<p>I just checked the size restrictions for my carry on and personal item, and noted that both are a bit over sized. The carry on is a rolling backpack that is smaller than many of the rolling suitcases people bring, but if full can be a bit thicker. The tote bag I use as a purse (with my smaller cross body bag inside) is also a few inches too wide. This is United, Asian flight out of Chicago. I have traveled internationally with these two items previously, but on other airlines. Are they going to make me check my bag and charge me? How draconian have they been on these restrictions at the gate? </p>
<p>Next question, my onward flights are on code share airlines and I can’t pre select those seats. Is it worth calling Thai/Asiana to try to secure my beloved window seats? </p>
<p>I flew United out of Boston in May, with my husband, and we were stopped in the ticketing area by someone who made us slide our bags into those boxes to see if they fit. Both our bags were too full, so we had to take stuff out of the front pockets and stuff it into our carry-ons. They then fit in the box and we were allowed to go. We were off by about an inch, and this checker noticed. Our smaller personal bags were not looked at for size – I don’t know if it’s because they were OK or if the checker was only looking out for too-large carry-ons. </p>
<p>Since then I’ve been a little more careful about how I pack. I’ve flown United several times and have certainly seen people with large bags on the airplane. But I do think they are cracking down.</p>
<p>As for the second question: I recently flew American on a code-share airline, and was not able to select my seats until 24 hours before the flight. I called American and the other airline with no luck. When I finally was able to select a seat, there were only three seats left on the whole plane, all middle. Let me tell you, 12-15 hours in a middle seat was as bad as you would expect. Thank goodness for Ambien. I’d say give it a try, but depending on your ticket code, it may be a futile call.</p>
<p>Re the first question, I used a wheeled bag designed to be a carry on for a trip to Italy two years ago, and it was fine with the airlines I traveled as a carry-on. But using that very same luggage piece for trips within the US this summer, it was rerouted to baggage just before boarding for size reasons. (And yes, it was slightly over one of the limits when packed.) The attendant did not measure it, but “eyeballed” it. H and I suspect that when flights are full and baggage space in overhead bins tight, the airlines are more likely to bounce borderline bags.
But we were not charged any fee for the luggage when the bag was rerouted at the gate.
I have had no problem re the personal carry on – figure since it will be by my feet and not in a bin, the attendants are not so concerned.
Overhead bin space seems to be a challenge these days.</p>
<p>I flew internationally this past summer and was surprised at how strict they were with carry-on bags! 8 kg was the limit in South Africa! That’s nothing! It was 10 kg elsewhere.</p>
<p>I also noticed attendants “eyballing” luggage. To me, it seemed they were stricter with rollerboards than backpacks. I can get a heck of a lot of stuff in my backpack, so I’m going to try that next time.</p>
<p>The couple of times I’ve flown United, they’ve been jerks about it. I fly with bags that fit in every aircraft except for a commuter, I’ve been using them for years. One time I even had a United ticket agent tugging the bag out of my hand (I tugged harder, by the way), and had no problem fitting it in the overhead. What a (fill in the blank)! Otherwise, I fly Alaska, Delta, and occasionally SW. No problem, they don’t even ask or look, because they are not obviously oversized.</p>
<p>Oh, regarding the commuter, tag those bags in case they get away from you! I had a horrible night last year, gate checked that rolling backpack for a commuter flight. No ID tag. It did not show on arrival to my home airport, and was really scary to have it out of my grasp. My laptop was inside, as well as my kindle, and some other precious items. The following AM, it did come in from Denver. Relief. </p>
<p>Busdriver, you advise tussling with gait agents??? @-) </p>
<p>After having flown Delta for years, am not thrilled about United. But their FF programs are good. </p>
<p>Fire and rain, ick on long flights in a middle seat! </p>
<p>Oh no, great lakes mom, don’t mess with the gate agent. They are the ones who can quickly deny you access to the airplane! I was tussling with the agent at the ticket counter, who was such a rude, cranky, witch. It was so weird, because I am always polite and accommodating, but she just reached past the counter and started trying to grab it out of my hand.</p>
<p>And I’d do ANYTHING to avoid a long flight in a middle seat (unless I’m with my family). Pay a little more for an upgrade, check constantly—one thing I do is keep checking a few days before the flight, when they start upgrading people and then their exit row seats come open.</p>
<p>International is also said to be stricter than domestic flights. Also, when you will be on a smaller plane, they are stricter and do more “gate checks” of luggage that simply won’t (or probably won’t) fit in the overhead bins, especially if everyone is at the gate, waiting for boarding. Haven’t had my luggage put in a metal sizer, nor has any of our party ever had this happen. We mostly fly United domestic and haven’t flown internationally much at all.</p>
<p>When we did fly internationally, we flew US to Europe (or Canada) and back. Didn’t fly within the countries, which is where I understand they are even stricter about sizing of carry ons.</p>
<p>S2 had to check his carry-on last month on USAir. It was the same carry-on that USAIr let him carry on last summer. They didn’t have him measure it, just eyeballed it and decided it was too big. My assumption is they made him do it because he was not in the first 2 boarding groups and they knew they’d have limited overhead space on a crowded flight. </p>
<p>Most United international flights are full, especially to Asia.They are very strict when flights are full. When I boarded a Lufthansa flight out of Bucharest this last summer,they announced voluntary gate-checks and made everyone put their carryons in the sizer. It would be best to bring a smaller personal bag just in case.</p>
<p>I find what is allowed from the US to an international destination, typically does not fly the opposite way. International airports take their regulations very seriously. And just because someone in the US does not follow the rule, does mean they will budge a bit overseas.</p>
<p>Seat selection on code shares has become a nightmare. I bought my tickets on United website and made my seat selections on UA flights.Could not select seats on Lufthansa code share until I arrived at the airport at UA check in.</p>
<p>However, on return,my first leg was code share Lufthansa and second leg was UA. The UA seats were completely changed from when I bought my tickets. My H and I had middle seats on different parts of the plane but I had preselected window and middle seats together when I bought the tickets. When I tried to change it on UA webpage, it sent me back to Lufthansa website and Lufthansa could not change my seats.
I finally called UA in the US on skype and they were able to find me 2 side by side seats and one by the window. However, when I checked online later, Lufthansa still had our seats in different parts of the plane.</p>
<p>I really doubt you could preselect your seats on Thai/Asiana.</p>
<p>Be careful on Asia-based airlines, since they have carry-on weight limits like 7kg. Considering that some bags of carry-on size can be 5kg empty, that is something to be careful of.</p>
<p>For code shares, see if one of the airlines will give you the 6-character booking reference for the operating airline. Then use that to manage the seat selection, etc. on that airline’s web site.</p>
<p>I had the same experience as collegeshopping. Flew Delta to UK. Carryon roller bag was fine on the way there, but they insisted it was too large on the way back. I think they were even going to try to make us pay extra, except that we had purchased our ticket before some of the size rules changed, so they had to allow it.</p>
<p>Frontier has been a pain. In some locations, they check everyone’s carry on roller bag, and stamp your boarding pass only if it fully fits. This can significantly slow down the boarding process. I’ve never had them check my backpack, however, which can hold nearly the same amount as my roller bag. It does not technically fit in their personal item bin, but it can be squished to fit under a middle or window seat. (Has anyone noticed that on some airlines, the space under the aisle seat is smaller than the others due to some type of “box” mounted on the floor?)</p>
<p>On JetBlue, the infamous box is under the middle seat. D and her dad had to book 2 isle seats across the isle when flying with 2 cabin cats, because the airline would not let me choose a middle seat when I checked the “flying with a pet” box. I was very impressed that I could book am pay for both the pets and the humans online without any extra hassles. </p>
<p>We encountered the 8 kg rule when flying to Asia. An agent for Turkish Air went around the gate area and “invited” a chosen few to put their carryons on the scale. </p>
<p>It sounds like this is an international flight. In our experience, the airlines are much more vigilant on international flights with regard to size and weight of carry on bags.</p>
<p>United has been a pain in the arse for my son. Perhaps because he looks younger than he is and the gate agent senses he won’t put up a fuss, two times in a row he was told he would have to gate check his bag, the same type of wheeled bag that many people use, and smaller than some we have seen. The excuse has been that there was no more overhead room left to store the bag, but when my son got on the plane minus his bag, there was plenty of empty space! His bag was actually sent to baggage claim rather than actually gate-checked on both occasions, so the next time this happened, he was determined to get his bag onto that plane. He did, just sort of ignoring the gate agent who became busy arguing with the next person. I “get” that he should follow the orders, but as in the first two times, there was plenty of overhead bin space. I don’t think that the gate agents are actually checking with the onboard personnel!</p>
<p>United is the bane of my existence. Virtually every flight I’ve been on lately (and I fly out of O’Hare at least once every two weeks on average) has ended up checking wheely-bags at the gate for about half of the people the flight. If you can, get priority boarding. Because United is based in Chicago, the percentage of passengers who have #1 or #2 boarding is very high.</p>
<p>And, now, I’m off to the airport for a late evening flight to SFO. I’m packing light! </p>
<p>momof3sons, what works for me is saying, “I know my bag is small enough, and if there’s no room when I get on, I’ll gate check it. Thanks!” And move on, real quickly, so they go to the next victim. Though it’s got to be harder for a younger person to get away with, than a tired looking, irritated, middle aged woman.</p>
<p>DH flies United all the time. No flack on his carryon. They do not charge if your bag gets gate checked. On our rencent trip, we had a NZ Air/United code share and we had to follow NZ limits (23 kg for bags, 8kg for carryon). It’s hard to get cameras, meds (all 13 of them plus a few others for emergencies), netbook, ID/wallet and extra shirt/underwear packed THAT efficiently, so am thankful they didn’t weigh my bag or DH’s backpack. We repacked our suitcases so many times on that trip to fit various configurations and need that it would make your head spin, but that is another story!</p>
<p>Don’t do what my DH did and insist that we needed 63 kg of stuff for a three week trip. Wear the hiking boots and winter coat on the plane!</p>