MUMBAI: Some of the heaviest check-in bags that go into the belly of an aircraft belong to students, flying abroad for education. Books and clothes apart, every gram worth of free baggage allowance is judiciously used to pack in gastronomical armour needed to fight those ghar-ka-khana cravings that come with full force in a foreign land. For some, it takes the shape of boxes of mangoes, for others it is desi ghee, pickles and all. And the pressure cooker apparently gets preference over books.

These were some of the findings that came out in a survey done by an airline to figure out the choices and preferences of Indian students travelling abroad for college education. The most surprising revelation was the annual enquiries that come in during the mango season. "Every year students are keen to find out the maximum quantity of mangoes they can check in," said the survey done by UK-based Virgin Atlantic . The airline, which operates direct flights between Delhi and London dug out details from its check-in staff in Delhi airport to find out what is it that an Indian student packs into his/her bags before leaving abroad to study.

There have been instances at the Virgin Atlantic counters where student passengers have paid excess baggage fees to carry big bags full of instant noodles and bhujias, the survey said. There has also been an incident where a passenger actually checked in a traditional broom. In another instance, a student wanted to check-in a traditional cot or khat and blankets.

The other popular items in a student's luggage—which the airline found surprising—include paranthas in cling wrap, enough to last a week; buns, pickles, jaggery, desi ghee, sweets, hair oil, shampoo, refined oil in quantities that will last a year, ready-to-eat food packets, pressure cooker, noodles, bhujias and mangoes. Among the non-food items most-often carried were guitar, harmonium, tabla and sports equipment like cricket, golf kit.

Though the airline allows students and passengers flying economy-class to carry 46 kgs of baggage free—that is two 23 kg bags—it is not uncommon for the check-in staff to come across students who cross that limit and then fish out extra baggage fees to accommodate the bags full of food items. Those flying premium economy are allowed to carry three bags of 23 kgs each.