Ronda

I can't tell you how many people I have seen trying to stuff a bag designed to fit in the overhead but won't with the expand portion expanded. No can do. <BR><BR>My husband is always trying to get me to use one of those little suitcases and I just can't. So I take just a little larger one, check it, and carry on a backpack with toiletry bag, camera, maps, books. Then when I arrive at our destination, I take all the junk out and use it as a daybag for camera, waterbottles, maps.<BR><BR>

Kelly

You guys just love your carry-ons, don't you? You save a couple of extra minutes for yourself while holding up everyone when you try to get those things in and out of the overhead compartments. On a recent flight I saw one of you idiots drop a bag on someone's head. I hope the airlines crack down on carry-ons even more. You are all very selfish.

xxx

When the airlines stop loosing and breaking our luggage at the rate they have been in recent years, those of us selfish carryon types might start checking. Until then I don't want to waste my hard earned (both money and time) vacation waiting for lost luggage or shopping to replace it.

Joanne

Kelly, sorry, but I have to agree with xxx (how creative, BTW) on this one. I've had to spend my first day shopping for mundane things.<BR><BR>The carry-on situation would be vastly improved if only the airlines would enforce the regulations about allowable sizes - for instance, not pemitting over-inflated "expandables" that have gotten too wide to fit into the overhead bins.

sue

Continuing on Joanne's more positive note, the complaints about watching people struggle to push "expandable" carryons into luggage compartments illustrate the problem with that type of bag. It contributes to the overweight luggage problem, too. My husband likes that type of bag; I don't.<BR><BR>But that's not to say expandable versions don't have advantages. Kept in its small mode, it works fine as carry-on and it's a no-brainer to check it for the return trip when one isn't worried about the timeliness of its arrival. We stuff the souvenirs, laundry and the amazing collection of museum literature we've collected into that one bag for our return. If the airline loses it, I get a few days respite from laundry duty.<BR><BR>I agree with the posters who are suggesting inexpensive bags, though. There are always technological improvements in luggage, especially in carry-on. When one of ours disintegrates, it's a reason to try out another. That's how I ended up with my beloved "push" roll-on, purchased at $60 on clearance. <BR><BR>And I want to explain to the one poster that most of us are not trying to beat a line when we use carry-on. The number one reason is, of course, to prevent the airlines from ruining a well-planned, hard-earned trip, but there are others. Hopping on and off trains is a nightmare with large luggage. Small European hotel rooms and teeny-tiny elevators are made for carry-on size stuff. If you find a reserved hotel does not meet up to expectations, one's timely exit is much easier with one small piece of luggage. Limiting oneself to a carry-on makes the individual traveler pack wisely. I'm sure many of us in our "expansive" days carried stuff we never needed and never wore, yet missed items we should have been packing.

Toppper

To the top!

Mandy

I sooooo agree with Kelly. I have done my share of traveling...Africa, Spain, London etc. and have NEVER had any problem with my luggage being lost. I can understand not wanting to carry large luggage around, so why not check that carry on instead of holding every one up. And love the person, who during flight, has to get up several times and get his/her 'carry on' and rummage through it for another magazine or whatever. Wish they would do away with the overhead bin. <BR>I'm with you Kelly!

Nikki

The last time I travelled to Paris, I had things stolen from my checked luggage on the way home. Things I had travelled to Paris to buy at the flea market. This time, I locked my luggage, but when I arrived in Paris, the locks from both my suitcase and my daughter's were missing. On the way home, I packed absolutely everything we had bought in Paris in the carry-ons.

xx

Mandy, just because you've been lucky and never had luggage lost, doesn't mean that it doesn't happen, for heaven's sake! There is even a huge salvage store that is devoted exclusively to luggage that has been lost and never found its owner.<BR><BR>http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com/coinfo/faqs.asp#What%20kind%20of%20products%20do%20you%20 sell?<BR><BR>Folks, if you must check things, be sure there's ID INSIDE a well as outside!

xx

Folks, please accept my apologies for messing up the formatting of this set of replies, by posting that really long web address! But it's worth a peek!