Is this true
 

I just read the following information on www.wired2theworld.com/. Does anyone know if it's true? We're traveling to Europe next month!

"Of course, all this will change in April as the EU shifts to the "one piece of carry-on" only rule. This means it will no longer be possible (for me anyway) to do carry-on only when traveling to/from Europe in the future. The new rule says "one item only". That means one bag only, not a purse and a bag, not a briefcase and a bag, just one bag only."

April 17. One piece, departing from all European airports. One piece, period.

It's been implemented in the UK for months. Many major Asian airports are also starting to implement it this month.

You can still carry 1+1 from the US to Europe, but not connecting to other flights there.

At the risk of seeming obtuse, does one carry-on bag plus one bag of duty-free purchases (bought after checking in, natch) equal two pieces?

It's one piece through security. You can break it up to 100 afterwards. Then it depends on whether your airline allow just one piece, 1+1 or 100.

I know I've been one of the loudest preachers on this site about the "proposed" baggage limits.

But I can't find a single non-British airport mentioning it, or a single airline mentioning it except in a British context. Nor any recent, new, newspaper article on the subject.

Yes, the EU said it was going to do this. But you'd have thought the airlines would have snapped out of their denial by now.

So either there's going to be a mass revolution in CDG, Schiphol and Frankfurt on April 17.

Or the non-British EU airlines are revolting (in both senses). I think they're arguing there's no need and the EU should change its mind. And I think, as always, Britain's "partners" are showing their love of solidarity in their favourite way - leaving us as the only country implementing yet another damnfool EU directive.

I wouldn't bet on the ban coming into force.

It is NOT true.

There is NO change of carry-on rules in the European Union (except UK). There was a discussion in the European Council, but the British proposition to introduce the "one-piece-rule" has been rejected.

The airlines have different rules. Some (like Lufthansa) are still very relaxed on handluggage, but others (especially low-fare airlines) have become tighter (in order to make some extra money).

Now of course if Britain withrew its hostility to the "Open Skies" (aka "total surrender to American airlines' ability to wrap the US government round their little finger") agreement the continentals might have another point of view altogether.

All I know is that Swiss International "strongly suggests" following the guidelines of one carryon in Economy class. Says it will help "avoid repacking" at the airport. It doesn't say anything about allowing a "personal item" along with the carryon. This was what I read on their website.
We are using them to fly to Rome in late May. We leave from Boston, stop over in Zurich, and then on to Rome. Reverse itinerary going back.
I've decided to play it safe and make sure my handbag gets stuffed inside the carryon going through security.

LeeParis

I've never seen anything that says the change isn't going into effect (doesn't mean anything one way or the other)

But in any case, why would it make that big a difference?? I just flew US - UK - Ireland - UK - Germany - USA over 13 days all w/ just carry-on and w/ just one item through security. There is nothing to keep you from stuffing your handbag into your rollaboard to get through the security screening and then taking it out once you are in the departure lounge.

I've already downsized my 25" rolling carry on to a rolling mid-sized back pack due to size restrictions of the airlines. The shoulder bag I carry with ALL our travel documents, plus personal items is flexible, but fairly good sized. I guess I'll have to give it a "dry run" to see if janisj's plan will work.

Truthfully, I thought the rule meant boarding the aircraft, not just going through security.

ttt

Wow, I must have missed this post the first time around.

Imagine my surprise when I see my own website being used for reference!

Truth be told, it's not yet on my website, but rather, on the blog ( www.wired2theworld.blogspot.com ) I set up for my trip to Central Europe last month.
And the information I posted there I gathered here, right on the Fodor's board.
Someone else here had posted a link to a newspaper article about the new rules, but I can't find it now.

I'll be very interested to see if it does take effect as I don't think I'd be able to put everything in one single bag.

Our experience was, US to Europe, you can have one personal item and one carry-on bag = TWO total items.

But going back they were very strict that only ONE item through security and onto the plane. This included purses, recently-purchased duty-free items, and suchlike. ONE BAG PER PERSON, PERIOD. Just put the smaller item into the larger one, check everything else, and you're fine. Once in the air, as noted above, you can break the one bag item back down into a hundered carry-on items and it doesn't matter.

my bad, sorry, but I was assuming economy. First/business class people get to carry more stuff (two small items).

&quot;<i>. . . only ONE item through security and onto the plane. This included purses, recently-purchased duty-free items, and suchlike. ONE BAG PER PERSON, PERIOD.</i>&quot; This isn't correct info. Duty free is <u>after</u> security so isn't counted in the 1-item rule.

And the &quot;1 item&quot; applies to security screening - after security you can break out your handbag and/or buy duty free.