully.
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I had read many stories about how the ground crew do not care about fragile sticker and I was not very confident I will get my microwave without damage!!
But getting my microwave unscratched is a proof that airlines do care about fragilis….at least AirAsia does.
Watch this video on how to carry microwave oven in flight
Can I Take Microwave Oven In International Flight?
Yes, you can take microwave oven, electric stove in International flight provided it meets the check in luggage criteria. But the question is should You carry microwave to a foreign country?
In case you are planning to take microwave oven outside country, then think again.
The electricity wattage of appliance in all countries are not same. Eg. In india appliance works on 230V but in US all appliance work on 110V.
In plain English, if power rating is not supported in the country you are taking microwave, it will be of no use.
Note: People do carry TV from US to India as its pretty cheap there. Once in India, they have to separately buy a voltage step down device along with the plug adaptor to ensure TV does not burn out on 230V!!
Can I bring a Microwave to Hotel?
Yes, you can definitely bring a microwave to Hotel. I will suggest better ask the hotel if they have a micro way or if they can provide one.
A positive response will save you on the hassle of carrying a microwave (Its considered fragile item).
FAQ’s
Can you bring microwave on a plane?
Yes, you can bring microwave on a plane. Since the weight of microwave oven exceeds cabin bag limit, it needs to be checked in.
Do Airports have microwaves?
You will find microwaves at airport lounges or one of the shops, not at any other location. In case you want to use it at any of the shop, speak with the shop attendant.
Can I bring microwave to a hotel?
Yes, you can bring microwave to a hotel. There is no policy where microwave or any other heating device is not allowed in hotel.
Do Airplanes have microwave?
No, airplanes don’t have microwave on board, they do have convection oven.
Can we carry medicine and clothes in laptop bag in international flight?
Yes, you can carry medicine & clothes in laptop bag For medicine, carry a prescription from doctor. Also, if its liquid make sure it follows the allowed liquid limit on flight.
Things not to pack in your checked in luggage
There are few things that are not allowed in checked in luggage. Better be aware or else you will have to throw it at the airport.
Conclusion:
This was my experience with AirAsia, I assume other airlines follow the same protocol while handing fragile checked-in luggage.
Microwave oven is not categorized as dangerous goods or items that are not allowed in flights.
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