carry-on baggage measuring?

[birdy]

This is going to sound stupid but... when you are measuring for carry on luggage do you include the wheels in the measurements?

[FlyerTalker]

Let's put it this way....if an airline is measuring to try to either a) keep it from being a carryon or b) trying to charge you oversize luggage fees, do you think they would be inclined to measure with the wheels??

 

Also, if they use one of those "sizer" boxes or frames, you'd have to get the wheels into that box/frame.

 

In general, the less expensive the luggage, the more likely it is to have the wheels and handles "bolted" on and taking up the most dimensional space rather than integrated into the frame.

[6rugrats]

Yes, and they will include the handle if it's sticking up also.

[Keith1010]

If they are being strict they will include the wheels and the handle and i can tell you from experence that they do add inch(es) what the luggage people quote. In most places it has not been a problem but if you are in a situation where they say it must fit in the box that they have it can be a problem. So, we've gone to a size where we facored in the wheels and the handle.

 

Keith

[PennyAgain]

Some airports and some airlines are fierce on the issue. London Heathrow is famous for being hard on carry on baggage and Qantas airlines is as fierce as can be about both size of the bag and its weight.

[Arwenmark]

In fact according to the measurement rules wheels and handles do NOT apply. If you are concerned get a printout of the specifications and take it with you.

No matter what a rule is there will always be someone trying to enforce something different.

[Keith1010]

In fact according to the measurement rules wheels and handles do NOT apply. If you are concerned get a printout of the specifications and take it with you.

No matter what a rule is there will always be someone trying to enforce something different.

 

Here is a link from the British Airways Web Site and below it some words from the site about the size of the bag.

 

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagcabin/public/en_gb

 

"The standard-sized bag is no more than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm (22ins x 18ins x 10ins), including the handle, pockets and wheels."

 

 

Note it includes wheels and handles as part of the dimension.

 

 

Keith

[6rugrats]

In fact according to the measurement rules wheels and handles do NOT apply. If you are concerned get a printout of the specifications and take it with you.

No matter what a rule is there will always be someone trying to enforce something different.

 

Airlines use linear measurements which is the length + width + height. If you have wheels or a handle that extends beyond the end of the bag, this is included.

 

I am not sure what measurement rules you are quoting. Do you have a link to the printout of specifications you take with you? Each airline can set their own rules, so I'm not sure where you could find a "measurement rule" that applied to each airline.

[PennyAgain]

In fact according to the measurement rules wheels and handles do NOT apply. If you are concerned get a printout of the specifications and take it with you.

No matter what a rule is there will always be someone trying to enforce something different.

 

I've flown over a million miles and have never heard of this bit of explanation. It is the other way around.

 

Another factor is that when the airplane is sold out the gate agents have the right to restrict the amount of carry on baggage. You never know when this will happen, but it does happen!

[D4]

...Another factor is that when the airplane is sold out the gate agents have the right to restrict the amount of carry on baggage. You never know when this will happen, but it does happen!

 

That's a great point to bring up. Because that sometimes happens, I always have an empty lightweight backpack in my rolling carryon case. If they announce that they are restricting carry on luggage then I can quickly put my most important items in the backpack and wear it (netbook, cameras, prescriptions, important paperwork.)

[hightownCO]

Well, just measured my new, samsonite, 21 inch rollaboard. It measures 24" in height! Linear dimension total 48 inches. I've used them for a ground trip so can't be returned.

 

My plans for traveling with carry-on only are probably shot. I didn't want to risk luggage being lost and with short connection times international to domestic, didn't want to wait for checked luggage. I don't know if I want to try it and then be scrambling at the airport to put stuff into handbag that I don't want checked.

 

So, advise to all, measure before you buy and don't trust the manufacturer specs. Just because they call it a rollaboard, doesn't mean it is. You might be safe with a 19".

[6rugrats]

Well, just measured my new, samsonite, 21 inch rollaboard. It measures 24" in height! Linear dimension total 48 inches. I've used them for a ground trip so can't be returned.

 

My plans for traveling with carry-on only are probably shot. I didn't want to risk luggage being lost and with short connection times international to domestic, didn't want to wait for checked luggage. I don't know if I want to try it and then be scrambling at the airport to put stuff into handbag that I don't want checked.

 

So, advise to all, measure before you buy and don't trust the manufacturer specs. Just because they call it a rollaboard, doesn't mean it is. You might be safe with a 19".

 

I usually take a smaller bag, but I have a 24 inch rollerbag that I've never had to check. On some planes, I have to place it in the overhead handle first, but it's always fit, even on international flights. You may want to try yours before assuming it won't work. I've never had my bag measured, and it's been through many, many airports and a lot of different airlines.

 

This will not be true if you are traveling on a smaller plane; even my daughter's 19" bag won't fit in a lot of those overheads.

 

YMMV.

[NHBob]

...

 

This will not be true if you are traveling on a smaller plane; even my daughter's 19" bag won't fit in a lot of those overheads.

 

YMMV.

 

Yes, but this can be an advantage, as you can normally "ramp check" these bags and retrieve them when you step off the plane. Sort of the best of two worlds, as you see the bag loaded on your flight, don't have to fight for on-board storage space, but don't have to wait for bags at baggage claim.

 

Bob

[RnGram]

Continental has dimensions for a carryon as 45 linear in( 22x9x14) and no more than 40 lbs. Mine is a satchel type and measures 19x10x12. I had thought it would be no problem since the total dimension is 40 but since one side is fatter it may not fit in one of those trial boxes at the airport. If I have to end up paying for a second suitcase I would rather make it bigger to begin with. Thoughts? Is Continental one of the ones with the "tester" boxes?

[STARFISH*4]

i am flying DELTA for my next cruise and the requirements for carry-on are 22x14x9 well reading this i thought i better go measure my carry on and ughhhhhh its to wide...its just perfect with the height including wheels but its 16 instead of 14.....guess its a PERFECT reason to get a new carry-on i wanted new luggage anyway:D

[silentbob007]

The airline I've personally heard the most worry about the size of carry-ons is Frontier ... in Indianapolis, I've heard them say over the PA that they were boarding early and had a tape measurer to examine bags, with ones oversized to be charged and checked.

[Sea Hag]

The airline I've personally heard the most worry about the size of carry-ons is Frontier ... in Indianapolis, I've heard them say over the PA that they were boarding early and had a tape measurer to examine bags, with ones oversized to be charged and checked.

 

And this is a good thing! I just flew United, and you wouldn't believe the size of things people were trying to force into the overhead bins. Many of them had to fight their way back upstream to the front of the plane to gatecheck bags that common sense should have told them wouldn't fit into the bins. Oh well, we didn't want to leave on time anyhow. :D

[Tucker in Texas]

The first time we ran into trouble with our carry-on was at Gatwick on our way to catch a cruise in Barcelona. We were traveling with another couple. Had no problem on the first leg on Continental to Gatwick. However, when we went to board at Gatwick, wheels would not fit into the box and they made us check our bags. The other couple was really upset as they had used those bags many times as carry-on to and from London and beyond in Europe as the Mrs. had relatives in Ireland and they visited once or twice a year. I swear their box is smaller than the ones in the US because our suitcases were within the measurements counting the wheels and handle. I even whipped out a tape measure (well, actually, it hangs on my key chain) and measured it for the girl along with our paperwork from BA telling us what size was allowable and ours was less than that size. She was having a bad hair day and wouldn't budge. Said if it didn't fit, it wasn't flying. Told us to step over to the nearby counter and check them. I was very concerned as I only had one tote bag to transfer things into and had to leave things in the bag I wanted with me. The good news is that we weren't charged for them even though we had checked our one allowable bag each earlier that day.

 

Coming home this spring from Barcelona, I had two carry-on bags I knew would fit in their boxes because they were not close to the allowable size and, to be sure, we checked the size in an unused "box" prior to boarding. I had a Plan B--a nylon duffle that I could transfer things to and leave the thrift store suitcase by the nearest trash can. It still didn't stop them from eyeballing them very closely as I walked by the carry-on police in Heathrow.

 

I did notice something, though, on our last flight domestically from Houston to D. C. on Continental. The boxes at both the big airport and National were "open" on one end which gave me the impression they didn't count wheels if the suitcase fit into the frame with just wheels sticking out..

 

Tucker in Texas

[D4]

When I go shopping for luggage, I always bring my little luggage scale (bought from Magellan's.) It has a tape measure on it, so I weigh and measure the luggage I'm considering. I never believe the measurements on the labels because they are often inaccurate. It's amazing how much luggage can weigh, even if it labeled "lightweight." I always bring that little scale with me on trips to weigh my luggage when I repack.

[Tucker in Texas]

I've taken my luggage to different scales at the airport and gotten different weights on them.

 

My DIL flew back to NOLA for her wedding. In her suitcase she had several things that she left at home following the wedding (shoes, some wedding presents, veil) and repacked for her honeymoon. When she went to check in, the guy said she was overweight but didn't tell her it would be x amount of dollars just that she was over 50 pounds. She knew that couldn't be right because she was less than 50 flying in and she had less in her suitcase now.

 

She figured he was looking for a "tip" to "overlook it." We are talking New Orleans, here. Anyway, she started taking things out of her suitcase one piece at a time--her nighty, a silk blouse, anything lightweight--and putting it in a duffle and asking him to weigh it each time. After about five pieces, five weigh ins, and a line growing very long behind her, he announced she was o.k.

 

tucker in texas

[Globaliser]

I swear their box is smaller than the ones in the US because our suitcases were within the measurements counting the wheels and handle.

The measuring box in the UK is the UK-mandated size: 56cm x 45cm x 25cm, including wheels, handles and external pockets. This is well publicised by the government and by airlines.

[hightownCO]

Appreciate reading of everyone's experiences and comments.

 

I guess I'll go ahead and use my (not) "22"ers". If they have to be gate checked on the commuter flights to/from PHL where I'll connect to Rome, that's fine. And will get folding away tote to pack just in case.

 

There's got to be millions who by these who never actually measure their bags and never have a problem.

 

And we've all seen those folks with CLEARLY larger than allowed bags who the FAs seem to ignore.

[6rugrats]

And we've all seen those folks with CLEARLY larger than allowed bags who the FAs seem to ignore.

 

This also bothers me, as they hog the overhead bin space, but honestly, IMO, it's not the FA's job to be the baggage police. The problem should have been dealt with long before these passengers board.

[hightownCO]

The problem should have been dealt with long before these passengers board.

 

You're right. Unfortunately, the FAs inherit the problem ultimately and are left to deal with trying to find places to stuff the stuff.