I've posted my questions in the Air Travel forum, but thought I'd post here too. I need new carry on luggage and am trying to decide on the size. I will be traveling next spring on Air France (economy) from Los Angeles (LAX) to Barcelona (BCN), with a change of planes in Paris (CDG). The Air France website says I can carry on one 21-inch bag and an "accessory" on international flights. My questions:

1. How big is an "accessory?" I'm looking at a tote that's about 20"x5"x14" - is it too big?

2. I understand that on intra-Europe flights (e.g. Easy Jet or Vueling) I can only carry on 1 bag and no accessory. Does Air France have the same rule? That is, do I have to check one bag on the connecting flight from CDG to BCN? I can't find the answer on Air France's site.

3. If I do have to check one bag at CDG, am I better off just checking my luggage all the way through from LAX since I only have 1 hour, 20 minutes to make the connecting flight?

At http://www.airfrance.us/US/en/common..._airfrance.htm, selecting "Flights within Europe" and cabin="Voyageur/Economy",
1. An accessory is like "handbag, notebook computer, camera, etc." You might be allowed to carry your tote or might be not. You might be impromptu asked to check your 21" luggage. On Inter European flights, the overhead bins seem to be narrower than US flights. I often need to put my carry-on sideways.
2. The same Air France web sites says on Inter European flights in Voyageur cabin, you are allowed one carry-on one accessory where carry-on + accessory weight may be up to 26.5 pounds.
3. What happens if you don't check your luggage all the way to CDG? Do the math. a.) get off plane and retrieve luggage at CDG ~20min, b) walking over to Air France counter to recheck-in your luggage ~30min c) go through carry on security check ~10min. d) Walk to your departure gate ~10min. You have missed your flight.

Hi V,
good response from Greg.

> How big is an "accessory?" I'm looking at a tote that's about 20"x5"x14"...<

To me that is another carryon.

Usually the accessory has to fit under the seat in front.

Good question.

Now that you mention Air france restrictions, here's a similar question.

The last few years I've been flying other airlines with a 21" HARDSIDE carry-on and all has gone well. This fall we're flying on Air France and I can remember them going down the line and picking out different people and making them check their carry-ons for various reasons. We'll be flying Air France from ORD to CDG and then on to Toulouse, which I assume will be on a smaller plane.

Does anyone have any experiences with hardside carry-ons that I should know about? I love my Delsey bag and that's all I take for a 2 week trip.

I've lost enough luggage on our travels that now I rely on carry-on only and I certainly don't want to chance losing that.

Your 21" hard side carryon will fit in most overhead bins, but it all depends on the type of plane, the carrier, domestic or international flight and class of ticket. Most single aisle planes have smaller overhead bins on both international and domestic flights. First/business class overheads are larger in some aircraft and very large on the A330 and B787 Dreamliner. The overhead bins on most short haul flights are smaller, some tiny.

Your Air France flight from ORD to CDG should be able to accommodate your carryon, but the flight from CDG to TLS (Toulouse-Blagnac) will be on the smaller A320, so you may have to gate check the bag depending on your class of ticket and when you board the flight. The newer A320s is supposed to have larger overhead bins, but it may not be flying on that route.

The ideal hard side luggage would be an 18" or 20".

Thanks for responding!

Greg, I purchased the flight from LAX to BCN on a single ticket, but it involves a change of planes at CDG. All flights are on Air France. I was really hoping to manage carry on because I only have an hour and 20 min to make the change at CDG. I guess if worse comes to worse I'll carry it all on at LAX and check the bag at the gate at CDG. I may just have to go with a smaller tote.

Ira, yes, I'm a chronic over-packer but I'm trying to amend my ways. My last trip to Europe involved a similar-sized tote, a large purse and a 30" bag!

I have seen many people with legal size carry-on by US standards have to check them in Zurich since they were too bug for the planes. US size is usually 21" - while in europe many carry-ons are limited to 19" - and that includes wheels. If yuo want to be safe go for the smaller size.

And the accessory is a purse, camera case or computer bag - not another carry-on. You may get away with it on a US transatlantic flight but very well might not within europe since plane luggage bins are often smaller.

Thanks nytraveler. I really don't see myself packing for almost 3 weeks in anything smaller than 21" and that may prove impossible for me - I'll have to see. As I mentioned on the other thread, I'm going to go with the 21" carry on and a 17"x7.3"x13" tote and hope it gets me through to BCN. If worse comes to worse, I'll just check the 21" at the gate at CDG.

Your "tote" bag is luggage, obviously, not an accessory. And that isn't even what I'd call a tote bag, that's about the same size as their luggage limits.

I've seen AF refuse to allow carryons that were about the limit or maybe even allowed theoretically if they were really full (the plane). And most times what people call a 21" doesn't end up fitting in those measuring things they have.

I fly Air France a lot and often make connections, I'm not sure what your concern is about the connection time. AF will check your bags through, won't they? They always have for me, but I've never gone to BCN from CDG, only within France and once Prague (but they transferred it there for me, also, I didn't have to do anything).

If you are just afraid you will make it but not your luggage as it won't make the transfer, sure, that's possible, but AF has always been very good at getting me my bags in that situation, I've gotten them by 9 pm the same day, and once they delivered them all the way to Aix even though the plane landed in Marseille. But when that happend (2x), I only had about a 45 min. connecting time or the plane was late, I forget. It wasn't really that surprising the bag didn't make it.

Christina: Part of it is the challenge of carry on but the bigger concern is that my luggage won't land in BCN with me. So, it's good to hear your positive experiences with AF.

I just checked again and the bag I'm looking at is actually 20"x14"x9", including the wheels, not 21". The Air France measurements are 21.6"x13.7"x9.8", so technically the one I'm thinking about is too wide. In case it matters, the outbound flight from LAX is on an Airbus A380-800.

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm ready to go from 30" to carry on; perhaps I should check a 22" and buy a rolling tote for the cabin.

I agree with Mimar - the key to the "accessory" is that it will fit under the seat in front of you. Also, if you are carrying on both pieces (which I always do) then be sure your purse can fit in one of them. You won't be allowed to have the 21" rollaboard, accessory AND a purse.

Are you planning to travel with a 30", a 21" (a carry-on bag), and a 20" tote(accessory)?

There is a whole world of differnce between a 30" bag - essentially a body bag - and a 21" caryy-on. the latter will hold about 20% as much as the larger bag. Not that I'm suggesting 30" - but I routinels use a 24" or a 26" when trips are business and pleasure - plus a smallish carry-on and an expandable purse.

There is no problem, IMHO, with checking luggage. to me - it's just more sensible -esp if a trip is 1) in winter, 2) has multiple purposes and/or 3) is extended.

Greg, I'm not planning to travel with a 30" - I found it way too cumbersome on my last trip. I was hoping to avoid checking luggage altogether, and carry on a 20" rollaboard and a 17" tote, which would hold a small purse. If I can't fit all my clothes into a 20", I'll use a 22" instead and check it.