Carry on: How strict is KLM??

I'm thinking of replacing my trusty rolling luggage with ultralights. However, I checked on KLM's website and carry-ons are limited to 21 inches in length. Most luggage companies sell 21" spinners, but the length they advertise DOESN"T count the wheels, which can't be removed and increase the luggage length to 23 inches or more. Will this cause me problems at the boarding gate??

Thanks for any real-world experience.

LH

Is it outside the regulations:

Yes - expect problems

No - don't expect problems

Simple, huh?

Maybe I wasn't clear: I have heard varying feedback on whether a carry-on, labeled by the manufacturer as 21", will fit in the KLM bin. Will a KLM patron please let me know whether they have successfully used a 21-inch spinner as a carry-on bag? I don't want to buy something that will be rejected by the airline for in-cabin use; or be one of those people holding up the whole boarding process.

Clear enough? Non-snarky responses appreciated.

LH

Here it is in a nutshell.

KLM, as well as almost every airline, has a published specification for carryon luggage. This specification is not the same for all carriers, nor for all carriers within a particular alliance. Further, on an itinerary with multiple carriers, each gets to enforce their own specification.

KLM specifies as follows:

** A piece of hand baggage may measure max. 55 x 25 x 35 cm / 21.5 x 10 x 13.5 in (l x b x h).

Thus three conclusions should be drawn:

1) The statements of a manufacturer saying "21 inch" has NO relevance, especially if they do not specify dimensions including all wheels, handles and the like. It is the actual physical measurement that matters, not what the bag is labeled.

2) Whether or not the bag physically fits into the overhead bin is not relevant to the issue of the KLM size regulation.

3) The experience of any individual who says "I've never had a problem with a bigger bag" is merely one anecdote and does not mean that you can ignore the airline regulation without risk. Further, the phrase "21 inch spinner" could mean many things - a bag with a "shell" dimension of 21 inches or perhaps one that is 21 inches overall. By your own admission, the 21 inch bag that you are referencing is assuredly bigger than that.

In other words....

Get a tape measure. Verify the dimensions. If you feel like exceeding the KLM specification, know that you are running the risk of having it rejected by any given KLM agent, be it at check-in, gate or on-board.

And I'm sorry if you think this may be "snarky" - it is, however unfortunately true facts. And needed, since you chose to blow off the simple post by FBGD that earlier spelled it out.

You can measure all you want, if you have a gate agent that doesn't even look at your carry on bag, you'll be ok. If you have one that does, you'll be in trouble.

It basically comes down to that one (or maybe 2) person(s) at the gate and/or check-in. The company itself can be as strict as they want, if some random staff member decides not to be, there's not much to do about it.

When I was working as a gate agent, anyone with a handbag too big was forced to check it in. Because handbags that are too big are a true poison to aviation.

I recommend you look for a bag without spinner wheels. I expect that they will disallow the bag your discribe.

You have to decide how important following the rules are to you. I am not going to buy different luggage for every airline I may travel on and I am not going to measure my bag and check each airlines website before every trip. I would buy the bag I like. Obviously you want something that fits in the overhead bins and you want to be reasonable.

Spinner wheels are great. Love them, it makes moving the bag down the aircraft so much easier.

You should be buying the bag because you plan to use it over several years on multiple airlines.

Ignore those silly sizing devices at the airport. If an agent asks me to put my bag in one, ok I will do it, but I am not going to take the initiative on my own. If the gate agent cares so much that he/she is going to generate extra work for themselves checking it in, so be it, accept the fact on the odd flight your going to have your luggage checked at the gate.

Personally I find it more likely to be asked to check my bag, because all the bin space is taken up by the passengers that boarded before me.

Yes KLM is often very strict. Not only size wise but also re the weight!

We had our cabin luggage weighted at checkin in a.o. NY and other places.

It has to fit in the overheadbins and you will have to put it in yourself.

If the staff at the gate doubts about size or weight they will take it from you and have it checked in.

Depends on where you board and on the staff. You could get a 'new man on the job' or there could suddenly be a corporate push on enfocement.

We only do carry on-gave up checking bags a long time ago. We had the same issue. Ditched our older carry on in favour of one that meets the dimensional requirements of most airlines-wheels included. Issue is now weight since there are many different weight restrictions and variations of enforcement. We also found that the smaller carry on will fit in the overheard vertically, ie it will take up only 1/3 of the overhead vs. laying it lengthwise. Much more considerate of others.

You get enough people boarding with the attitude of "I'm taking the size I want" bags and we end up in the mess we are today. If you need to have a bag that you want, you need to book flights that has the allowable dimensions of your bag. Sure, you may get by on some flights, but do not throw a hissy fit when you get stopped and measured and you must relinquish your bag to the baggage hold.

Just anecdotal data, but in the past few years, I've seen too many people trying to bring too-large bags onto all types of aircraft, waste time trying to shove their worldly possessions into the overhead (and many times failing), deciding to put their oversize bag in sideways instead of the way it should go (wasting space that could go to other passengers),...

If you want to fly with an airline that has a 21.5" height dimension, make da*n sure that your bag is no taller than that, fully stuffed. If you are buying a bag, take that tape measure with you. I'm sorry if I sound preachy, but I really have had enough of people thinking they are exempt from the carryon guidelines. I carry on a truly legal bag and, and I get truly irritated if I have to gate-check the bag because of some self-important people loaded up the overhead with their life's possessions...

Yes KLM is often very strict. Not only size wise but also re the weight!

We had our cabin luggage weighted at checkin in a.o. NY and other places.

It has to fit in the overheadbins and you will have to put it in yourself.

If the staff at the gate doubts about size or weight they will take it from you and have it checked in.

PS The weight limit of handluggage at KLM is 12 kgs. per person in totall, in case you have e.g. also a handbag or similar.

It should be much easier if all airlines had the same rules!

I can't understand why the weightlimit is so different between the different companies. We always fly with British Airways so we never have to worry about our carryon being too heavy!

I'm thinking of replacing my trusty rolling luggage with ultralights. However, I checked on KLM's website and carry-ons are limited to 21 inches in length. Most luggage companies sell 21" spinners, but the length they advertise DOESN"T count the wheels, which can't be removed and increase the luggage length to 23 inches or more. Will this cause me problems at the boarding gate??

Thanks for any real-world experience.

 

LH

The dimensions are clearly stated, which include- the ENTIRE bag. IF a bag doesn't comply with these measurements, then why even consider buying it?? Look for something smaller.

I fly around Europe enough to see, the enforcement of these rules. And the passenger- arguing they got on with the bag etc etc. Doesn't matter.

It's a huge mistake- to ignore what is in black and white- thinking anyone is entitled to an "exception".

The dimensions are clearly stated, which include- the ENTIRE bag. IF a bag doesn't comply with these measurements, then why even consider buying it?? Look for something smaller.

 

I fly around Europe enough to see, the enforcement of these rules. And the passenger- arguing they got on with the bag etc etc. Doesn't matter.

 

It's a huge mistake- to ignore what is in black and white- thinking anyone is entitled to an "exception".

The problem with all the rules is they are not consistent and as a frequent flyer the last thing I want to do is own and change my carry every other week because of the airline on I at that point in time.

In the past 6 months I have flown on Air Canada, WestJet, Alaska, Delta, United, Air France and Pacific Coastal Airlines. If you look at the past two years, add in British Airways, Alitalia, Swiss, ANA, and American. My carry on is probably compatible with most but not all of these.

The industry needs to get its act together and establish common rules. Turns out IATA did define common rules. But not all airlines follow them.