Need luggage savings help?
 

My SO and I are attempting to travel light through europe for a while. Originally the plan was to bring two carry-ons and that was it. She talked to her friend who works at the TSA who convinced her that she could bring a carry-on and a personal item for free, and the personal item could be something like a backpack or a laptop bag, basically what I thought of as a carry-on size item.

We're taking seven different flights, so I really don't want to get hit with paying for a second carry-on on each flight. Most airlines don't seem to tell you exactly what size a personal item can be.

Anyone got any idea? She's terribly angry with me right now, for telling her we can't bring all of these bags.

What airlines are involved?

Delta, Alitalia, EasyJet, Turkish Airlines, KLM

This leaves you with EasyJet as the lowest common denominator: unless you are paying for EasyJet plus, your allowance is a single 56x45x25 bag including wheels and handle (no weight restrictions IIRC).

So are you saying the other airlines will allow us to carry a laptop bag or backpack in addition to our carry-on at no charge?

I dont' mind paying at easyjet if I have to, just don't want to pay on each and every flight.

Yes, they do accept a personal item in addition to your carry on bag (check the limits, though, some are more strict than others).

Need luggage savings help?
 

I can confirm by experience that AZ KL TK will allow you to board two items. In terms of size, some companies are less enforcing than others, but as a suggestion don't test your luck and play by the company rules.

have fun in Europe! plenty of good stuff to see.

Need luggage savings help?
 

To clarify, it's not TSA who will decide this, but the airlines. Each airline has its official policies spelled out on its website. How small a backpack has to be to count as a "personal item" is going to be up to the discretion of the gate agent. In the US, most nonbudget carriers might make you gate check one item if both are "carryons", but typically won't charge you.

This isn't even true in US, only for legacy carriers. LCCs tend to charge for anything but "personal item."

This is exactly right.

I'm aware that the TSA does not decide this, and that's what I tried to explain to her; that every airline can decide on their own.

I still feel like I have no idea what the right answer is. For example, Delta says:

SO WHAT EXACTLY IS ALLOWED?
Approved Personal Items
1 purse, briefcase, camera bag or diaper bag
or 1 laptop computer (computers cannot be checked)
or 1 item of a similar or smaller size to those listed above

"Similar size" No actual measurements listed.

As explained above, it's going to be at the discretion of the gate agent and/or check in agent. If you don't know how large a standard briefcase or diaper bag are, look on Amazon.

The general rule is your personal item must fit fully under the seat in front of you.

I fly legacy carriers trans-con frequently. I always have a backpack with laptop inside, couple books, extra sweater, reading magazines. In short, its stuffed. Never a problem. It just has to look like it can go under the seat in front of me. That is in addition to a carryon roll-aboard.

As Bert G says, as long as the personal item looks like it will fit under the seat, I've never seen it sized or weighed. Mine would be oversize by the published rules. For transatlantic, I usually have an 18x12 duffle as my personal item, a 21 inch roller bag, and a crossbody purse.

I've seen many people called out for this and forced to gate check, as the crossbody purse is plainly a personal item.

There comes a point when saving money is inconsiderate of your fellow passengers. You are entitled to, at most, one space in the overhead bin.

Buy one of these instead http://www.skyscanner.net/news/best-...aggage-charges