Carry on question

[luvDW]

I saw on another thread that a backpack is not considered for a carryone. I have 4 kids all who will be using their backpacks for their carryons will this be a problem or am I misunderstanding?

 

[CarolA]

You need to call your airline. However, the FAA guidelines will let you bring on a backpack as a carryon. Some airlines have taken this opportunity to tighten up their carry ons.

 

[ducklite]

You mis understood the post. It said taht each pax is allowed a carryon plus a personal item, and the backpack is not considered the personal item. So if they are each carrying on a backpack PLUS another carryon (suitcase or duffel for example) they can't do that.

But if their ONLY carryon is the backpack you'll be fine.

Anne

 

[luvDW]

Thanks Anne! I really was not liking the idea of having to go but 4 totes!! I appreciate you clarifying that for me!

 

[jodyb]

Also I think size matters. Not every backpack will be eliminated as possibly being a "personal item". Some backpacks are bigger than suitcases. The kind kids use are not any bigger than a purse or totebag, and I'm sure they can be taken on in addition to a carryon suitcase.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by jodyb
Also I think size matters. Not every backpack will be eliminated as possibly being a "personal item". Some backpacks are bigger than suitcases. The kind kids use are not any bigger than a purse or totebag, and I'm sure they can be taken on in addition to a carryon suitcase.

Jody-

Not to be rude--and please don't take it that way--but you obviously haven't seen the size of the back packs that many kids in the states are using these days. They are DEFINITELY much larger than tote bags. The one my son uses for school he could pack for a week in. While not as big as a pack that one would use for camping or backpacking, it is most certainly larger than the small little things that kids used to use. Many are so large now that they actually are being made to either wear as a pack or pull aong behind one, complete with a pull out handle and wheels!

Anne

 

[mikek]

jody-

if you ask- there are VERY specific about the carry on policy now- it is FAA mandated. Everyone can have one carryone (i believe the airlines still define the size) AND one personal item. I believe the ONLY things that count as personal items are pocketbooks, diaper bags, medical devices and laptop bags(its posted on the airline and FAA websites exactly- you can check there). If you want a backpack or a briefcase that counts as your carry on and you get nothing more.

I havent seen anyone try at an airport yet, but i do no that at sporting events they have implemented very similar rules (banning all bags except, pocket books and Diaper bags) and they are very rigid about it. I have seen them even fighting with women about the size of their pocketbooks or parents about the size of their diaper bags. Many people at the sporting events were turned away with briefcases.

 

[flyingcircus]

We just flew back from Seattle, and my daughter had her little roller suitcase, and a little backpack as her personal item. It was the SMALL type- almost like some of the purses out there. It held a few books, pencils, paper- that type of thing. However, it was by no means the "backpack" that you would have at school.

I saw quite a few psgrs on board that had a huge duffel-type bag, plus a large box, that contained some type of seafood. They could hardly carry it on the plane- don't know how they got thru security with that. Probably they were the reason I had to wait 45 minutes to go thru security in Seattle

 

[DebbieB]

It depends on the airline. USAir's website still includes backpacks in the definition of a personal item:

http://www.usairways.com/corporate/current_operations/airport_expectations.htm

Speaking of sporting events, at the Steeler games purses can be no bigger than a sheet of paper if you lay it down on its side.

 

[flyingcircus]

It is confusing with different airlines rules. The problem is that at one airport, security is controlled by one airline, while at another, it is controlled by another airline.

For example, PIT is controlled, I believe by US Air. They may let you thru with that backpack, like DebbieB says, as a personal item, but then you fly back from ATL, which is controlled by Delta, and they won't let you use the backpack as a personal item. What then???

I do believe the FAA did mandate the carry on restrictions, and they take precedent over what any carrier states. However, the individual airline can enforce stricter guidelines if they so chose.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Okay, so can I take a standard size backpack (a regular Jansport one) as well as my 20'' upright carry-on? Flying US Airways.

 

[jodyb]

Hi Cali-D

I just looked at Contintental's site (that's who I'm flying with) and according to THEIR
rules you can take what you described. (That's exactly what I'm taking and it's ALL I'm taking! I'm flying carry-on only this time, assuming they don't think differently at the airport! - I'm hoping for the best.)
If i were you I'd check US Airways site - they probably have their carry-on restrictions posted.

 

[jodyb]

Another update:

I just visited Continental's site again and they now have an interactive video presentation about the new flying reality. I have to say I was quite impressed. Continental definitely has their public relations staff on high alert and they are doing well. But the point here is - the specific mention of carry-ons. He did NOT mention the word "backpack". I believe the exact wording was "each passenger is allowed one carry-on bag, plus one personal item such as a PURSE, BRIEFCASE, OR LAPTOP".
He also mentioned that Continental's overhead bins are larger than the competitors and that they still allow the one carry-on to be slightly larger than what other airlines will allow.

I'm taking my 21 inch rolling upright, and a backpack which is about the size of many womens' purses, and I think I'll be ok. My daughter will have the same. I figure the absolute worst that can happen is they will force us to check the rolling bags, and if they do I'll live with that. I am hoping to avoid the "carousel scene" at MCO by traveling with carry-on bags only, but if it can't be helped I'll roll with the punches. I think we all have to be tolerant of whatever hapens these days, and hope they are doing it all in interest of our safety.

 

[Miranda]

I was all prepared to fight about my laptop bag going out of MCO because I have one that doesn't look like a regular laptop bag, it just looks like a normal messenger type bag. It was the only thing I was carrying on the way to MCO, and my boyfriend was carrying nothing, but on the way back, we had my laptop bag, and a normal sized Eastpack backpack stuffed with souveniers, and also a big Disney shopping bag stuffed with souveniers. I thought they'd try and say that none of them were personal items, and something needed to be checked, but it wasn't a problem at all. This was on Southwest, so I don't know about other airlines. Other people were carrying on more than 2 things too, but it was mostly people with Disney shopping bags. I get the impression they are a little lenient about carryons going out of MCO with souvenier shopping bags. These new regs are great though, now there is actually room for people to put things in the overhead bins, they aren't stuffed with huge carryon luggage!

 

[Snoozan]

My sister and I just flew from BDL(Hartford, CT) to MCO last week. We each had a rolling carry-on bag with hippack on way down. My sister then had a tote big filled with gifts on way home for her "personal" bag as well. No problem with Delta at all. As a matter of fact, on the flight down there was one person who had an overstuffed rolling carryon and TWO tote bags. I don't think Delta is very strict about # of bags or sizes, from what I've seen. Of course, alot of people don't carry on anything so that does leave extra room for those of us that only use "carry-on" luggage.