New BA personal item restriction: best bag?
 

After not checking a bag for years, traveling with one checked bag and a normal size personal item, when connecting to British Airways at LHR they made me check my bag. They still allow a regular size carry on, but drastically reduced the permissible size of the personal item to one half of its previous size. If the personal item is over, the main carry on bag must be checked. The new limit is "up to 40cm x 30cm x 15cm, or 16in x 12in x 6in."

That's it. Six inches wide.

From all reports, they have been draconian about this. They now have two sizers at the gate; the regular old blue one for your carry on, and a new small red one for the personal item.

http://www.britishairways.com/en-us/...age-allowances

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/...-10433080.html

Does anybody know of a "personal item" bag that fits into their sizer that is more than a laptop carrying case?

I cannot find a single bag online that is small enough to fit this new size.

I think this is the intention - your second item is meant to be a laptop only.

I am not sure what a "normal size personal item" is.

The BA smaller sized item is meant to just be a handbag/laptop bag, not a backpack. There are many laptop or messenger bags that fit within the allowed dimensions.

A "normal size personal item" is one that fits under the seat in front of you.

The intention is not that the second bag to be a laptop bag only. It sounds like you're making that up, because it doesn't say that anywhere. That's profiling a specific type of traveler. Not everyone travels with a laptop.

The smallest bag I've found that allows a laptop, plus the personal items that one MUST keep with you on board according to BA's own website, such as medications, the different eyeglasses I need, and a change in clothes in case they lose my bag (which is what made me stop checking in bags in the first place, as I cannot have that happen for professional reasons), is 16.5 inches (Timbuk2).

That's a half inch over the BA standard. The way the dragons at the BA gate treated me the last two times I think it would be a lottery as to whether they would allow me the half inch leeway, even though a 16.5 bag easily fits under the seat in front of you. Also, the 16.5 inch bag is only 2 inches wide, whereas BA allows 6 inches wide, so I'm not going to give up four inches which means I'd have to check my glasses and medications.

I've searched all of the major luggage manufacturers, plus Amazon, and other travel sites, and still cannot find a bag that optimizes space within BA's new restrictions.

Can anyone suggest a bag that optimally fits the new BA dimensions? At least according to my searching, no manufacturer is making a bag that is optimal for BA's new rules.

This is becoming a problem for others, as another traveler recently posted on TripAdvisor. "I am frustrated trying the locate a bag that is 40cm x 30cm x 15cm (16in x 12in x 6in). I have been trying to find a bag since Aug 2015 but with no success. A bag this size doesn't seen to exist so far. If anyone knows what online store has a bag this size, please post it."

And so far, no one has, either on the BA website, or here.

The BA hand baggage page is clear that the smaller bag is meant to be a handbag/laptop bag, not a backpack. It is always referred to on the page as such. It does not state the laptop bag needs to actually contain a laptop. It also does not state that you need to take a second smaller bag in addition to your cabin bag.

http://www.britishairways.com/en-us/...age-allowances

Anyway, you are not required to take a second item. Perhaps the solution to your problem is just to use one bag that is within the 'cabin bag' size. I have a B&R that is within the size and use it as my only carryon even when travelling for over a week.

Where on the BA website does it state that you MUST keep with you on board a change of clothes in your carryon, or that those items must be in the smaller bag?

The Pilot by Tom Bihn (tombihn.com) will work and carry a 13 in laptop as well as a variety of other paraphernalia.

Those dimensions approximate those of paper grocery sacks, so that's one alternative to min-maxing your personal item. :D

The latest version of Patagonia's lightweight travel tote pack would fit the bill, as would Fjallraven's Kanken No. 2 or Kanken 15 backpacks.

this is why I carry this:

http://zerohalliburton.com/collectio...puter-brief-6/

I did the tumi 26141 for a while but it was a tad too narrow. The above bag, however, is 1 inch wider than BA requirement. However, it's fits the United personal item sizer and never been asked on BA flights either.

I'll be taking a Red Oxx XS Aviator with me as a personal item. The stated dimensions are 15"L x 8"W x 11"H, so the width doesn't conform on paper but the bag is soft-sided so as long as I don't cram it full I don't see why it wouldn't fit in the sizer if asked. I do have a padded laptop case, as there is no padding built into the bag.

The messenger bag Venturesafe™ 350 GII anti-theft shoulder bag by Pacsafe is very close to those dimensions:

http://www.pacsafe.com/venturesafe-3...ulder-bag.html

It looks nice as well and as said have some cool anti theft features and I think the green one looks nice...:cool:

The reason why it is called personal item within the airline industry is because it does not occupy any other space then your own personal space that you use while seated. So as long as it fits under the seat in front of you and does not encroach on another passengers space I think it is utterly ridiculous to regulate them by the use of sizers. But BA is not worst the airline I will be flying for vacation in February Thomas Cook Scandinavia does not even allow a personal item any larger then will not fit inside your coat pocket. But they are not very strict on enforcing that rule though but officially that is their policy! Utterly ridiculous is what it is!

Plenty of bags at ebags.com by filtering on x-small size laptop backpacks. BA dimensions are 16x12x6.

http://www.ebags.com/product/everki/...uctid=10366721 (15.8" x 11" x 4.5")

http://www.ebags.com/product/ogio/co...uctid=10293196 (15.75" x 10.75" x 3.75")

http://www.ebags.com/product/hersche...uctid=10381723 (16" x 11" x 4")

http://www.ebags.com/product/ducti/a...uctid=10294695 (14" x 10" x 4.5")

http://www.ebags.com/product/promax/...uctid=10386060 (15" x 10.6" x 4.1")

And several more

I've used this bag before and it holds an astonishing amount of stuff. It does get heavy so I will have to pack more intelligently next time.;)

http://www.ebags.com/product/ebags/k...ductid=1246635

Thank you all fr the suggestions. I'll go through them onlin and will report back. Multiple people have told me that similar to my experience, they are as rigid as a rail in making people use the little red sizer. Even if you can cram it in hey say no, it must fit in easily.

I had this problem and have conclluded that the closest backpack match to the specification is the Tom Bihn Synapse 19. I'm waiting for the color I want to come back in stock, so I haven't bought one yet, but they have a very good reputation.

wg

I just came across the Rick Steves Velocé Shoulder Bag which comes in 1" smaller than the BA personal item dimensions, is expandable, and has piggyback, backpack, and shoulder straps
https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/veloce-shoulder-bag

The main zipper opening looks shorter like a day bag than backpack but seems like a fair compromise for the piggyback sleeve and expandability. It won't really win fashionista style points but the front pocket and bottle pocket do look useful.