baggage questions (overhead storage, gate checking, quantity)

[SpaceAce]

Please help somebody who has not flown much...especially since airlines started charging baggage fees. (I am flying on United.)

I think I can fly in with one little suitcase, just small enough to fit in the overhead compartment. Can I lug this for free, or are they going to charge me anyway?

Also, can you 'gate check' luggage of that size, or is that just for things like strollers, etc...? Is there a charge for gate checking?

Lastly, if I cannot fit it in my suitcase, I will have to carry a small clarinet case with me separately. Are you allowed 2 carry-ons?

Thanks for all who can help answer some or all of my questions?

 

[DebbieB]

Please help somebody who has not flown much...especially since airlines started charging baggage fees. (I am flying on United.)

I think I can fly in with one little suitcase, just small enough to fit in the overhead compartment. Can I lug this for free, or are they going to charge me anyway?

Also, can you 'gate check' luggage of that size, or is that just for things like strollers, etc...? Is there a charge for gate checking?

Lastly, if I cannot fit it in my suitcase, I will have to carry a small clarinet case with me separately. Are you allowed 2 carry-ons?

Thanks for all who can help answer some or all of my questions?

United's baggage rules:

http://www.united.com/page/middlepage/0,6998,1031,00.html

Your bag must not be larger than 45" length + width + height, see the picture. You can't gate check it unless they run out of room.

Your musical intrument will count as a carryon, you can only have 1. In that case you would have to check your larger suitcase.

http://www.united.com/page/article/1,,50773,00.html#music

 

[ironz]

Couldn't the clarinet count as the personal item in addition the small suitcase? I don't know how big they are and if it would fit under the seat.
Of course, then if you have another handbag, that brings you to 3 items.

Don't know if the OP is a male or female (or if that really matters)....so if you have the small (I'm assuming carryon size) suitcase for the overhead, and you need a purse, maybe the clarinet and purse could fit into a tote bag together that would be put under the seat in front of you?

I certainly wouldn't check or gate check the clarinet.

 

[DebbieB]

It's iffy if you could count the clarinet case as a personal item. I think it will probably be too wide. The musical instrument link says they are counted as carryons. The OP could try to get them both on, the worst that could happen is they will be forced to pay to gate check the suitcase.

 

[goofy4tink]

I think the clarinet may be sized right for under the seat but I'm not absolutely sure. In any case, you get two pieces of 'luggage' that you can bring on board with you....a piece that will go in the overhead and a piece that will fit completely under the seat at your feet..in front of you.
Do clarinets get disassembled when put into their cases??? Can't remember for sure for the life of me and my eldest played clarinet many years ago. If it is broken down to go in the case then you're good to go. That can just go into a totebag or such along with any personal items you may have instead of a purse or briefcase.

 

[Taja]

I think the clarinet may be sized right for under the seat but I'm not absolutely sure. In any case, you get two pieces of 'luggage' that you can bring on board with you....a piece that will go in the overhead and a piece that will fit completely under the seat at your feet..in front of you.
Do clarinets get disassembled when put into their cases??? Can't remember for sure for the life of me and my eldest played clarinet many years ago. If it is broken down to go in the case then you're good to go. That can just go into a totebag or such along with any personal items you may have instead of a purse or briefcase.

Yep, clarinets are disassembled when in their cases.

I'm thinking a standard B-flat clarinet should be fine as a personal item. I tend to fly SWA a lot (Boeing 737), and my observation is that a bag 14" long by 10" wide by 8" high will fit under most seats--an aisle seat might be 8" wide. The clarinet case could fit into a good-sized tote bag or small duffel bag, as well as some reading material or other in-flight essentials.

Anything larger--alto or bass clarinet--probably would have to go into the overhead compartment.

Edited to add:

Check with your airline for the type of aircraft scheduled for your flight. Carry-on restrictions can vary significantly by airline and type of aircraft.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

It's iffy if you could count the clarinet case as a personal item. I think it will probably be too wide.

A regular B flat clarinet case would be fine as a personal item. The case should be small enough to fit under the seat, unless the under seat access is blocked by equipment boxes or you are flying a small regional jet.

OP - Checking your airline's web site will give you all the information you need about baggage rules.

 

[seashoreCM]

Rough guideline. If two of them will not fit in the sizer frame (Size Rite (tm), etc.) for example side by side, end to end, or one atop the other, then it is too big to be a personal item.

(from another form)
A woman passenger complained that she was told to gate check her rollerboard (sic) or her personal item while a man following took his carry-on and his computer bag aboard. "Women are allowed purses, men are allowed computer bags," the gate agent said. When the passenger in question started using the word "discrimination" the gate agent backed down. (ed. note) If she had been carrying a computer, her purse would have to have been big enough to hold the computer or the computer bag would have had to be big enough to hold her purse as the number of items also plays into the picture.