Carry on luggage limits, size and weight, better or worse

[JoeCathyAngelina]

We're used to taking a cab to Logan Airport (Boston), checking our luggage at the Curb, getting on a non-stop flight and not seeing the luggage again until it comes off the turn style in Florida.
This year, because of the luggage fees, changing planes and lost luggage potential we're considering 3 small carry-on suitcases instead of checking our traditional 2 large suitcases.
Has anybody found it easier or harder to carry-on or check-in their luggage?

This is what I found on the Delta web sight, it didn't say anything about weight:

What is my carry-on baggage allowance?

All Delta passengers are allowed one carry-on bag and one personal item that meet the criteria below. See Security Check-in for liquid and gel restrictions.

Size and Weight Restrictions
If your carry-on bag doesn't meet these size restrictions it must be checked, and all checked baggage rules will apply. Your bag must:

Not exceed 45 inches (length + width + height), or 115 cm.
Fit easily in our SizeCheck® unit (approximately 22"x14"x9", or 56x36x23 cm).
Fit in an overhead bin or underneath the seat in front of you.
Personal Items
You're allowed one personal item from this sample list:

Purses, briefcases, camera cases, and diaper bags
Laptop computers (can’t be checked and must be carried on)
Items of a similar or smaller size to those above
Other Carry-on Items Allowed
You may also bring these items onboard. They do not count toward your personal item.

Food items for immediate consumption
Assistive devices such as wheelchairs or crutches
One box or bag of duty free merchandise
A coat, jacket, or umbrella
Good luck all,
Joe

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

When you get to your departure gate, your carry-on bag must fit into the airline's carry-on baggage sizer at the gate. If it's too big (or the Attendants think it's too big), they will gate check it and will return it to you on the jetway when you exit the plane.

 

[bumbershoot]

Our main bags are actually officially carryon size (it's bigger than you imagine!). And from carrying those bags (though we rarely actually carry them on, but we've done things like take transit to the airport, or transit to the train station to go to a cruise port, where we're carrying them a good amount of the way to the point where they are checked), which are soft-sided and don't weigh much, we've learned very well how heavy things can get!

Because you absolutely have to make sure that the bags don't get so heavy that you can't lift them up over your head, and can't *control* them on the way DOWN from the bins. Lifting up, you're mainly just at risk of hurting yourself. Taking them down, though, you could do nasty damage to someone's head or neck, if you can't control it.

So be very careful that they are not overloaded.

 

[drew64]

Just remember, even if your carry-on luggage meets the requirements, that means it can be carried on, but doe snto mean you are guaranteed it will be able to be carried on each flgiht.

If there are too many carry on bags- happens very often on US flights due to tendency to drag huge bags onto planes as carry-on - there may not be room for all of yours and you would be forced to gate check them.

Rather thna lug them through several airports, try to find room for them on each plane, and deal with possibly having TSA open and unpack them to check for items, I woudl just pay the baggage fees and check them from the start.

 

[dudspizza]

lost luggage potential? Am I the only one around here that doesn't worry about my luggage getting lost simply because I have a connection?

Duds

 

[n2mm]

While I understand you wanting to avoid paying extra for your luggage, there is nothing easy about dragging your luggage, especially if you have children, through the airport and through TSA screening. Good luck. However, I am wondering what you plan to do for the trip home. I'm assuming you plan to not pay the luggage fees and will drag your luggage to the airport (whether on ME or a rental car). Sounds like a pain, but understand the cost issue. This is why I only fly Jetblue and SW, but most folks don't have the choice. You could always pay to check one bigger bag and carry on just a couple of smaller ones, that would ease the burden. With the longer lines at TSA now (took us 30 minutes to get through MCO TSA early December), be prepared for a bag search as your odds are greater the more bags you have.

You do realize that by the time you tip the ME driver for handling your bags, you tip the baggage claim at Disney to hold your bags, and you tip the ME driver for the ride back to the airport, you probably paid enough to check a bag or 2, at least for the ride home. Just a thought!

Wanted to add -- a 45 inch bag is small. I have one when we use to fly United and that is the requirement for United. I think the measurments includes the handle and the wheels. Airtran and Jetblue both have much bigger allowed carry on bags. As for the weight, as long as you can lift it over your head without any assistance you shoud be fine.

 

[goofy4tink]

If I'm only heading out for a 4 day, or less, trip, then yes, it's easier to just go with carryon. But, even then it's kind of a hassle. I can't pack the toiletries I like to have, I have to lug the stupid bag around the airport. Then, it has to be lugged onto the plane. If traveling with kids, they usually can't lift the bags overhead to the bins, so an adult has to do it. Not to mention that unless kids are used to lugging the darn things around, getting the bags onto the plane is a pain in the neck.
Nope, I try to bring as little onto the plane as I can. I like to fly direct/non-stop, but sometimes that just isn't possible. Even if I have a connection, I check my bags. Bags just don't get 'lost' all that often. Not worth it to me to have all that hassle.

 

[Gary M]

On my last few trips I have flown business class on AirTran, so I sit near the entrance of the plane. I have seen several people come on the plane with large bags that have no shot of fitting in the overhead bins. As others have said, the bins fill-up fast and there is no room for more bags. The flight attendants tell the passengers they have to gate check their baggage and there will be no charge. I have seen very few people argue over gate checking.

I think many of these passengers are gaming the system of paying the baggage charge. It seems like the people working at the gate do very little screening of bags brought on the plane.

 

[bumbershoot]

Wanted to add -- a 45 inch bag is small.

It really isn't. Our main luggage is the Rick Steves bag, and that's actually 44" total when not stuffed and expanded. And that's what we use for our trips!

I notice that JB and SW are about 50", so that allows our bags to be stuffed and expanded out, but still, 45" isn't that small.


I'm not saying it's easy to cart everything through an airport (I once sherpa'd me, DS, his carseat, his little backpack, my RSteves Avanti carryon, and, I believe, one of the bags I linked to above. It was a pain, it was not fun, it was very sweaty business...but I did it! And I didn't even hit anyone (avanta cross-body, carseat in front of me, big bag behind me, urging DS along with his backpack walking in front of me), but I did want to say that 45" total isn't really *that* small.

In fact, those RS bags were originally made for his tours, where people on 5, 7, 14 day trips to Europe are ONLY allowed carryons *that they can carry* (though he's now making roller bags too).