Okay, so I'm flying out of EWR for home in about, well, 8 hours, and I bought a bunch of christmas gifts that won't fit in my rollaboard. So I have it stuffed in a Trader Joe's bag at the moment. And then I have a carryon messenger bag that'll be for my laptop and stuff, and obviously the rollaboard. So am I going to have to dissect one of the bags to get everything through security without a hassle? I'm sure it would be a squeeze but I can get my carryon inside my rollaboard for the trip through security. Laptop has to come out anyways so I'm not really concerned about that.@:-)

I'd rather stuff my carryon inside my rollaboard than the bag of gifts because the gifts consist of boxes of Truffles I bought at the Union Square Market that are in really flimsy boxes and there's about a 99% chance they'll get crushed. And no, I'm not paying United the $15 extortion fee to check my bag. If I were going to do that, I'd have put my stuff in a MUCH larger suitcase.

I have stuffed one carryon into another many times. Only problem is if they decide to size your bag, which did happen to me once. Still got through, then dissected the bags after I got to my seat.

Good luck!

I've often had a roll-about and shopping bag with gifts as well as a computer case. Never been stopped. My guess is that you can walk right on.

You could ask the person next to you to carry it on but that could have unintended results.

Thanks! I totally forgot that they check for carryons during boarding too.

My wife has often flown with a rollaboard and two carryons that will both fit under the same seat. She's never been questioned on this.

The only time we've had any trouble was from Japan Air Lines in Narita and we were actually legal, it was just I was pulling her rollaboard (this was approaching the plane, not on board--if I've got some of her stuff I always give it to her before actually boarding.) They made us gate-check one bag. I can understand why I was stopped but why they insisted when the mistake was pointed out I don't know.

I had a TSA document checker at one airport - BWI, I think, but it may have been elsewhere - that INSISTED that I put my laptop computer back into my computer bag (I removed it before I got in line) so that I would only have 2 bags. 10 feet later, I had to remove it again from the bag to go through the XRay.

You just can't argue with stupid people....

Global_Hi_Flyer, I've had the same thing happen in ORD. I was actually STANDING in the security line (which was pretty long) and had taken out my laptop, freedom baggie, etc so as to be ready to go when it came my turn - SOP for me. Idiot TSO who had nothing better to do than stand at the front of the security line and harass people came by about three times and told me to put my stuff away so that it was 2 bags. I told him every time that it didn't make any sense and that I'd have to pull it out again a few feet later. Finally I got the 'do you want to fly today?' line and, since I didn't really have the time or have any particular interest in dealing with this idiot, I stuffed it all back in and got my kicks glaring at him.

In other places I have had three carry-ons (rollaboard, laptop case, small purse) and I've been able to halfway stuff my purse into my laptop case to get past the gate agent... even with 75% of it still sticking out. Weirdly I've never been stopped doing that. So theoretically, you could do something similar by wedging part of your laptop case into your rollaboard or something similar.

That has to be one of the most useless *security regulations* ever. What's the difference if I have a rollaboard, a personal bag and a purse as I enter the airport, and a rollaboard and a personal bag with my purse inside to go thru security? I'll still have the three same things once I get airside.

Any truth to the idea that they want to see that everything is fitting into two or fewer pieces before you proceed. Even if it will take more time further on to take the laptop out?

Normally, TSA doesn't care about how many carry-ons you have or their size. That is between you and the airline. They are the people that enforce the FAA 1+1 rule and size requirements. I often see airline personnel or contractors harassing people about those rules, not TSA. However, there is still a chance of running into a rogue TSO who insists on enforcing the rule as I did once in MDW when I had a slightly oversized bag that I was gate checking. The line at the counter stretched outside and down the sidewalk. I told him that it wasn't his job to enforce that rule and as long as the bag was free of prohibited items and fit into the xray machine it was allowed to go. When he insisted that he was right, I asked for his supervisor and showed my TSA ID. He backed down and I went through with no more problems and raced to my gate as my flight was boarding. I say give it a try and if a TSO hassles you, ask for a supervisor and be polite, but firm when explaining the issue to him.

TSA won't be a problem. In the unlikely event UA is, gate check the roller and pick it up at the gate on the other end. I usually board early and keep the items on the other side of my body or the computer bag on top of the roller bag. They have not questioned me once...

Well in YVR their TSA did question me after than pulled me for a random. "Seems like you have way too much stuff here sir... I explained one of the bags was the duty free purchases (which they were). I insisted they didn't count. The guy gave me a tough time but finally left me alone. I said yes sir, no sir and all that good stuff but he went through my stuff extra slowly to upset me. I had two hours. He wasn't going to get me.

it's only a canine & equine performance to show that the 2 bag limit is being enforced

shhhhhhh

What TSA reg addresses how much crap you carry? Not in any SOP that I've seen. Airline issue.

... some TSA schumck who, on his annual two week Disney vacation away from the checkpoint, had to gate check his single small carryon because he had a Southwest C boarding pass or a Delta zone 9 boarding pass and those before him who fit the description of this thread title took all the overhead bin space ...

>>> While in YVR

U.S. TSA (at customs) or Canadian TSA?