Yes, suze, my luggage was lost, as in never seen or heard from again! I went to the Bahamas, it was my first trip. I did not bring any carry-on with extra clothes. I had to charge all my necessities, and it was a huge expense to me at the time. I was only 19 and had a pretty cruddy job. The air line only gave me a little less than a hundred dollars! My clothes were worth much more. I was very young, niave, and stupid.

I just carry-on my small back pack and a 22" bag. No, I cannot reach the overhead bin. I am under 5'2". I have always had a nice gentleman nearby that has always helped me. Or one of the flight attendants. They always seem helpful in that area too.

I am not sure how all of these people are abusing carry-on items. Especially after 9/11. I have traveled at least once a year since then and there is always someone stopping people with too many things on their person. As well as things that are too large. As a matter of fact I had my carry on and my purse, and then a video camera case and they said that I could not have all three. My dad took the camera for me. He only had is carry on.

Miami is such a busy airport. I would hold on to mine.

I carry on my suitcase on the way to my destination when it being lost would be a major inconvenience.

On the way home, when it's likely to be stuffed with goodies and heavier, I check it.

The days of having a misplaced suitcase delivered to your door are over I think. When mine didn't show up on my flight home from Paris the luggage attendant who took the claim tried to tell me I'd have to drive 4 hours each way to LAX to pick it up when it arrived. The man was rude and unhelpful in every way.

I promptly got on the phone to Air Canada customer service and arranged with a helpful voice to have it forwarded to my local airport 30 minutes away and I picked it up there the next day.

I think it should be standard practice for all airlines to NOT allow any carryon luggage, save for ONE small bag no larger than 15x15. This bag could contain valuables and one change of clothing. I think all this carryon luggage is ridiculous. This is why airplanes look like jumble sales today. (And I have had lost luggage--returned to me in two days--and I lived. No big deal.)

Really, darling, what are you bringing with you? Your Harry Winston tiara?

I have a friend who LOVES when the airlines lose her luggage because she gets to go out a buy a new wardrobe, which the airline pays for. (USAir lost her luggage going on a business trip to Minneapolis recently. She purchased $300 worth of new clothes because she needed business suits to perform her job functions. She received her lost luggage in three days.)

Just my two quid, sweetie.

You should definitely carry on what you need to survive, such as medicines, snacks, entertainment, and perhaps a change of clothes. But all that can easily fit in a shoulder bag you can put under the seat in front of you, where it is easy to access.

You should definitely check whatever cannot be legitimately carried in the cabin, such as a pocket knife, or anything that would be taken by TSA. If you have such items, you may as well fill the checked bag with other stuff.

As to carrying on everything, understand that airlines do have different allowances, and you may be forced to check something on a connecting flight that you carried on your initial flight. You should also understand that there is absolutely no civility in the process of getting overhead bin space. Its a combination of first-come first-served, and survival of the fittest. It is not uncommon for people to remove other people's luggage to make room for their own; it is not uncommon for some person in tourist class, carrying his entire estate, to stop and jam some into the overhead in business class, then proceed to take another bin back by his seat. So when you opt to carry-on, you are entering that fray. I don't think it is worth the hassle, so we check our rollers and carry on only shoulder bags and my wife's purse. Not to tempt fortune, but we have not lost anything yet, and one time our initial flight was delayed, so they put us on a later flight, but our checked luggage managed to make the initial flight, and was waiting in the baggage manager's office when we arrived (apparently at this airport, they don't allow unclaimed baggage to sit on the carrousel).

I usually manage with my purse (big enough to have a book in it!) and a carryon that includes:

digital camera
video camera
change of clothes
water
another book in case I really can't sleep and need a new one
toiletries, especially earplugs for the flight.

This usually fits under my seat, but if I have room I will put that in the overhead, as I have long legs and need the area under my seat for them.

It's one of the smaller (22"?) roller bags with telescoping handle, it also changes into a backpack if need be.

I have the things I'll need for the flight on top. When I get to my seat, I take out the water and the earplugs and keep them with my purse. That way I normally never have to touch that.

If, however, I have to bring a laptop on a trip, I would not be able to do that...

A few thoughts.

Do you know what those nice TSA approved locks do??? They notify folks with less then honorable intentions that "this luggage might have something the owner thinks is valable" I have never used a lock and never had any luggage broken into. (And I am beginning to firmly belive in the relationship!)

Carry on is just that... Yes, your 22" will fit UNLESS you decide to expand every pocket on it. So if it is not in the small shape/size you got it from the store in... PUT IT UNDER THE PLANE!

If you are a late boarder and the overhead is full, screaming, whining and cursing will not help! Just get over it, your luggage is going down below. (IMHO this is really risky as I have seen luggage 'lost' at this point)


Don't expect help. I am 5'4" and not possesed of great upper body strength but whatever I do carry on I can get into the overhead. I will not help ANYONE after nearly killing myself helping a very nice Senior Citizen who appeared to be carrying lead bricks. I don't want to start my vacation with an injury from your luggage.

If you have two pieces, ONE of them goes under your seat. It is rude to keep both of them in the overhead so you can strech out.

I travel weekly. Most of the time I check luggage. I cannot recall the last time a piece was delayed and I have never lost a piece.

ThinGorjus~ You had the nerve and verve to say that which I thought, but didn't. I hope that in the future we get to the point of carry-on being exactly that, a single small tote per person that contains only absolute essentials and what you need for your time in flight.

Although I have not experienced the good fortune of purchasing a new wardrobe compliments of an airlines (!) the one time my bag was delayed, I did enjoy having it delivered to my doorstep instead of having to haul it from the airport myself.

Ever since I had my finds from the Paris flea market stolen from my checked baggage, I have carried my valuable purchases with me on the plane home. It's one thing to say you can buy a new wardrobe in Paris, but it's quite another to try to replace the things you bought while you were there.

I take a small carryon that has the basics that I need. I even put my wallet and airline info in it. I put my shoulder bag in my suitcase which I check in. That way I have just one thing to carry through the airport.

And I always put my carryon under the seat so I don't have to worry about finding a space in the bins. Wouldn't want to do that anyway as my wallet etc. is in my carryon.

So I guess I don't annoy anyone, hopefully.

The most annoying thing to me is passengers wearing their backpacks that swing around and consequently hit one with their backpack. I want to bop them over the head, LOL. But truly, that always makes me mad.

ThinGorjus- Great idea!

My theory has always been that the airlines should have someone waiting at the door of the plane to give freshly-baked cookies to everyone who boards with only a small carry-on, as a reward for their consideration in helping get everyone seated more quickly.

I actually see both sides of the issue. When I travel to scuba dive, or to events that require lots of clothes/shoes, I always check. What a luxury! Of course I bring the important things in a little tote bag.

Last year on a trip to Paris on AirFrance, I carried on for the first time after reading tons of posts here about their extremely high rate of lost luggage.

I took packing light to a new extreme and got everything for 5 days into a backpack a little bigger than a Jansport (and no, LoveItaly, I didn't swing it into anyone- I work in a high school so I am accustomed to the back-pack jungle.)

Other airlines could take a lesson from the AirFrance ground crew. Two intimidatingly beautiful

Oops- I hit post by mistake before I finished.

Anyway, the AirFrance employees walked around measuring and weighing everyone's carry-ons. Anything that didn't fit into their template had to be gate-checked. They were very charming, but very firm. It was beautiful to behold! (And I had the pleasantly smug feeling of knowing that I had measured my bag according to their website directions, so they approved me!)

I will admit, though I usually advocate checking everything, it was wonderful to walk straight off the plane, onto the RER and then right to lunch in Paris without even having to stop at the hotel to drop off our suitcases.

I see the editors did a little clipping. I wish they wouldn't be so heavy handed. I enjoy taking on the transparent agenda-ridden.

CarolA has me beat. I do not travel weekly and nor do I wish to.

Before 9/11, I'd be in agreement with ThinG. But, speaking on behalf of photographers who can't afford insurance, carry-on is the only safe way to protect your costly investment. I wouldn't check a laptop, either.

I'm a firm believer in locked luggage. I'll gladly show any airline security personnel my contents, just let me lock my luggage. I had great locks for my Tumi bags and my cushioned boxes for camera and lighting equipment. An airline employee would have been nuts to try to break into my bags and, for nearly 20 years, I never had a problem.

On the flip side, I know a very famous glamour celebrity who only travels with the latest Louis Vuitton bags (no fakes). She never locks her luggage and she travels with over $10,000 worth of clothing on each trip. She's never had anything stolen from her bags and she travels all over the world, constantly.

When locks went south, the first call I made was to my insurance adjuster. I had to make sure if any piece of equipment was stolen it would be replaced for full value, immediately. Many professional photographers (I won't even mention the thousands of amateurs) can't afford such heavy-duty protection. They have no choice but to carry-on their equipment if they want it as secure as possible.

Professional guitar players typically won't check their guitars, either. Unfortunately, carry-on is the last vestige of hope left for some. Decisions really do depend on need for security.

I would be more than happy to check my luggage...only if they could guarantee me that my luggage would arrive with me and not the next day, or day after that.

By not checking my baggage I have to limit myself to a 22" as well as my tote. If I did check my baggage I hate to think what all I would bring with me. This way I am not contributing to overloading the plane.

I think locks will not stop a determined thief, but they will keep your bag from opening accidentally when they are bouncing it around the luggage areas. Personally, I just tie the zippers shut.

I agree that valuables should be carried on; I wouldn't even put them in the overhead bin, as I have seen people opening other people's carry-ons, I'm sure by accident.

The professional musicians I have known do carry on their instruments, but they also buy a seat for them if they are bigger than a piccolo.

I try to imagine the space required if everyone carried on the same size bag. If everyone carried a 22" bag on the plane, most storage areas would be filled long before coach was filled. There are a number of planes that won't hold 2 22" bags in one overhead compartment. Having said that, when I travel proffessionally to perform (I play the French Horn), I always carry my horn on. It is a vintage instrument and would not survive the slightest bit of rough handling. I tuck in under the seat in front of me. It just fits and my leg room is about zero. It will fit overhead but takes up more than my fair share of space and so, even with a blown out knee from three weeks prior and leg room a necessity, I flew to London with that thing and hobbled off the plane.

Please be considerate of others and don't try to justify your desire to not have to wait an extra 10 minutes or deal with the minute possibilty that you bags will be lost forever. If you need more room and services than others, you need to pay for them. Fly 1st or business class.

I always try hard, but never seem to be able to pack light. Besides, I hate having to lug bags around in airports and over people's feet in the plane. Thank heavens' for check in!

This question has been on this site in the past and it always opens up a can of worms! Kind of fun, though (:>)!!!
Suze, I think, has hit it right on target...it's a personal thing and no right or wrong. Carol and ThinGorjus have good ideas also.
It just seems rude and inconsiderate to lug on a full, heavy 22 inch suitcase and expect to hoist it overhead. IF EVERYONE did this there would not be room in the overhead bins.
I don't think they were designed for this.
(I guess if one has lost checked baggage several times, they might be paranoid about checking....but the odds are certainly in their favor for it not happening again!!!)
As someone above said: certainly some things, like medicines, camera, reading material, snacks,passports, money, etc should be carried aboard!

wojazz - maybe the contents of someone's carryon is just as important to them as your horn is to you. If you can bring your horn onboard then others can bright their 22".

For me it has nothing to do with waiting for my suitcase in baggage claim, it has to do with it being misplaced twice. It's not a fun way to begin a vacation, having lost luggage, especially in a foreign country.

Madison:

I put my horn under MY seat, not in the overhead compartment taking up space. If they can put their 22" suitcase under the seat safely, I have NO PROBLEM with them doing that. I have NEVER seen that happen. Have you?

Everybody can not bring their luggage on board the plane. It's that simple. There just isn't room anymore. Back in the days when planes weren't full all the time, it was ok. It's pretty rare now to see many empty seats. There are things that you can do that will reduce the chance of luggage being lost. Try not to schedule flights with very little time for connections for instance.

It's not the value of the contents, it's whether or not a person takes advantage of the system. It's a personal choice. Some people feel good about what they get away with and others feel bad for doing something that they feel like they are getting away with.

Bill

wojazz - I think the overhead bins were installed so people could store their baggage there. Before 9/11 people were bringing more items on board than they are now.

I think you need to worry about those that travel with several suitcases which adds weight to the plane, therefore using more fuel. Leave those of us that fly with one little 22" and abides by the rules. I weigh my suitcase before I leave home and I pack it so it isn't expanded at all.

I have always allowed plenty of time when changing planes and even then have had my luggage misplaced.

I don't condemn those that check in their many suitcases so don't condemn me for my one, within the limits, bag.