A bag is a container that is usually used for storing or holding something. Bags are non-rigid, normally made of paper, cloth, thin plastic or some other flexible material.

Bags to take along vary from small ones, e.g. as an alternative to putting personal things in pockets of clothing (in particular "lady's bags") to large ones for use in traveling like a suitcase.

Shopping bags may be taken to the shop, or be of a cheap paper or plastic variety supplied by the shop for free or for a small fee.

A bag may have one or two handles, or neither of these. A bag may be closable by a zipper, etc., or simply by folding, e.g. in the case of a paper bag . Sometimes a travel bag has a lock.

Checked baggage

Checked baggage, when used in connection with air travel, means those items of baggage which are delivered to the operating airline for transportation in the hold of the aircraft and which is inaccesible to the passenger during flight.

This baggage is limited by airlines with regards to size, weight and number, usually dependent upon the fare paid or class of travel concerned. Baggage exceeding these limits is regarded as excess baggage.

Should passengers having checked baggage not arrive at the departure gate before the flight is closed, the passenger will be offloaded from the flight and baggage must be retrieved from the aircraft hold before the flight is permitted to be dispatched. This is the cause of many delays but is necessary for security reasons to prevent baggage being checked-in without the passenger physically being onboard the same aircraft.

Excess baggage

Excess baggage is the amount of baggage which is in excess of the free allowance in size, number or weight permitted for the air journey at any particular time. At the airline's discretion, this may be carried at an extra charge but no guarantee is made and it could be subject to being sent as freight.

See also

• mathematical bag
• tea bag
• sleeping bag
• backpack -- pouch -- purse