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I'm looking at some "e-ticket itinerary/receipt" issued by Korean Air for a flight from the United States to Asia. I read the baggage information section and it says:

Please check the detailed baggage regulations on the Korean Air website. Unregulated baggage may not be transported or may be charged an extra fee. Excess baggage charges can be paid in advance on the website. Items restricted from transportation of consigned baggage. Carry-on baggage Checked Baggage

What's unregulated baggage?

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  • I would say: walking sticks, prams, etc. I think on checked baggage: bulk and thing with special forms (skis, golf, etc.).
    – Giacomo Catenazzi
    Commented Aug 8 at 6:47
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    Even if this use of the word “unregulated” sounds a bit odd, its meaning seems reasonably clear from the reference to “baggage regulations” in the previous sentence. If your luggage isn't covered by these regulations, Korean Air makes no promise that they will transport it and reserve the right to refuse it or charge some unspecified extra fee.
    – Relaxed
    Commented Aug 8 at 13:37
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    Its probably just sloppy translation (which isn't all that unusual in east Asia). It just means "baggage that's noncompliant with the given size and weight regulations"
    – Hilmar
    Commented Aug 8 at 13:42
  • @Hilmar thanks. "baggage that's noncompliant with the given size and weight regulations" = baggage beyond free allowance or beyond the max baggage size/dimensions even when paying extra fees?
    – Franck Dernoncourt
    Commented Aug 8 at 20:05
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    For the record, I could find no mention of "unregulated" on the Korean Air website.
    – Pete B.
    Commented Aug 9 at 17:54

2 Answers 2

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It's worth remembering that Korean Air is obviously a Korean carrier, and thus this text is likely translated from Korean, or at least written by someone who is not a native English speaker.

With that in mind, the answer to your question is likely in the previous sentence, which states "Please check the detailed baggage regulations on the Korean Air website".

In the context of this sentence, "Unregulated" almost certainly refers to baggage that is outside of the regulations.

This does not match the typical english definition of this word, but again, this is likely translated or written by a non-native English speaker, so it's easy to see how they would use the "un" prefix to mean outside of the regulations.

So with this definition, "Unregulated baggage" could be anything from having more than the allowed number of items, to oversized items, or even restricted items or any number of other things - all of which "may not be transported or may be charged an extra fee" as per the statement.

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It means any checked-in luggage that is larger than the displayed dimensions and weight limit (23 kg and 158 linear cm), or carry-on that is more than 10 kg in weight or 115 linear cm.

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  • With such interpretation, it would be difficult to think about a possibility of the possibility of being free of charge (... or may be charged extra fee),
    – Giacomo Catenazzi
    Commented Aug 8 at 8:29
  • @GiacomoCatenazzi I believe they mean "an extra fee on top of the regular fee for a piece of luggage" (but that is not always the case, many airlines will carry some specific types of luggage outside the usual limits for the same price as regular luggage).
    – jcaron
    Commented Aug 8 at 9:52
  • @jcaron I disagree, but so this question is more important: we read the same thing in different way (and still we do not have a reference to confirm which interpretation is correct) -- e.g. I would write "oversize" or "overweight" on such case, not unregulated. It seems more a IATA thing (what it is mandatory and what not)
    – Giacomo Catenazzi
    Commented Aug 8 at 10:01
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    @GiacomoCatenazzi I work for an airline, this is almost a standard, it applies to many things with shapes other than boxes.. they simply might allow it, or reject it, or ask for an extra fee for either the exceedance of dimensions or the weight.
    – Nean Der Thal
    Commented Aug 8 at 14:48
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    @GiacomoCatenazzi Electric wheelchairs are normaly not charged, but they are often way outside of standard luggage weights.
    – Ian Ringrose
    Commented Aug 8 at 15:57

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