requestaword

I'm traveling through the UK for 12 days and was determined to use only a wheeled carry-on. My lightweight bag (recently purchased) weighs 6 lbs empty. So now I realize that I'll have to check it -- what tips (if any) can the one-bag travel crowd have to give now? I'm all for packing light but unless I wear the clothes on my back the entire time (and not purchase a thing) how can travel through the UK with a 13 lb. limit be considered fun?

cosmic_toadstool

What's even more annoying is when passengers bring huge amounts of carry on baggage and don't leave any space for in the overhead bins when someone comes up behind them.

There is not an infinite amount of space in the cabin and the weight limits (thankfully) are there for a reason.

Expecting to travel for 12 days and being able to take all your stuff as carry on baggage is jolly unrealistic. Be prepared to check that stuff in.

Louise

Yes, I got caught on that 13 pound restriction when checking in with B.A. in Seattle. I was pretty upset because my other bag was already checked through from a previous airport. The ticket agent excused himself and went in a back room. When he came back, he had upgraded us so the weight restriction would be more. Pretty nice of him. I have since gone to a lighter weight (but not by much) duffle-type carryon so I can pack a bit more.

rkkwan

An airline can't win. If you have a strict carry-on policy, then some people are unhappy (like the OP and Louise); and if you have a loose policy, then others are unhappy (like cosmic_toadstool).

So, perhaps passengers need to learn about carry-on policies before booking a ticket. For example, the OP could have booked Continental or most other US airlines, and bring virtually as much as he/she can onboard, while cosmic_toadstool can fly BA in comfort.

Louise

I wasn't really unhappy with B.A. I was more annoyed at myself because I had taken care to make sure my bag was within correct measurements but didn't check on the weight restrictions.

gail

We flew BA to London in April (school vacation week in Boston) RT - both flights full. They enforced weight restriction which fortunately we knew about. Upside is I have never boarded and deplaned so quickly as I did on those flights - no delay with people stuffing steamer trunks into overhead bins.

Unless you plan to do the ultimate "dress in layers" and look like a Sumo Wrestler, I see no way you could meet the weight restriction and just take a carry-on

requestaword

Thanks for the responses. It's just that I was so ready to travel with only the carryon and its matching tote to avoid the baggage carousel -- now it will be the standard travel anxiety hoping that my luggage makes the same flight that I do.

OT

Fly First Class!

doonhamer

Most airlines I've used have a carry on limit of 5Kgs (11 lbs), so I'm puzzled as to why OP was surprised at a 6Kg limit

nibblette

Most US-based airlines have a higher carry-on limit than the international ones. Keep in mind that if the flight is a code-share but the actual plane is flown by the European partner, the partner's limits apply.

LT

Ahhhh . . . if only the U.S. carriers would adopt this great rule! As I posted elsewhere, I am getting fed up w/getting to my seat to find 2 rollaboards hogging the overhead bin!

Checking luggage isn't fun, but neither is not being able to put a REASONABLE-SIZED bag in the overhead bin because 2 people feel that their time is more valuable than yours!

ajaynejr

Shouldn't passengers have the right to insist with the help of the F/A's that oversized items be taken out of the overhead bins if someone wants to put a properly sized item in?

Shouldn't passengers have the right to insist with the help of the F/A's that "small" items be taken out of the overhead bin and placed at the passengers' feet so that full size suitcases can be put in?

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