Originally Posted by
SCGustafson
Thank you for the quick replies. We are not attempting to take everything with us, but will be checking a bag for each of them as my wife and daughter are going to be travelling for about a month.
Another question that I know need to ask is regarding the personal bag. It states that it can be "a briefcase, laptop or handbag" on the BA website. But I am also assuming that a small backpack complying with the personal bag sizes will be allowed as this bag. Is this correct?
I usually take a carry on wheeled suitcase and a backpack which is designed to hold my 17inch laptop and associated stuff. I've never had a problem. You should be fine.
My wheeled carry on can easily be put in the hold upon boarding if need be and I'll take one or two things out of it for the flight. I've only been told I have to put it in the hold a couple of times upon boarding on US domestic flights on smaller planes where space in the cabin is limited. My case then meets my again on the airbridge upon arrival, I've never been charged in this situation and indeed there have always been several people doing the same thing.
I've never been told my wheeled case has to go in the hold on a BA flight and I've only once offered to put it below when a chap in the row behind me was having a go at cabin crew because there wasn't much space left. The FA appreciated my gesture and said he would pop my bag in the wardrobe, later said he would have upgraded me for helping out if there had been space. I got the impression the other chap had been quite a difficult passenger. Anyway, a bit f a digression but I think you should be fine.