Check whether your bag can fly with Kayak's new luggage measurement tool

The search engine harnesses augmented reality to measure luggage

As rules over what you can and can't bring as carry-on luggage get ever more complicated, one search engine has launched a tool to check whether your bag will make it onto the flight before you leave for the airport.

Kayak, an online flight booking platform, has just launched an augmented reality luggage measurement tool to allow passengers to measure their luggage when they book their flight.

The bag measurement tool can be accessed by travellers when booking a flight on the Kayak app. Travellers have to first scan the floor to calibrate the tool's measurements, before moving their camera around their bag for size. This allows the tool to give the bag’s dimensions – as well as measure any lumps and bumps that might force it into the hold.

Handily, the tool also compiles the baggage policies for all airlines bookable via Kayak, so travellers can check what is accepted for their chosen airline.

“With so many Brits taking shorter breaks in Europe and beyond, travelling hand luggage-only is a popular option for many travellers,” said Matthias Keller, chief scientist at Kayak.

He added: “But with different airlines allowing different sizes of bag in the cabin, and the rules regularly changing, it can be hard to be confident that your bag will fit. And no one wants an unexpected last-minute expense at the airport, or to be without their bag if it contains items they want for the flight. There are lots of ways that AR can be used for fun, but this tool is designed to be truly useful and valuable for travellers.”

The tool is currently available via the Kayak app for all iOS devices running iOS 11.3 or later.

Baggage allowances have been in the spotlight recently, as Ryanair cut its free cabin baggage allowance by two-thirds. From November, passengers on Europe's largest budget airline can now only bring a handbag-sized bag or rucksack (20 litres) onboard for free. A bigger 10kg bag can only be taken in the cabin if passengers pay extra for priority boarding, or can be checked in the hold for a fee.