Originally Posted by
LiveOak
In my experience, trying to find a wheeled bag that will fit in-cabin on EMB 145's and similar regional "jets" is futile. There just is not enough room in either the overhead bins for a roller bag or under the seats. I have heard some travelers claim that they have gotten a B & R U116 under the aisle seat on the starboard side of the plane, but I have never been successful in having the same luck.
I have definitely gotten my B&R U116 into the OVERHEAD bin on MULTIPLE different EMB 145 type jets. These are the 1 seat/2seat configuration type jets (or flying sewage pipes, if you ask me), and the U116 fits on the 2 seat side overhead bin. You need to put it in wheels out, but I assure you, it fits.
I have found that if I retract the telescoping handle of the U116 and hand carry it, I've almost never been stopped by a gate agent and asked to tag. Once when I was asked to tag, I simply took the tag off while walking down the jetway, and had no problems fitting it in the overhead bin.
My experience has also been that the overhead bins are basically never fully utilized on those small jets, because no one has bags small enough to fit in them.
The U116 is petite, so I often need a second bag when I travel. So my standard travel approach now is to use my U116 as a "base" that provides me with wheels, and then to stack another bag on top. I would prefer to go with the classic "1 bag" approach to travel, but I usually have to bring a large amount of tech stuff with me, and it just gets too heavy to wield on my back. I think of my wheeled base with a bag on top as a "modified 1 bag" approach.
