Consider this: you?re a harried business executive flying overseas to attend an important meeting. You?ve barely made the flight ? no thanks to the nagging wife, crabby kids with demands for the latest Pokemon plaything, and, crowning it all, traffic of the ?shoot-yourself-in-the-head? variety. So you?re feeling hot, heckled and terribly on-edge. You can?t wait to sink into your seat and throw open your laptop to go over the final figures before that make-or-break meeting. Ah! If only life were that easy!

Before you can say Arthur Hailey, a dour-faced airport official rudely informs you that your laptop can?t be allowed inside the cabin. ?Aircraft regulations? is cited before you?re dealt the ?cabin baggage weight exceeded? explanation. There goes your plan to prep yourself before entering the boardroom!

Ever found yourself in a similar sticky situation? Remember it all boils down to weight watching. Every airline has its own weight limitations that passengers have to follow. Here?s a handy guide to help get the facts and figures right before your next trip.

While First Class highfliers usually have the option of carrying two pieces of hand luggage, for Economy passengers, most airlines allow a single piece of hand luggage not exceeding a weight of anything from 6kg to 10kg. Then again, a few carriers allow you to lug a second piece along too ? but only if it?s a briefcase or a laptop. The condition: don?t cross the weight limit.

British Airways allows its First Class and Club Class patrons to haul into the cabin, a medium-sized bag plus a briefcase or laptop, but they should all add up to 18kg. The same applies to their World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and World Traveller (economy) ticket holders, just as long as they limit themselves to 12kg and 6kg respectively.

Such baggage regulations cut across airspace. Closer home, Air India also allows passengers to pack in a laptop but again, only if the normal hand baggage limit of 8kg to 10kg is not breached. While Indian Airlines (IA) does not lay down any weight restrictions, it does follow the one piece concept where the sum of three dimensions must not exceed 115cm. ?We are flexible though and two hand bags can be allowed if, in total, they confirm to the 115cm limit. We also permit laptops over and above the one bag limit. But in any case, a major role is played by the Central Industrial Security Force at the airport,? says an Indian Airlines source.

Quite a few carriers allow fliers to carry along those much-needed extras along with the stipulated hand luggage. Jet Airways allows a flat 10kg as cabin baggage across both its Club Class and Economy sections. ?Laptops and cameras are allowed in addition to the 10kg quota,? says reservations manager, Kamala Roy, Jet Airways, Calcutta. Keep in mind though, that if you?re on a flight originating from Jammu, Leh or Srinagar, hand baggage isn?t allowed for security reasons.

Sahara too allows passengers to bring along a laptop in addition to a handbag that weighs no more than 7kg for Economy passengers, and no more than 10kg for Club Class fliers. On IA flights, quite a few items are allowed besides the regulation hand baggage. So you can cart along an overcoat or wrap; an umbrella or a walking stick; a camera or binoculars; a purse and of course, a few glossies to read. If you?re taking baby along for the ride, you can carry baby food and a carry basket for the little one. Handicapped passengers can take along a wheelchair (the fully collapsible kind), crutches or braces.

In fact, most carriers including Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific allow more or less the same. Cathay Pacific also shows the green light to items like a briefcase (no more than 4kg), a laptop (no more than 4kg) and an infant collapsible pushchair (if cabin stowage is available). All this in addition to the regular baggage allowance which ranges from 7kg to 15kg, depending upon the class of travel.

Emirates allows duty-free purchase of liquor, cigarettes, perfumes in reasonable quantities for First Class and Economy ticket holders. That?s in addition to the stipulated limit of 7kg or 12kg depending upon the ticket you hold. The carriage of certain musical instruments is also permitted in the aircraft cabin. But that?s only if you?re packing a smaller instrument like a clarinet or a violin. Larger ones like a cello or guitar need to be checked into the hold or kept on a separate seat for which you?ll have to pay extra. Emirates ? as does all other airlines ? permits ?wheelie? bags (strolleys) as cabin baggage, provided they are within the 45 inch overall limit.

Small wonder then that most luggage manufacturers are churning out strolleys and hand baggage items by the dozen. Leading luggage makers VIP manufactures a range of strolleys and suitcases that adheres to most cabin baggage specifications. There?s the Atlantis Deluxe, Oxford, Pepperworks and Infiniti models, all ranging between Rs 1,399 and Rs 3,099, which are ideal for stowing in the aircraft cabin. This apart, there are plenty of other hand baggage options in the market that have provisions for a laptop as well.