marthag

I just bought a great little carry-on totebag,but I'm afraid it is too big to put under the seat in front of me. I'll be flying British Airways from Phoenix to Heathrow, probably a 747 or 777.

The measurements are: 16" wide x 11" high x 9" deep. It's the 11" high that worries me, although I guess I could turn it on its side and then it would be just 9" high. But then all my stuff will shift all around and make a mess.

I'm sorry to post such an obscure question, but I can't find that information on the BA cabin luggage site, and my own sense of spatial relations is very poor.

Thank you for your patience with this very specific question that will probably be of no help to anyone but me.

suze

I can't answer but can't resist sharing a couple things to remember...

It is extremely likely that at some point you bag will not be perfectly upright. I'd pack it so it's OK if it gets tossed around.

Second it's kind of nice to have some space under the seat in front of you to stretch out your feet, so I try not to put something there that absolutely fills up the "extra" room, such as it is.

Intrepid1

It is our absolute pleasure to direct you to THE answer courtesy of BA:

http://www.britishairways.com/travel...n/public/en_us

Intrepid1

To summarize: 22X16X8 (in economy)

suze

Intrepid, that is the cabin allowance, but it doesn't address if it will fit under the seat.

Intrepid1

Yes, Suze, I realize that and I suppose you could say that this is a size which will fit in an overhead so my question is this:

Would you cramp the already cramped under-the-seat space with something that you could put in the overhead? I know I wouldn't and as far as things "getting messed up"..well, there's a simple answer for that, too, but I cannot go on the trip with her so this will have to do?

Is there a better answer?

Jolie

I think it would be hard to know ahead of time whether it will fit. Some seats have less room underneath (like window seats, which seem to me to have less storage space). And the airlines sometimes put extra things under there. I didn't look carefully at what was beneath the seat, but on my last flight my bag would not fit under the seat in front of me, but it would fit in under the seat right next to it (which worked out ok, because the seat next tome was empty). So I don't think there is a "standard" space under the seats - it varies.

suze

Intrepid, Maybe our posts crossed? We are in agreement here.

The answer is obviously not to put a large item under your seat because it makes the claustrophic space you have in coach on BA even smaller! And it is wise to pack in a way that it doesn't matter which way is "up" with your suitcase.