Air France - carry-on bag questions

[Anal Annie]

Calling all international travelers!! We are going to Europe next summer - first to Paris for a few days then to Barcelona to do a DCL Med cruise. I have been watching the fares since they were released - they're all still REALLLLLLY high but I want to be ready to pull the trigger when I see a drop. So far, booking everything thru Air France has been the cheapest option because the one-way fares DC to Paris & Barcelona to DC are CRAZY high & it's just been cheaper so far to look at multi-city options. We would be allowed to check 1 bag each for free and could have a carry-on for the overhead bin + a "personal article" for under the seat. I have checked the Air France carry-on size & weight limits & they are of course smaller than our domestic carriers. When I convert the CM to inches it looks like we could carry on a bag no larger than 21.45" x 13.65" x 9.75" and it says those dimensions include outside pockets, wheels & handles. NONE of our current carry-ons meet these limits exactly. My closest one is a duffle that is 20" x 13" x 11". Basically 2 dimensions are under & 1 is over. Do they ALL have to be under or would the 2 that are under make up for the 1 that is over???

I went to Kohl's yesterday just to look and compare. I rearranged a shelf with 4 carry-ons that all claimed to be 21" x 14" x 9" (or less). These were obviously INTERIOR dimensions because one of them was actually 23" with the wheels & handles. Only ONE came anywhere close to being what it said it was & technically it was still a SMIDGE outside of the Air France limits (and technically larger than it claimed on the tag).

I am so paranoid about this!! I've read that airlines are much stricter in Europe. Does anybody know how strict Air France is are once you get to Europe?? My guess is that we could probably board here in the US but then once we get to Europe we'll have to play by different rules when we go from Paris to Barcelona and then to return home. If they make us check a 2nd bag at the airport it would be $50 each for each flight. I am trying to decide if I need to purchase all new carry-ons. That is also an expensive proposition & I'd like to avoid it if I can. After my in-store experiment I am afraid to shop online because I can't trust the dimensions but I know that's where the cheapest deals are (unless I can luck into something at like TJ Maxx or Burlington Coat Factory).

I am also considering buying one of those little wheeled totes to use as my "personal article" that I think would fit under the seat - I was thinking I could fit my purse and camera & a book etc. in it. Any thoughts on that idea?!

Looking for personal experience with international travel & whatever advice you may have!! THANKS!!

 

[MinnieVanMom]

I just few to Europe using only my carry on from Burton. I don't know the measurement exactly but I did see many bags bigger than mine in the storage area above.

I think you will be fine. I also packed a rolled up nylon bag so on the way back I could check my carry on and bring on my goodies of souvenirs.

Bon Voyage'

 

[Anal Annie]

I just few to Europe using only my carry on from Burton. I don't know the measurement exactly but I did see many bags bigger than mine in the storage area above.

I think you will be fine. I also packed a rolled up nylon bag so on the way back I could check my carry on and bring on my goodies of souvenirs.

Bon Voyage'

So were you flying on Air France?? Did you fly within Europe too or only to / from?? I am specifically looking for how strict Air France is. I am planning to pack a lightweight 26" duffle that we have that folds flat & weighs only about 3 or 4 Lbs to use for our return trip for our souvies. So I already know we'll be paying an extra $50 for that bag on the way home. Thx

 

[PinkyGeekyDo]

From my experience they are strict about size and weight and they will inforce it. I have seen people made to check bags that are too large and transfer carry-on items if the carry-on was too heavy. And yes, they will go about this in the typical French stand-offish manner, my husband refuses to deal with Air France and he is French!

 

[MinnieVanMom]

So were you flying on Air France?? Did you fly within Europe too or only to / from?? I am specifically looking for how strict Air France is. I am planning to pack a lightweight 26" duffle that we have that folds flat & weighs only about 3 or 4 Lbs to use for our return trip for our souvies. So I already know we'll be paying an extra $50 for that bag on the way home. Thx

Annie,
We flew delta/air france to and from Paris last month. I watched my weight and size but saw many bags bigger than mine and some where the lid wouldn't close and they had to turn the bag sideways. I packed a lot of ex officio clothing, two pairs of shoes, sweater, Arterycs jacket and feminine products, razor, face soap. I bought shampoo and conditioner in Paris. I packed my purse full also with extras. Do make sure that you don't have any liquids over 3 oz since it is a carry on.

I had to laugh about not liking air france and he is French. I did run into some attitude it never created a problem, until we got to Disney Paris. They were the worst ever so bad that we left our already paid for trip and went back to Paris.

 

[LilyWDW]

From my experience they are strict about size and weight and they will inforce it. I have seen people made to check bags that are too large and transfer carry-on items if the carry-on was too heavy.

This was my experience as well with all the airlines I flew during my Europe trip. To and From flights as well as flights from country to country. They were all VERY strict with the carry on sizes and if the item didn't fit... well, too bad, so sad.

 

[Anal Annie]

From my experience they are strict about size and weight and they will inforce it. I have seen people made to check bags that are too large and transfer carry-on items if the carry-on was too heavy. And yes, they will go about this in the typical French stand-offish manner, my husband refuses to deal with Air France and he is French!

OK well so now I am officially paranoid! When I convert the Air France website from CM to inches it works out to be about 21.5" x 13.65" x 9.75". My FAVORITE carry-on that we use here all the time SAYS it is 21" BUT it actually measures 23" tall with the handles & wheels so it's 1.5" too tall and about 1" too wide with the side handle. We also have a duffle that we often use that measures 20" long & 13" wide but it is 11" tall so that ONE measurement is too big (if I fill it). I suppose if I didn't FILL it it would mush down & be OK?! Do you think they'd kick our bags out for being 1" or 1.5" outside the limits?? So absurd!! I went out shopping today with my tape measure. I measured every carry-on bag at Kohl's, TJ Maxx & Target!! I ended up purchasing (2) 17" Ricardo brand "Wheelaboard" cases at TJ Maxx for $60 each (Kohl's had the same ones for $160). I went ahead & grabbed them 'cuz their merchandise changes so often & you just never know what you'll find. They're only 6.5 Lbs each which is nice but they have those 4 "spinner" wheels - I don't need those & would rather have the space used INSIDE the case. Even tho the tag says 17" they're actually 20 or 20.5" tall so they're under the max. limit. But they just LOOK soooo dinky!! I plan to "test pack" them to see what I can actually fit in them before I deicde if they're keepers or not. I'd just much rather find something with another inch INSIDE the bag than wasted on wheels...but of course I don't want to spend a fortune on them. It's not like we will use them for any other trips. They're just too small and are a waste of money except for saving airline fees in Europe. They're like kid size!!

So what would you guys do?????? There will be 3 of us - would you risk bringing one of our old bags for our 3rd person or would you go ahead & buy one more "international size" bag???

 

[Pakey]

I have Tumi international carry on, both a roller and a matching duffel (my personal item). I can pack a lot more in my Tumi, which is 19" from bottom of wheels to top of handle, than my husband can in his 22" Samsonite carry on that weighs 3 times what my Tumi does.

I recently went to China for 2 weeks in just my carry on. Leaving for Egypt in a few weeks, again only using carry on. It's the same stuff I used on Air France last year for Paris.

It's lightweight, even I can pick it up and toss it in the overhead. I just got back from WDW, using only it and I had 2 pairs of Capris, 6 shorts, 8 tops, bathing suit and cover, 2 sets of PJ's, 2 pairs of flip flops, jacket, poncho, all of my gadgets and still had room to toss my ghost Mickey popcorn bucket in on the way home.

 

[uva185]

There may be a slight bit of leeway with the dimensions but they will weigh your carry-on bags at check-in and put a carry-on tag on them. The combined weight limit for both your carry-on and personal item is 26.5 pounds. If I were you I'd be much more concerned about the weight as 26.5 pounds is not much.

 

[Anal Annie]

OY!! You can bet I'll be buying a portable luggage scale before this trip too!! I usually travel with our DVC tote bag to put under the seat in front of me & I put my purse + DSLR & paperback or whatever in it. I just weighed that combo together & it was 9 Lbs!!

OK, but so I DO feel just a little better about my packing abilities tho now as I just did a "test pack" with one of these little "wheelaboards" that I bought yesterday. I became a HUGE fan of packing folders & cubes last year - our folders are 18" so they don't fit in this thing but the cubes do. With the way this case is laid out I was able to use 1 large & 1 medium cube + with the outside pocket I got 1 set of PJ's, 3 pr. underwear, 1 bathing suit & 1 coverup, 2 pr. sandals, a small toiletry bag, 4 pr. shorts, 1 pr. capris, 7 short sleeve shirts, 1 long sleeve & 1 3/4 length sleeve & 1 tank top in and the case weighed 18 Lbs. loaded so I was 27 Lbs total with my tote bag. Not too shabby for just a quickie test. Using the outside pocket DID expand the depth of the case to 10" but hopefully they'll let that extra 1/2" slide. DH is the one who'll get messed over on the weight limit as he'll have his laptop / bag that he would be trying to carry as his "personal article". That will weigh a lot. I just got him a Kindle for his birthday which is next month so he won't have books to lug.

I can't afford a TUMI case - those cost as much as a monthly car payment - the $60 each for these 2 bags is 'bout my limit. I will continue to look but if I don't run into anything else these will work. I just need 1 more. (BTW, I did price the same bags on ebags.com & they were $99 so I "done good" at TJ Maxx!). I have a 20% off coupon I could use on ebags if I found something else....so now I just need to luck into 1 more!!

 

[cruisingkat]

So were you flying on Air France?? Did you fly within Europe too or only to / from?? I am specifically looking for how strict Air France is. I am planning to pack a lightweight 26" duffle that we have that folds flat & weighs only about 3 or 4 Lbs to use for our return trip for our souvies. So I already know we'll be paying an extra $50 for that bag on the way home. Thx

Better check that extra fee - if you are in Europe, it could be 50 Euros instead of dollars. When we flew Air France 2 years ago, the fee for an extra bag was $50 US, $50 Can, or 50 Euros depending on where you are flying from.

If you are getting a portable luggage scale, be sure to get one with a digital read out that locks in the weight when you lift the luggage. We have one that isn't and it gets cumbersome as hubby holds up the bag as I am kneeling down trying to read the weight.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I have never flown Air France, but it has been my experience as well that foreign carriers tend to be a lot stricter about carry-on bag size, as well as WEIGHT. Be sure you are well within the limits.

Do you think they'd kick our bags out for being 1" or 1.5" outside the limits?? So absurd!! I

No it is not absurd. A bag which is too large won't fit in the overhead bins, which is the reason for the size limit. If you can't close the bin with the bag wheels in, it's too large.