Gulf Air

General   |   Contact Info   |   Baggage Info   |   Traveling with Children   |   Traveling with Pets

Baggage information

Hand baggage
First and Business Class:
- One bag (maximum dimensions 22 x 16 x 12 in/55 x 40 x 30 cm)
- or One garment carrier (maximum width 8 in/20 cm)
- plus One briefcase (maximum dimensions 18 x 14 x 8 in/45 x 40 x 30 cm)
- Maximum total weight: 20 lb/9 kg
Economy Class:
- One bag (maximum dimensions 17 x 15 x 12 in/45 x 40 x 30 cm)
- Maximum Weight: 13 lb/6 kg
Infants not occupying a seat and paying 10% of the applicable fare:
- One bag (maximum dimensions 18 x 14 x 8 in/44 x 35 x 20 cm)
- Maximum Weight: 7 lb/3 kg
Infant (All Classes):
One bag (maximum dimensions 44 x 35 x 20 cm or 18 x 14 x 8 inches)
Total weight: 3 kg
Children, aged 2 years and older, travelling on Gulf Air operated services, get the same checked baggage allowance as adults (within that allowance can include a child’s collapsible stroller/pushchair and a child’s car seat). Infants, aged under 2 years, get a special allowance of 10 kg for checked baggage, plus a collapsible stroller/pushchair and an infant car seat.

Checked baggage allowances
- Falcon Gold passengers: 40 kg
- Economy Class passengers: 30 kg  
Gold or Silver member of the Gulf Air Frequent flyer programme  receive an additional baggage allowance over and above the applicable allowance for their journey, free of charge. The extra allowance when travelling on flights operated by Gulf Air is:
- Gold frequent flyer an additional 20 kg
- Silver frequent flyer an additional 15 kg
In line with IATA regulations and the legislation of many countries, no single piece of checked baggage may weigh more than 32 kg. If it exceeds 32 kg, you will be asked to repack the bag by our Customer Service staff.

Codeshare Flights
For passengers traveling on a codeshare service operated by American Airlines to/from the USA or Canada, a piece concept exists.
First and Business Class
- Checked Baggage Allowance: 2 pieces
- Maximum Dimensions of each piece: 62 linear inches/158 cm (length + width + height)
- Maximum Weigh of each piece: 70 lb/32 kg
Economy Class
- Checked Baggage Allowance: 2 pieces
- Maximum Combined Dimensions of both pieces: 107 linear inches/273cm (length + width + height)
- Maximum Weigh of each piece: 50 lb/23 kg
Any bag weighing more than 50 lb/23 kg but less than 70 lb/32 kg will incur a fee of US$ 50 per piece. Bags weighing more than 70 lb/32 kg will not be accepted.
Infants not occupying a seat and paying 10% of the applicable fare
- Checked Baggage Allowance: 2 pieces
- Maximum Combined Dimensions of both pieces: 107 linear inches/273cm (length + width + height)
- Maximum Weigh of each piece: 50 lb/23 kg

Children information

Infants On-Board and Bassinets
- Infants of less than seven days are not allowed to travel by air. Newborn babies older than one week will be accepted for air travel provided they are healthy and have had a normal birth.
- There must be one adult accompanying each infant seated on an adult’s lap. One additional infant may accompany the same adult provided the second infant pays the child fare and travel with a pre-arranged crew escort subject to availability. A minimum of 07 days notice is required.
- Infants up to 7 months old, weighing no more than 10 kg and not more than 26” in length can travel using the onboard bassinets (carry-cots). You should request a bassinet when you book your ticket to ensure availability and to obtain advance confirmation.
Should the baby – irrespective of age and advance confirmation from the airline – exceed these set limits, our Cabin Crew will not allow the use of a bassinet as this is perceived as being unsafe and not in compliance with civil airline safety regulations.
Remember to pre-reserve a bassinet on all flights during your journey, not just the first sector.

Child Meal
Special children’s meals are available at no extra charge. These should be requested when booking a child’s ticket or at least 24 hours before departure.

Baggage and Pushchairs
A child between 2-11 years is entitled to the same baggage allowance as an adult.
  - Infants less than 2 years old will be allowed one checked piece, provided that the total linear dimensions (height + width + depth) does not exceed 62 inches (158 cm) and the weight of the bag does not exceed 50 lbs (23 kg)
- Push-chairs cannot be accepted onboard but are allowed as far as the gate, and must be checked in as baggage.

Infant & Child Restraint Seats
Passengers travelling with infants and children from 6 months to 3 years of age may use their own car type seats in conjunction with a normal aircraft seat when the appropriate child fare has been paid. The car seat must be a forward facing type with proper harnesses that can be strapped to a passenger seat by use of the lap belt.

Gulf Air does not permit rearward facing car seats or booster seats on board. The seat must be a purpose designed children’s car seat and must not exceed the dimensions of the relevant aircraft seat that has been paid for. The parent is primarily responsible to ensure that the child is the right size and weight for the car seat.

If you want your infant to sit on a separate seat, the infant must be between 6 and 23 months and you will be charged the child fare. You will need to ensure that you have a car seat that is approved for use on-board aircraft. These following car seats are accepted:

1. Seats that meet the Technical Standard order TSO-C100B by the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States of America accepts seats that meet or seats which have two markings “This Restraints is Certified for use in Motor Vehicles and Aircraft” in red lettering and “This seat conforms to all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard”.
2. Seats approved to Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Labeled “(CMVSS) No.213 entitled “Child Restraint Systems” or (CMVSS) No.213 entitled “Infant Seating and Restraint System”.
3. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of the United Kingdom allows type 2040-1 Car chair, manufactured by Aviation Furnishing International Limited. It is accepted by the CAA (UK) as a Child Safety Seat specifically designed for aircraft applications.
4. Seats meeting European Safety Standard requirements of ECE Regulation 44 (ECE R44/03) (ECE: Economic Commission for Europe).

Pets

Pets policy
Gulf Air will accept the following types of animals on board its aircraft:
Dogs, cats, pet birds, small fur-bearing animals such as rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs, and tropical fish.

Please note the following conditions:
- Any other categories of animals must first be cleared through Gulf Air Cargo or its appointed agent.
- If you wish to ship your animals on Gulf Air, please contact the airline or its appointed agent at least two weeks before the planned date of travel.
- Many countries require an import licence, to be obtained in advance of the arrival of the animal.
- In addition, regulations in most countries demand that the animal is accompanied by a current health certificate, issued by a qualified veterinarian, to confirm the animal is healthy and disease-free.
- Notice should be taken of any quarantine periods required for the importation of animals, as these can be as long as six months and may cause suffering to the animal as well as financial and emotional distress to the owner.
- Certain countries only permit animals to be carried as cargo and not as accompanied baggage.
- Gulf Air does not permit the carriage of animals in the passenger cabin of aircraft(except for guide eye dogs for the visually impared).
- It may be cheaper to take small animals as excess baggage, rather than cargo, when permitted by the country of destination.
- Live animals are not permitted to be part of a passenger-checked baggage allowance, and they must be charged as excess baggage or cargo.
- Live animals must be loaded in special IATA approved containers. Your local Gulf Air office or its approved agent can advise where to obtain these.
- Gulf Air does not recommend sedatives for live animals; however, these may be used at the owner's discretion.
- This list is only a guide to the shipment of animals and full details can be obtained from your local Gulf Air Office or its appointed agent.
- Further details of importation regulations for individual countries can be obtained from local embassies, chargé d'affaires or consulate offices.
- Gulf Air is recognised by the UK's Pet Travel Scheme (PETS) and EU Pet Passport System, which allows cats and dogs which have already been vaccinated against rabies and micro-chipped to be carried from Bahrain into London Heathrow, without the need for the lengthy six month quarantine period.