Let's talk about carry on bags!

[snowshh]

When in Paris we went to a local flower shop and asked for a sturdy cardboard box which was FREE. We packed our dirty clothes, etc in it and checked it at the airport. We only had to deal with our carryon bag. It was great!! I agree, trains are hard with large pieces of luggage and we were 3 ladies. You CAN do it!

[jamessemaj]

I prefer to carry on the minimum. I curse the airlines and the "carry as much as possible" passengers that this thread even exists. I don't care to engage in the storage bin wars that result, or stand in line to get to my seat because of it.

[sweetpea222]

Thanks for the great tips!! I am adding them all to my trip binder...

 

Packing light is a necessity for us. This is a big trip, 35 days, with two tweens in tow, multiple cities, and lots of walking with luggage. It has nothing to do with the cost of checking bags, since we can do that food free on our Air Canada flight, and plan to do so on the way home. For us it's about freedom of movement and simplicity.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[binkysmom]

I'll pack carry-on size luggage, but usally check it unless I'm only flying in the day before. I try to get in a few days early. But I now always fly with an extra change of clothes in my carryon since I've had luggage delays. Last cruise we got to Barcelona 3 days early and the airline delivered our luggage to the hotel the night before our cruise! :eek:

 

we would have spent the morning of the cruise shopping for a few outfits if it hadn't showed.

[blonde1981]

I have a rolling DVF bag that is soft sided. It has 2 pockets on the front and they are a pain. I say that because trying to put the bag in an overhead bin with the pockets filled is almost impossible. When I have to buy a new bag it will not have pockets sticking out.

 

Now as far as packing goes, I usually pack about 1/3 of my clothes in the carry on and the rest in the suitcase that I check. I use the packing cubes others have mentioned and you might be surprised at how much fits. I went to Disney in September and was able to fit 3 pairs of shorts and 10 shirts in the one cube.

[blonde1981]

I'll pack carry-on size luggage, but usally check it unless I'm only flying in the day before. I try to get in a few days early. But I now always fly with an extra change of clothes in my carryon since I've had luggage delays. Last cruise we got to Barcelona 3 days early and the airline delivered our luggage to the hotel the night before our cruise! :eek:

 

we would have spent the morning of the cruise shopping for a few outfits if it hadn't showed.

 

This is what I worry about and why I try to pack enough clothes to last a week in my carryon.

[varoo]

I prefer to carry on the minimum. I curse the airlines and the "carry as much as possible" passengers that this thread even exists. I don't care to engage in the storage bin wars that result, or stand in line to get to my seat because of it.

This sounds just like somebody we know who used to say the same thing -- until his checked luggage got lost and he had to get by for a week without it.

 

Now he carries on as much as possible and checks as little as possible, just like the rest of us who have had our checked luggage lost or delayed or misrouted. ;)

 

[jamessemaj]

This sounds just like somebody we know who used to say the same thing -- until his checked luggage got lost and he had to get by for a week without it.

 

Now he carries on as much as possible and checks as little as possible, just like the rest of us who have had our checked luggage lost or delayed or misrouted. ;)

 

 

I'm not sure much luggage gets completely lost anymore. I have had to deal with the more common problem of luggage missing a connection and of luggage going ahead of me due to delays.

 

But the nuisance of all of the carry ons and filled bins and waiting to load and unload just contributes to the miserable state of air travel now. The main reason is not fear of lost luggage but avoidance of the extra fees to check luggage.

 

My only reluctance with checked bags is how they are mangled by the handlers; rarely do I receive a bag back without some minor or major damage, but I still do it as my contribution to ease of passenger loading; nobody is ever left standing because of my in-cabin logistics))).

[cruisemom42]

Thanks for the great tips!! I am adding them all to my trip binder...

 

Packing light is a necessity for us. This is a big trip, 35 days, with two tweens in tow, multiple cities, and lots of walking with luggage. It has nothing to do with the cost of checking bags, since we can do that food free on our Air Canada flight, and plan to do so on the way home. For us it's about freedom of movement and simplicity.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

Packing light is definitely the right idea for the type of trip you have planned. It will be so much easier for you to maneuver without a lot of luggage.

 

Packing light doesn't come easy to me, but I try to keep to a minimum on trips where I'm traveling on and off planes, trains, buses, and possibly a ship!

[herbanrenewal]

I'm not sure much luggage gets completely lost anymore. I have had to deal with the more common problem of luggage missing a connection and of luggage going ahead of me due to delays.

 

As much as I wish this were true, missing luggage happens. Even if it is found and catches up a week later, it doesn't help on THIS vacation to have luggage returned once you are home.

But the nuisance of all of the carry ons and filled bins and waiting to load and unload just contributes to the miserable state of air travel now. The main reason is not fear of lost luggage but avoidance of the extra fees to check luggage.

 

I resent the inference that I am trying to avoid fees by carrying on. As it happens I, along with many other frequent travelers have free checked bags with the two airlines I use most frequently. However, when I travel I must depend on having clothing - so I inconvenience you. Sorry, but I feel my right to have my luggage is a higher imperative. I do agree that all airlines should uphold their regulations and insist any bag that does not meet standards can not be carried into the cabin. And only one bag can be overhead - everything else you carry must fit under the seat

 

My only reluctance with checked bags is how they are mangled by the handlers; rarely do I receive a bag back without some minor or major damage, but I still do it as my contribution to ease of passenger loading; nobody is ever left standing because of my in-cabin logistics))).

 

if everyone brought one appropriate sized bag to put in the overhead there would be no issue. Airlines need to uphold their regulations. I think the purpose of this thread was for suggestions for how to pack so that meeting those restrictions is possible.

[jamessemaj]

if everyone brought one appropriate sized bag to put in the overhead there would be no issue. Airlines need to uphold their regulations. I think the purpose of this thread was for suggestions for how to pack so that meeting those restrictions is possible.

 

I'm not a big believer in apologies; the deed is done and apologies don't mitigate it.

 

Of course you protect your rights over mine or others.

 

Regulations or rules also don't mitigate the hassle of it all. No problem, I am patient and will wait while you find a place for your junk. The idiot airline will also stand by. It's the regulation, the rule, your right, after all.

[sweetpea222]

I think the purpose of this thread was for suggestions for how to pack so that meeting those restrictions is possible.

 

Yes, it was. LOL

 

My mom found a Roots carry on that she really likes, at Winners. $70, so not super expensive. Had what looks to be a fair amount of room inside and two pockets in front. She will use it for our trip to San Diego next month, and then lend it to my hubby for our trip next summer. I Gert to keep searching for the perfect bag for ME to carry!

[herbanrenewal]

I'm not a big believer in apologies; the deed is done and apologies don't mitigate it.

 

Of course you protect your rights over mine or others.

 

Regulations or rules also don't mitigate the hassle of it all. No problem, I am patient and will wait while you find a place for your junk. The idiot airline will also stand by. It's the regulation, the rule, your right, after all.

 

I agree on one point - apologies do not mitigate intentional rudeness.

[CraftyEC]

if everyone brought one appropriate sized bag to put in the overhead there would be no issue. Airlines need to uphold their regulations. I think the purpose of this thread was for suggestions for how to pack so that meeting those restrictions is possible.

I don't think this is absolutely true, if everyone had a bag which was the maximum allowed they would not fit in the overhead lockers. As an example generally there is one locker for two rows of window seats, so six seats. There is no way that you could fit six maximum sized bags in one of the lockers. This is partly because the lockers don't close if you put them with the long axis of the case perpendicular to that of the locker, so people turn them, and you can't fit all the cases in. It would seem that on many planes the allowed cabin luggage is not compatible with the provided storage space.

[LHT28]

If the airlines stopped charging for checked bags (and not losing them) people would not try to cram all their worldly goods into a carry-on

 

We took carry-on for a short trip to Texas then ended up gate checking (no charge) the bags because there was no room in the small plane by the time we made it to the plane

[sweetpea222]

We plan on checking our bags (or at least most of them) on the way home, as it will be nicer during our layover in Toronto to not have to carry them with us. We could even check them to London on the first leg. The purpose of this thread was to ask about the best bag to meet the requirements of travelling in Europe for 35 days (on and off the tube/transit to hotels, etc) AND meets the restrictions of the LCC we will fly while we're there, primarily Easyjet. I have no intentions of paying 40 pounds each to check our bags for a 2 hour flight from London to Venice!