annw

I've been looking far and wide for a bag to replace my carry-on Tumi.

I'm going on Delta and Air France this summer for two separate trips. I strongly prefer to carry-on only.

The Eagle Creek 22" Hovercraft bag looks good, is light, and other than that pesky extra inch in depth seems perfect. But, it is 46" all told instead of "approximately" 45" as the websites say.

Any thoughts, or experiences, in using this bag for carry on for international flights? I'll be in Business equivalent on both trips if that matters.

Fodorite018

Last summer I had the same dilemna. I had a trust bag that I loved. But we were flying Air France and do carryon only, so I bought a new bag. Actually, all 3 of us bought the Rick Steves bags and were glad we did. It was nice to not worry about having to check it. My DH has taken over my bag the last few months for business travel. He likes the design of it, and how light it us. Plus, the red color makes it easier to spot when he does check it.

Louise

I love Eagle Creek luggage and have 4 pieces. I recently ordered the 20" Hovercraft and returned it because it measured almost 2" more in height with the wheels (some airlines restrict to 20" height). I would venture that the same is true of the 22" meaning that it probably will measure at least another 1" if not more. The person I spoke to about returning it was very understanding and said "yes" the airlines will probably be getting even more fussy. So, to answer your question, I would not take the chance.

annw

Thanks for the helpful feedback. I checked out the Rick Steves bags, but the wheeled one they're offering seems quite a bit smaller (the other carry ons are perfect size but no wheels, which I think will be difficult to give up).
So, onward -- I wish EC made one the correct size but I'll keep looking for the right size, light weight, well designed, and decent wheels. (I don't want much!)

MomDDTravel

I just checked out the RickSteves too and I am not ready to give up my wheels either.

Fodorite018

Trust me, I didn't give up my wheels The RS 21" bag was fine with the Air France size requirements. It only weighs 7 pounds, and the design is good.

MomDDTravel

mms - I might spring for it then.. I have a bag I got last year to go to Europe - but dd needs a good one. I really do not want to deal with checking bags when we go next spring.
I know dh is going to have to check bags when we go on Airfrance in December - he packs worse then any female I have ever known in my life.

~Dawn

annw

I know what you mean momdd; I fortunately caught DH packing his robe and jammies before our last trip! Now he's a carry on guy and we travel much more happily.

I must have missed the RS 21' version so will re-check.

Fodorite018

annrw--OMG, you need to read my France trip report! My mother tried to sneak in her huge fluffy robe...then bought one in Paris and hauled it all over, lol!

dawn--we got our bags at the AAA store, but REI also carries them. We paid about $116. DH has been travelling a ton the last 4 months and the bag he stole from me has endured quite the test with all this. Still looks great and have survived just fine.

MomDDTravel

So you did not order then through Ricks website?
~Dawn

annw

Just ordered the RS bag; I think I miscalculated previously and thought it was smaller, but it's 44" all dimensions, so that sounds as safe as I can get.

Thanks again -- I'm sure I'll be checking in again when the DH is looking! If Eagle Creek makes the right size some day I'll pass my RS bag on to him.

Fodorite018

Dawn--No, we didn't order through RS. We bought the bags the day before our trip...talk about procrastinating, lol! But I would trust their website. When we lived in WA we were just a few minutes from his headquarters and they were always really helpful.

annw--I would love to hear what you think about the bag. What color did you get?

Our drivers to and from SFO were amazed that 3 women could go for nearly 2 weeks with just this carryon. It worked though!

Momliz

am I correct in thinking that there are different size requirements for international travel? on one of the online luggage stores sites, there was a category for international carry-ons. So, that would be different from domestic? and stricter?

GSteed

Consider luggage without wheels and towing bar. A shoe repairman nan install sockets or plates for you that you will use to mount wheels. Check other luggage and see if wheels can be removed and carried inside. Do the same with the towing bar. Too much to pack? Wear it!

rkkwan

Most carriers in the world sets the limit for carryon as 22" x 13" x 9", or 56cm x 36cm x 23cm. You cannot exceed the maximum for ANY dimension.

In the US, many carriers allow an overall 45" dimension (H + W + L), so you can bring something that's 43" x 1" x 1". And some US carriers are even more generous, allowing an overall dimension of 51".

travelgourmet

To be honest, I don't think I have ever seen carry-ons measured, either in the US or in Europe, at least not recently. A lot of the airlines have those measuring bins or the like, but they seem to be informational, rather than for enforcement.

But, what I do see enforced are the weight limits for European flights. They are not always enforced, but they are there. And they are so low that pretty much any roll-aboard will exceed them.

A couple that I do see enforced with at least some regularity:

1) SAS enforces the rules at CPH, at least. They will not stop you at the gate, but if the check-in agent sees a roll-aboard, they will ask to weigh it and it will be over the limit (5 kg, I think). You will have to check - even in business. As they handle check-in for all Star Alliance partners, this would apply to Lufthansa, etc, as well.

2) KLM does confirm the number of pieces you are carrying on for some international flights. I assume they are eyeballing for weight, but I have never had them turn anything down. They will tag them with a yellow tag to note they are approved.

3) The budget airlines all have their own rules. Since most of them use checked luggage fees as a major revenue source, I would assume they enforce the rules rigorously pretty much everywhere.

So, my thought is that the size of the bag you are looking at will not be the issue. In the US and on US carriers, nobody ever seems to care, as long as you can cram it into an overhead bin (even if by cramming, you take up room for approximately 7 people's luggage). In Europe, those that enforce the limits rigorously enforce them on weight as much as size and any roll-aboard, as even the lightest one, fully packed, will not come in under such weight limits.

So, I would get the bag and just try to not let European check-in agents see it.

Fodorite018

On our trip last summer, when we checked in they weighed our bags. We knew they would and we were fine. Air France allows 12 kg, which is roughly 22 pounds. Very easy to go for a couple weeks with just that amount of stuff. We weighed our bags before we left home so we knew how much fit within that limit. Coming home the bags were weighed again, and we were all under the allowance.

annw

MMS, I got the slate color -- easier to spot than black if I need to check, but not so look-at-me (or tempting) as the brighter blue and red.

I did buy it through the RS website where I had previously made purchases and was very satisfied with the service.

However I am now concerned that its
9x21x14 dimensions are over what rrkwan noted - 9x21x13. Should be ok on Delta but a risk on Air France.

I do worry about weight limits especially when I use those "vacuum packed" style bags to make room. I particularly liked the Eagle Creek line as it seemed quite light. The RS bag is 7 lbs. unloaded.

However, only once did we violate weight limits, and that was the DH's bag, DH of the "packing the big terrycloth robe" habits. It was on Aer Lingus quite a few years ago, and unfortunately DH had packed the Ambien in it as well, making for a very long LAX-Shannon leg.

Luckily no trouble since then--we wear the heavy stuff, they hang the jackets, and we have the small personal item with meds, book, eyeglasses, CPAP, etc. in case it gets checked.

My very best travel bag ever was from years ago, parachute material that lasted decades and extremely light so that I could carry it. Have never found its like again, and actually got it free as a promotional/marketing item.

It's not that checking a bag twice (to Europe, back) in a 2-3 week trip is all that; for me it's also schlepping it on and off trains, through stations, etc. For one of these upcoming trips I travel with 4 sisters on public trans only and I'm encouraging all carry-on size, whether we check or not.

MomDDTravel

If it makes you feel any better annw - dh is always over on the weight. He was over 50 POUNDS last time we traveled. Unbelievable.

Fodorite018

annw--The dimensions are fine on Air France. That is what we flew with these bags last summer. The weight could go over with those vacuum bags. I used those once several years ago but didn't like the way things got so wrinkled, so gave up. I agree about the size of bag with hauling it around train stations and such. Even at one of our hotels...the lift was broken the day we checked out. We were on the 6th floor. I was glad we only had these bags!