April 5, 2007 What constitutes a carryon?
"Some luggage sold as suitable for airline carry-on exceeds all airline size limits.Know what you can and can't carry on to your flight in advance." - The Travel Insider
What can you carry on the airplane? With most US carriers you are allowed one piece of carry-on luggage plus a "personal item". The most important thing to know about your carry-on luggage is that it should in the neigborhood of 22" x 14" x 9" or smaller. The total dimensions (height+length+width) should equal no more than 45", but the bag must fit in the plane's overhead storage compartment. Odd shapes or overstuffed bags can cause problems. If in doubt, measure your luggage. Don't trust the label in the store - measure it.
The personal item can be a briefcase, camera bag, handbag, purse, small shoulder bag, laptop (in carry bag), other items not exceeding 36" in total dimension, reading matter, small book-bag style backpack, or umbrella. The personal item will need to fit under the seat in front of you on the plane.
Learn more about carry-ons here.
Reader Comments (2)
Do NOT try to carryon a 22' case in Australia -- they do not fit in the overhead lockers :(
Was this on a small regional jet? The generally accepted standard is 45 linear inches with the longest no greater than 22" but I've always been uncomfortable with anything that pushes the size limits. If you've been reading OBOW lately you know there's a real trend to (and desire for) smaller carryons.