Global Resorts Blog Network

Most of us definitely would agree that the most annoying thing could happen to us in any airport is to have our carry-on luggage rejected to be bought into the cabin while boarding because it didn’t meet the regulation of the airline.

Sometimes, some of the stuff we have in our carry-on luggage are rejected to be boarded the plane, and then either we have to get rid of them, or (again *sigh*), have our luggage checked in.

Before we lose our temper and get irked by these kinds of inconveniences, it is a good idea (and it is wise too) to check with our specific airline regarding their carry-on luggage policy, including items that are allowed inside the plane.

Carry-on Luggage Guides
related article: Carry On Luggage Dimensions

With each airline, there are specific guidelines that we have to follow in order for our hand-carry luggage to be allowed aboard the plane. On most airlines, the usual size of carry-on luggage allowed is approximately twenty-two by fourteen by nine inches. Anything that exceed this measurement should already be checked in.

It’s not surprising that some luggage stores may insist that the sizes of their carry-on bags are the exact dimensions that airlines have specified. While this may be true, it is still best for us to measure the bags on our own just to be sure that we are buying the right-sized hand-carry bags instead of being told later on that they have been rejected for carrying on the plane.

The shape of our hand-carry luggage is another thing that we need to consider. Unfortunately, even our hand-carry luggage have the appropriate allowable total size  (which is forty-five inches), if it is irregularly shaped, it could still find itself in the checked in compartment of the plane.

Finally, we have to check with our airlines on the items that are allowed to be carried on the plane; and the items that we can still carry onboard without being added as part of our hand-carry luggage. These items include jackets, child seats, and umbrellas, among other things.

Packing Our Hand-Carry Luggage

So okay, we got the right airline carry-on luggage size down to a T; we have checked that it is just the right shape to fit into the compartment inside the plane; and we have also checked all the items that we are allowed to pack inside our hand-carry bag.

The next thing to think about is how to pack the bag in such a way that we will not exceed the allowable weight of hand-carry bags as directed by our airline. And again, this may be different for each airline, and also different on domestic and international routes.

We have to remember that when we are packing, we can’t just stuff inside the bag whatever we want, haphazardly. Being organized with our packing will not only ensure that all items will still be in good condition once we land; it will likewise eliminate the possibility of it being checked in for exceeding the allowable weight.

Finally, we should take care not to put anything in the outer pockets of the bag as this will cause the bag to be bulky; hence, it might not easily slip through the checking counter for hand-carry bags.

you might also want to read this article: Airline Seat Pitch