We do carryon only. And we make it a point to be sure to be curtieous to other passengers. I use a 21" bag, not stuffed full, and even though I am very small I can put it up above me by myself and get it out by myself without whacking anyone with it:D I do not feel the need to get into it during the flight. I keep what I need in my pockets.

My opinion is that there are some people who like to do carryon and others who prefer to check. There are rude people who check their bags and rude people who do carryon.

Clea: That twerp w/ the carry on - she would have been just as rude if she had checked her bag. There is a well known Fodorite who got in a biiiig brouhaha trying to defend her "right" to polish her nails on a plane. She checks her bags - so that disgusting habit could have happened w/ checked bags or carry on.

Rude is rude - I also hate the back pack thumpers. But if someone is that clueless - they'd do the same w/ a small daypack carry on.

My 19 inch bag has never hit someone on the head. I've never used nail polish/remover on a plane, and if there is something I'll need during a flight -- it is in my handbag under the seat in front of me.

Like I said rude is rude - has nothing to do w/ whether the person checked a bag or carried on . . . .

janisj, I couldn't agree with you more!
Oh, and I <i>remember</i> that nail polish thread!! From what I recall, she never backed down...

The one time I got badly whacked when someone was trying to put their bag above my head, it was a case full of underwater camera equipment - something I would never want anyone to have to put into checked luggage. It was just my misfortune that my head was directly below his elbow, which bore the brunt of the falling bag... The man was so apologetic, I ended up feeling badly that my head hurt so much! ;)

I'm one who always carries on. I didn't always, but then on one trip (in a country where I didn't speak the language or know where to go shopping, naturally), my bag was lost. Not delayed, where it shows up days later, but LOST. I never saw the bag or its contents again, despite daily promises by the airline that it's on its way. Now, I carry on if it's at all humanly possible.

&lt;&lt;The only time I feel smug is as I roll past the carousel and am 1st in line for the cabs while 3/4 of the plane is camped out in front of an unmoving conveyer belt. : - )&gt;&gt;

Why do you feel &quot;smug&quot; about that? I don't mind waiting for my luggage and am never in that much of a hurry to get to the taxi stand. The cab line moves along fast so I've never had a long wait there.

However, I do understand people who use carryon because their luggage has been lost in the past. If that had happened to me I'd probably consider carryon too.

I usually just go with a carry bag. However, when I go on cruises, I'll bring two, split my clothing between the two and if I loose the checked one, I'll still have some formal and casual clothing/shoes.

Monica ((F))

Ggreen regarding your comment on
money belts&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;
It reminds me of a friend that used
to brag that nobody could take anything
away from him and he wasn't about to
wear a moneybelt or neck pouch.
While he was in Barcelona, a pickpocket
lifted his wallet from a buttoned back
pocket that was covered by his jacket.
He never felt a thing.
What do you think he does now????

Oh, we also use carryone luggage.
We have never hit anyone, nor do we
get into it during the flight.
If you don't like people doing this
you should campaign to have the air-
lines change the rules.

See now Katiemay, that's what everyone who touts the benefits of a money belt says. And with that same air of superiority, like it's the only way one should travel. (How many question marks do you need in order to make a point?)

I would never claim that there's no such thing as petty theft or pickpocketing. I just personally don't think a money belt is a solution, nor a necessary travel item. I also wouldn't ever think that someone who does carry-on only goes around in dirty clothes. But fear of lost luggage to me does not outweigh other factors of travel.

There is no one-to-one correlation that wearing a money belt makes you any better off when traveling. Nor is there any correlation between carry-on/checked-in luggage and quality of trip, either. To each his own!

Oh my god. Luisah, there was a smiley face after that statement. Relax.

There really does seem to be a &quot;fanatic devotion&quot; to carry on by those that use this system. I don't see the same number of posts on the forum by the checkers.
In fact maybe you guys should not be telling everyone how great it is. If everyone were to bring carry on, there wouldn't be room in the bins. Then you would see a policy change by the airlines that would affect you. (I don't tell others about my favourite Paris reataurant...o:)

I really think it comes down to how comfortable you are with either system. We wouldn't be comfortable without several and different choices for clothes. I know my wife needs &quot;shoes that go&quot; (whatever that neans but it does mean more than 2 or 3 pairs). I wouldn't dare suggest that we wash our gauchees in the sink.
We are willing to wait for our luggage and take a chance on it being lost or delayed in order to have that comfort

One reason we, and some others, can get away with carry ons only ( without having to wash our 'smalls&quot; in the sink) is that we RENT apartments for a stay over a few days.( washing machine for sure, dryers sometimes)
The change to only one pair of shoes in the carry on)took some planning , but it has worked so far (the last 6 years).

We thought carry-on was a be-prepared good idea, until we went through England. Both Heathrow and Gatwick INSISTED on ONE carry on. Size counted and no matter if you had a camera, purse, etc. they forced you to stuff it all into one bag. I had a cheap plastic zipper bag that we stuffed and my grandson and husband repacked their backpacks, but it was insane. After going thru security, everyone repacked into what ever they originally had or had to leave things behind. It didn't seem like any kind of safety measure when no one else was enforcing this and it lead to alot of delay and insanity for everyone ! Next time, my carryon will have lots of room in case this happens again.

thank goodness there are those who check their bags!

that leaves room for me to carry mine onboard!

buzzjane - there is a bit about this on the thread about British Airways

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35054741

I will carry on there and check bag home, especially if I have an extra bag of stuff, and if clothes are lost on the way home, it is not such an impact.

ol' middle of the road here... I'll check them (and take pretty full ones) when I'm one way, non-stop. Last week went to Asheville, NC. The last leg of the trip was a little prop plane. I did carrion...but, I couldn't take back any of the things I bought! Blech! What a great little town with a European flair...

&lt;&lt;Oh my god. Luisah, there was a smiley face after that statement. Relax&gt;&gt;

People who know me would laugh at that comment. I am relaxed. I am super-relaxed. If I were any more relaxed I'd be in Madame Tussaud's. I am so relaxed that I sit at the back of the plane and don't jump up as soon as the seat belt sign goes off. I don't have to be the first off the plane or the first in line at passport control, or anywhere else for that matter. I chill until my luggage turns up and don't run anyone down racing to the taxi stand.

I realize there are times when people have to rush to make connecting flights but that's a differnt matter.

If I knew how to put a smiley face at the end of the paragraph I 'd add two.

Suzie, I sure hope you did NOT do &quot;carrion&quot;... !

Luisah: http://www.fodors.com/forums/smileys/

Yes, just - just type in manually semi colon dash closed bracket and it should translate into a :-) proper smiley face......happy travels.

I mean colon dash closed bracket. A semi colon would give ;-)

I am not a Carryon Fundamentalist.

I like taking a 24&quot; suitcase, big enough to hold my own stuff plus what I purchase, and a size that's easy for me to handle on my own. Even if I don't take full size bottles on my way over, I like buying things at my destination...wine, shampoo, whathaveyou.
A couple of my friends in PA are real wine lovers and they enjoy it when I bring them bottles of wine from Sancerre or Riesling or Pinot Noir that I bought at the winery and that don't have importer labels on them.
My carryon is usually a medium to largish Longchamp pliage bag with the longer handles. Can fit under my seat if necessary or I can pull out my small tote of flight essentials and put the bag overhead.
Whenever I flew into Orlando, my mother didn't leave to pick me up until my flight had landed. The trip took at least an hour, so I had more than enough time to go through the arrivals palaver, get my suitcase, grab a latte and relax on a bench by the curb.

If people want to take only
carryon and keep it with them, fine. If they don't, fine. Neither option serves as a &quot;travel superiority&quot; indicator.

Interesting to read all the comments. We have some stuff we have to carry on (like my husband's CPAP machine and our meds) but as far as checked luggage, have only had it &quot;lost&quot; once and it turned up the next day. (It went to Cleveland instead of West Palm Beach).

I just got home from the local FedEx place, where I sent off one large box to my destination for next week. Then, I'll board with one small carry-on and my backpack. With two tight connections, I don't mind spending the $73 it cost me for peace of mind and convenience (and I get to send all of my liquids ahead).

And listen to this - I sent ahead all clothing which I am planning to use and discard or use, launder, and donate to the destination's local thrift shops. That way, I will not need to check any baggage for the return trip home! Am I a lunatic? Maybe, but it works for me, and helps to clean up my closets!

$73 from where to where, please? what is the promised delivery time? was it charged by weight or dimensions(or both)?
thanks!

From New York area to rural Montana. 3-day delivery (business days); sent today (Saturday) - due by 7pm MDT Wednesday.

Approx 26 lbs; approx 20 x 17 x 17. Insured for $1000.

Not a bad deal, considering how I spazz out over tight connections and have a prior history of lost luggage (some very delayed, one never recovered).

You can also send your luggage, but mine is rather pricey, and I would rather not - - - I don't know how it is handled, travelling such long distances through the FedEx system. I may send a cheap piece on the next trip, to see how it fares.

I have done this for Europe and the Caribbean also. These destinations are much more expensive, and require the completion of detailed customs forms (ugh!).

hi gerda:
sounds like an interesting idea. a little pricey though for 26lbs. but peace of mind for sure. unless FedEx loses it. (just kidding!)

I guess that's why there's chocolate and vanilla but I don't get it.
We take nice clothes not the ones we are going to throw out...not that there's anything wrong with it.
And $73...is that supposed to be a bargain? In fairness I guess it was a situation where you were on two tickets with a tight connection.
The only time our luggage wasn't waiting for us was a tight BA connection through Heathrow to Paris. We figured we hit the jackpot cause we took the train into Paris instead of a taxi, walked around the neighborhood and had our luggage delivered to our hotel room later that day. Of course we had a change of clothes and our toiletries in our small carry on.
Gerda - you aren't the one with that back pack are you? Everyone else denies it and I know that there is at least one a flight..&gt;)

$73 on a trip that's going to cost me $15,000 is not something I'm going to stress about.

I take my good shoes and clothing in the small carry-on. The older, worn clothes are for hiking and messing around in the great outdoors. (This is a trip involving high-end lodges and hotels combined with grubby days hiking and on horseback... think of North Face, EMS, and Hanes in the daytime combined with Brioni and Prada at night!)

robjame- to address your backpack concerns: I carry a small pack, and am always extremely considerate when moving through the cabin! I don't think I have ever wheeled around and hit someone with it! :)

I always check my 22 in. bag when travelling internationally, altho sometimes on short flights I carry on.
Lately, at CDG, I've been REALLY glad I checked, as you have to walk up huge ramps to get to some planes, after riding that crowded bus out to the plane. The last time I was in France, I felt so sorry for some women trying to carry their babies plus stuff up those ramps, with no one offering help!

Not to minimize anyone's distress when luggage gets completely lost, but....

I live about 2 hours from unclaimed baggage and it is a great place! I bought mine and my daughter's luggage for our recent European trip there (it was new from cargo--not someone's lost luggage, for the record) and my iPod, which was someone's left behind or lost belonging. I got a great deal though. ;-)

I also check my bags domestically and internationally. I pack my essential meds, electronics (camera, iPod, etc.) and a change of clothes and a toothbrush in my carryon tote and figure I can replace anything at my destination if I absolutely have to. I'd rather not mess with hauling everything around to connections with me, but to each his own. For some folks, carry on gives a peace of mind that is essential.

I check one big bag, and carry on just reading materials, phone, and meds. I trust in the zen of luggage: it will get there. And it always has.

Gerda - it sounds like a lovely trip and what a great combination of rustic and pampered!I hope you will tell more in a trip report.

I have been following these &quot;carry-on&quot; posts for a few years and still don't know how some of you can do this. On the international flights we have been on (air Lingus &amp; Air France for example) they have a size limit of 9&quot; x 18&quot; or something like that. How can you carry-on a 22&quot; roll bag? Plus they were checking weight.

Just curious.

...because oftentimes some airlines turn a blind eye to their own regulations; sometimes especially if the flights aren't full they don't make a big stink; othertimes they stop people at the gate and tell them they have to check (I really wish more airlines would do this of course)...but you see selfish people all the time who think they're time or whatever is more important than anybody else's...example...about a year or two ago, a plan was taxing into JFK when the imbecile behind me, despite the fact the seat belt sign was still on, decided he had to get up to get his hand luggage so he could be the first one off the plane...just then the plane lurched a big and the contents of the overhead dropped out...I said to him that's why they tell you to remain seated...he looked at me like I was crazy.

barbmc--We flew Air France this summer. The weight limit was 12kg (around 22 pounds). I was going to use my 22&quot; bag, but it was 3 cm too large. I didn't want to check it, so I bought a 21&quot; bag. I had all I needed for almost 2 weeks in that bag, and came in under the weight limit. My DD (16 yrs old) and mother did the same thing. As long as you make sure everything coordinates, and don't bring along anything you &quot;might&quot; need, it can be done. BTW, we each had 2 pairs of shoes in the bags along with the pair we were wearing.

&quot;A little off topic&quot; but how do you feel when you get on a plane and the bins above your seat are full.

The last couple of times there has been no room to put our small bags (we are not cary on only people) and the attendant has had to take them away (where do they go?). Admittedly we are not gate rushers at loading.
I would think that if carry on only continues to be the craze, rules might change.

Well these people who think it is their god given right to carry on what should be checked don't give a damn whose overhead space they take up and of course pay no attention to loading orders or thngs like that and rarely do I see the people collecting boarding passes pay attention to what row or what group these people are in.

But as I said, I have had flight attendants ask me to put my carry on (small as it is) to accomodate those carrying on what should be checked...and my answer is invariably NO.