"As much as we love Europe, it seems to be getting harder and harder to travel there"

Many Europeans feel this way about travelling to the USA.


I can see the 'one bag rule' would be a problem if you are travelling with only hand luggage. If you check your luggage, than just a large purse would be plenty to take on board.

Giovanna,

Thanks for stating what I was unable to say. You clarified my point very well.

It isn't the additional number of items we end up stuffing into a single bag, it is the additional layers we create that as you say "block" other items or create an unrecognizable jumble that requires further scrutiny.

It wouldn't be so bad if they just immediately call the bag out for hand inspection, but they have to call a co-worker or supervisor over to have a look. Make a decision and get on with the show!

MvK

"Many Europeans feel this way about travelling to the USA."

I don't doubt it for a minute Tulips. But at least when you get here your money goes further.

Some of the US regs are causing difficulty for visitors coming here, and in addition for us. For example, the $100 visa Brazil now charges US citizens came about because of a large raise in the charge for US visas for Brazilians. Sort of a tit for tat situation.

I'm guessing the carryon could be as large as a 21'? I'm sure weight would be decided by which airline you are on.

I usually try to stuff my coat in my suitcase at the last minute (check in), so I don't have to have it in the cabin with me...then I get it out when I land and claim baggage. I think many of us over pack, so maybe the one bag rule might be a hidden benefit in the long run. As several posters have mentioned its getting way too expensive to shop in Europe, so we don't need extra space to lug stuff home...just the basics to see the sights.......

This looks like security people becoming jail wardens.

Here is NW info on carry-on:
http://tinyurl.com/34796b
It is a very rational policy.

The TSA says "de-clutter" so screeners can see what's in your bag. It looks like the EU is saying "stuff it in."

Knuckleheads rule in the EU. But I won't let this slow me down. I'll go to Europe anyway. I love the trains.

What does EU stand for? Does this apply to train travel ie Eurostar?
Or to US carries to Europe?

EU stands for European Union.

Does this effect laptops the same way?

One bag through security is one bag. I travel very light anyway, but if it's during the cooler seasons I dress in LAYERS!! I wear my biggest shoes and coat. I look like the Michelin Man.

&quot;<i>Obviously Carolina you don't consider a purse what I consider a purse. Mine are very large and always have been. I'm not a clutch-bag person, who can cram it in a carry on bag</i>&quot;

Don't be silly - a hand bag doesn't need to be a small clutch to fit inside a roll aboard. Just in the last couple of weeks I flew UK &gt; Ireland &gt; UK &gt; Germany &gt; US -- all meeting the one bag through security requirements. If your handbags are so huge (or your carry on so crammed full) it won't fit -- simply buy a slightly smaller &quot;unconstructed handbag&quot; (like a hobo bag or similar). This means it is &quot;squishable and will fit nicely into a carry on for the short time needed. It is only for through security.

And since the 1 quart/litre plastic baggie must come out for screening at the same time it makes even more room in the carry on.

one bag is easy - if you just take a bit of time to organize things.

Really, I just don't understand what people bring with them over here on vacation that they freak out about bag limits. When I travel between the US to visit my family I always have the regulation size wheeled bag that fits in the overhead bins and a carryon in which I put my purse. All that's in the purse are magazines, books and the purse which I will now just put in the roll-on bag.

I certainly wouldn't stop traveling because of a bag restriction.

I certainly won't stop traveling due to baggage restrictions but it will require more thoughtful packing. I normally check one piece of luggage and carry on a rolling tote and a handbag I only use for traveling since I find its design a reasonably good one. The handbag is decent size in order to slip in camera, glasses (both prescription and sunglasses), wallet, map, and a few other sundry items.

In my carry on tote I put a full change of clothes in case my checked luggage goes to parts unknown. Along with toiletries, book, etc. the rolling tote gets filled up fairly quickly. Having to stuff my handbag into the tote will be a challenge but I will do what is necessary on my upcoming trip to Rome at the end of May.
It will be my first time flying with the &quot;one quart baggie&quot; for liquids rule went into effect. Since I never take full size bottles of shampoo, etc. with me anyway, that won't be a huge deal.

We are flying Swiss International which has a carry on limit of 21x16x8 in economy. My rolling tote is approx. 18x14x9. Darn that 8 versus 9 inches! I have another tote that can squeeze down to 8 inches but doesn't have wheels. Not sure what size it will be when packed! Sigh. I've used it a couple of times but bought the wheeled tote because it is easier to drag around at the airport.

I own several pieces of so-called &quot;carry ons&quot; in my quest for the perfect one and hate to buy another for the sake of an inch! Other airlines do allow 9 inches rather than 8 so I don't have to mothball the rolling tote just yet!

I agree that cracking down on what people carry on is necessary not just for security. The stuff I've seen dragged on board is ridiculous. But it does make packing more challenging with this change to more restrictive policies.

LeeParis

As I've mentioned in another thread, none of this carry-on problem would be a problem if airlines guaranteed that your luggage would get to your destination at the same as you do and if they guaranteed that checked luggage was safe from having items stolen. Unfortunately we are at their mercy, so we must play by the rules that they make up -- I'm all for security, but I think that the airlines and the people who make the rules about airlines should remember who the paying customer is. If it is so incovenient for them to have people who carry items with them...maybe train, car and ship traveling will come back...and then of course the airlines will whine about not making profits... oh, well, it's a battle we cannot win unless we all decide to stay home... :(

&lt;&lt;&lt; Does this effect laptops the same way? &gt;&gt;&gt;

If you can get your laptop into your ONE BAG and then take it out so it can be screened separately then you'll have no problem.

Otherwise - something will have to be checked / binned

We are traveling to Italy in July on NWA. According to the NWA website at this time, it only specifies this as applying to departing from a British airport. Once you have gone through security or are in the cabin, the purse may come out of the carry-on. I think I will check the website and call the airline at a later date to get specifics.

I thought this should be <b>extremely clear</b> to everybody by now, after postings on many threads, many posts, including responses from flanneruk and myself way up in this thread, back from 2/26.

Currently, one bag rule from the UK. All over Europe 4/17.

Mariana: &quot;<i>According to the NWA website at this time, it only specifies this as applying to departing from a British airport.</i> That is true now - but as mentioned above - just about ALL western European countries are changing the rules and will match the current UK procedures.

You may in fact be able to take two items out of the USA - But is your flight non-stop to Italy? If not, wherever you connect they will enforce the one item rule. So you would end up having to check something on your second leg. And you would definitely be limited to ONE item when you fly out of Italy on your way home.

So just plan on one item now and be prepared.

This is actually good news for me since our trip is planned for early April. Actually, I should say that I'm whipping it together right now.

Anyway, I assumed it was one bag now - we will have direct flights into CDG and out of CDG back to US. After reading this thread, I realize that I can take my 'purse' (my camera is in a purse looking bag) separate from my carry-on, ....

thus not checking any bags! (yippee!)

Liquids will be contact solution and hand sanitizer and everything else will be purchased there.

After reading this thread, in the future, I think I will take my coat with 10 pockets (the Columbia 4 in 1 kind)and stuff all the pockets full of the 'heavy' stuff - camera, lenses, chargers, batteries, etc. since that will also help with the weight requirement.

surfmom - I plan on doing the same thing once the one bag rule goes into effect. In fact I &quot;test-drove&quot; the strategy for the trip I'm leaving on in three days - I have a rain jacket with fairly large pockets and you can indeed get an amazing amount of the heavy stuff (camera, cell phone, ipod, chargers, etc.) into your pockets.

The other thing I've done is to make (but you could buy) a very lightweight yet strong bag. I made mine 12x22x9. I use it as a kind of liner for my 21&quot; rolling bag. But if I have to I can take it out, check the suitcase with a few heavy clothing items that I could live without, put my purse (rather large) in it and probably make both the one bag and the weight limits and still get most of my stuff as carry on. At least that's the theory.