Carry On Luggage
 

We will be taking a 14 day trip to Italy in late September. We will be flying Alitalia ( know bad choice) however I am having difficulty finding carry on luggage that meets their requirements. Any brand suggestions would be appreciated........Thanks!

On luggage websites like ebags.com they have a selection for baggage size called "international carryon" or similar. Try browsing that.

The Alitalia specification, http://www.alitalia.com/us_en/Inform...gli/index.html, is more restrictive than other carriers. If done strictly by the book, 22" will not make it. It is taller than 55cm. Also even if it advertised as 22", the wheel/handle part often exceed 22". Normal 20" like these http://shop.eaglecreek.com/lightweight-carry-on/l/111 also will not make it by the book as most are 14" wide and fails 35 cm limit.

Whether it is enforced by the book or not depends on the mood of the counter agent, how loaded is the plane, etc.

If would be best to configure you bag that should it need to be gate checked, you can pull out essential items on a fly to make sure essential items don't leave your possession.

Could you let me know what you decide CC ?

We're going to Thailand for 14 days (at least it will be warm) and trying to take carry on only. Have to keep it to 7kg.

My husband recently bought the 16" Ricardo Tiburon carryon. While it is too small for what you need, they do have a 20" and a 22". They are very lightweight and the 20" dimensions should be within the limits you describe.

http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/r...case?ID=777147

This should work:

http://travelstore.ricksteves.com/ca...entId=8&id=527

I have used the Rick Steves rolling carry-on mentioned above. It was one luggage that actually conforms to the dimension specifications, very light, and has an amazing capacity. Two fatal design shortcomings that forced me to abandon after two trips were the backing and the zippers. Click "See product details" at the bottom of the photo. The middle picture showing the back shows smooth black backing. That is a thin cloth layer on top of hard plastic. It has no tear resistance. You brush against something rough and it tears open. Also, the luggage uses cheap zippers that don't stay closed. This would have been a super luggage if they can fix these shortcomings.

When was that? My RS bag has survived two months in South America and two and a half in Eastern Europe, mostly on buses, and is still in good shape.

Go to your local luggage store with a tape measure and measure the bags, finding one that is not bigger than the dimensions.

Don't rely on what websites say as they invariably lie about bag size

I love my Lipault 21" 4 wheel spinner and have used it all over Europe (and the rest of the world). It's incredibly lightweight and truly unbelievable how much it can hold. Soft-sided, fits in any compartment. French made. There is a whole thread about it here on Fodors, including astounding lists of just how much can fit inside:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...lt-luggage.cfm

For what reason do you want to limit your luggage? Do you not get a free allowance for hold luggage? To a point I can understand it for Thailand esp if you are backpacking, as places to get your laundry cheaply done are all over the place, although it is so hot you do need to change clothes frequently. But Italy for 14 days? My vacation time is too precious to spend it shoe-horning stuff into carry-ons and then spending time in a laundry. You could take one suitcase for the hold for both of you and save you the issue of carry-on.

<i>Have to keep it to 7kg.</i>

15 pounds isn't a lot.

I'd look into the eBags eTech weekender. http://www.ebags.com/product/ebags/e...rlid=DETAIL_AI

It weighs only 1.25 kg, can be worn as a backpack or carried like a suitcase, and is pretty durable.

"Whether it is enforced by the book or not depends on the mood of the counter agent, how loaded is the plane, etc. " nails it, this is Italy after all

Thank you all for your replies!!! Odin we are allowed one free checked bag each, my concern is all the horror stories I have read about Alitalia loosing luggage. The last thing I want to have happen is to be without anything at all. Taking carry on at least we could pack some essentials in the event the checked luggage does in fact get lost. I can see that our best bet is to purchase something smaller that way there won't be a size issue.

I haven't heard any stories about Alitalia losing luggage, at least on Boston-Rome flights.

I have had an endless wait at FCO but it was my own fault for traveling on a holiday. Skeleton staff on duty. Didn't do it again, and all was fine.

Our Rick Steves carry on luggage is still in decent shape after traveling to Europe, South America and Asia multiple times

My Lipault 21-inch bag described in the thread Crosscheck gave the link for met the Alitalia carry on restrictions on a flight this past March. I know for sure because I dropped it in the frame that tests luggage size at check-in. I also carried on a large shoulder tote as my personal item. Click on my screen name to find my trip report "I Go to Pieces" that describes my Alitalia experience.

Have a look at eBags Mother Lode TLS Mini 21".

We have had a few trips that have been very size and weight restricted, CC.

We are carry-on people who can pack light, but weight restricted flights are tough.

I had been ready to buy the Rick Steves when I read a host of complaints about zippers. It seems that the older versions were better made. So we've done various things.

So for one trip to New Zealand for which we were exploring everything from tropical to artic weather, we went REALLY light and used the A. Saks 21" Expandable Carry On. Since it wasn't a roll-on, all of the weight was in whatever we packed. To make sure the luggage passed the weight test, we wore Scottevests. My husband was a Scottevest naysayer originally, but now he loves it.

When the Lipault came out, we bought those, and while they didn't pack as much as our A.Saks because wheels and handles do take up space, it was nice to ROLL something. They are lightweight and the right size. There are other suitcases that are lighter, but I've noticed that a lot of people have problems with the handles or wheels with them.

For another cycling trip where we needed a bit more equipment, we paired the Lipault with a now discontinued Go-Lite backpack for our personal item.