NORTHERN Ireland holidaymakers need to be aware of new luggage regulations at Belfast airports, according to a Spokesperson for one of Ulster's major tour operators.From November last year, any single bags being checked in at departure desks cannot exceed a weight limit of 32 kilos. The new regulations have been introduced exclusively for the safety of airport workers.

However, according to one tour operator Spokesperson, the Province's holidaymakers are unaware of the updated rules and are therefore being
caused acute embarrassment at airport check-in desks.

"The issue here is that nobody is being made aware of these bag regulations until they actually arrive at the departure desk with a bag that is too
heavy.

"In these instances holidaymakers are given the option of a flatpack cardboard box to put the excess in - but they have to do it at the top of
the queue. "I've witnessed instances of extreme embarrassment by customers having to take personal items out of a bag in front of everybody," said the
Spokesperson."In particular, one mother of three had packed all of her kids' belongings into one large bag for handiness sake, only to find at the check-in that she was over-limit by four kilos and had to unpack it all.

"Although I can see the point of Health and Safety regulations for workers so they aren't left dragging around bags that are simply too heavy to lift,
there is quite a lot to be said for the privacy surrounding a customer's personal belongings."

The new 32 kilo regulation on single bags applies on all flights out of Belfast, regardless of airline or tour operator. If a bag does exceed the limit, customers are given the option of taking excess weight out and putting it in a fold-up cardboard box to be taken onboard the aircraft.
The regulation also raises issues of who is responsible for the contents of cardboard boxes should they be damaged in transit.

"At the end of the day, it really is the passenger's responsibility to ensure their luggage does not go over the strict new limits, but I feel the
fact that people are not aware of the rules is going to cause a lot more problems in the future.

"Of course, 32 kilos is very heavy for any single bag and chances are the majority of holidaymakers won't be travelling with luggage that heavy out of
Belfast.But as I have witnessed already, people are being affected nonetheless, and it would save an awful lot of potential humiliation and inconvenience if passengers are made aware in the first instance."