What is the primary difference between baggage and cargo in airline operations?

• A. Baggage is passenger luggage; cargo is goods for carriage in freight compartments
• B. Baggage is heavier than cargo
• C. Cargo is always international only
• D. Baggage cannot be moved on cargo aircraft

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is ownership and purpose. Baggage refers to a passenger’s personal luggage (or crew bags) carried in or on the aircraft as part of the traveler’s journey, handled through passenger check-in and security processes. Cargo, on the other hand, is commercial freight—goods, mail, and shipments—that airlines move as a business in dedicated freight space with specialized handling. Weight isn’t the defining factor: baggage can be light or heavy depending on what a traveler brings, and cargo can range from small parcels to very heavy freight. So the statement about baggage being heavier than cargo isn’t a reliable way to distinguish them.