Hi,

I was wondering if I could ask a quick question here.

When the airlines usually say that 1 bag is checked for free, does that mean a handbag to take to the cabin, or is it a proper baggage for baggage compartment? If it's a proper one, then I assume I can also take baggage with me into the cabin?

Thank you

A checked bag is takenfrom you. A carryon bag is lugged onto the plane by you.

And beyond a checked bag which is taken from you, most airlines will allow you to carryon a smaller travel bag/suitcase and a personal item (laptop case, purse, etc).

And to make this easy, you should check the checked and carry-on rules for the specific carrier on which you are flying. What is "free" may vary by status, weight & size. Carry-on may also vary. So read carefully to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Means the one bag you check in at the counter of the carrier you are flying on,the carry-on bag is what you take with you,backpack,small travel bag.

Make sure you check it in the counter and not by the curb (might be a fee,depending on the carrier). Or tip if it is free.

Perhaps in America, but not generally.

Maybe explain this to the OP,I have never flown out of America,so I amm basing it that the OP is in America and flying within the country.

Not sure why you'd assume that since their location is "London / NYC".

Is was a general question and I gave him/her a general answer to THEM. Not sure why you woul assume I was looking at every description of their information,if they do travel between London/NYC would they not know what this is about?

Assuming that the OP is referring to the US because you have never been outside the US is a poor assumption. But honestly, this whole tipping discussion is WAY off topic, as is the discussion of assuming a US- or non-US viewpoint.

Getting back to the topic at hand, checked baggage is that which you hand over to the person at the ticketing counter to put in the baggage hold of the aircraft. If your airline tells you "one free checked bag", this is what they mean.

Carryon (the bags you take with you onto the aircraft) rules vary by carrier. Most US carriers are pretty consistent (with the exception of Spirit), European airlines tend to be more strict in terms of size, weight, and number of carryon items. Asian airlines (in my experience) are closer to US airlines. Intra-Asia, I've seen some crazy things being carried on.

Hope you have a better day,and to think that your location is in ORD,I hope when I am there this weekend I don't come across people like you that think they are mighty on a thread.

I thought savvy FTers would have taken constructive criticism much better. Both gobluetwo and nux were only pointing out the "flaws" in your base of reasoning that isn't even implied in OP:

(bolding mine)

Could it be possible that OP never had to check a bag before thus had no experience with a checked bag? Or s/he wouldn't have started a thread titled "Baggage Confusion?" You seem to assume a few things that's not explicitly said by OP.

As for OP, both Often1 and gobluetwo gave good advice for you to follow. Welcome to FT! ^

Airlines will always differentiate between "checked baggage" and "carry-on baggage/items."

CHECKED
A checked bag is what you refer to as 'proper baggage'; you check it in with the airline, generally at the airline counter, it is taken from you, and travels in the baggage compartment of the aircraft. I'm not an international traveler, so I can't comment on airlines outside of the US, but US carriers usually charge a fee for checked bags.

Some airlines let you bring one checked bag free and charge for a second, and one airline that I know of, Southwest, doesn't charge you for up to two checked bags (more than two, they charge for).

All airlines, as far as I know, place a weight limit on checked bags; if the bag is over the limit, it can still fly, but you will be charged an additional fee for the extra weight. On US airlines, the weight limit is usually 50 pounds (22.6kg).

CARRY-ONS
Carry-on bags and items are those which you carry onto the plane yourself and travel in the cabin with you. Policies on these items differ from airline to airline, but most of the US airlines allow you one carry-on bag, plus one smaller "personal item".

Carry-ons are limited not by weight, but by size; this is due to the limited space in the overhead and under-seat storage compartments. Each airline has their own size limits for carry-on bags, but they're generally in line with the common small rolling cases with extendable handles known as rollaboards.

Personal items would include such things as women's purses, laptop bags, attache cases, a child's diaper bag, or other miscelanous small objects, and these items size limits are a little more nebulous. A good rule of thumb, however, is that to qualify as a personal item, an item must fit in the underseat storage area without blocking the floor space used to get into and out of the seat row.

Most airlines don't charge for carry-ons, but a few have started, since fees for bags and other services have been the biggest money-maker in the air travel industry over the last 5 years or so.

If you are among the last to board a plane, and have carry-on items that won't fit under your seat, you might find that the overhead compartments are full before you board. If this is the case, this larger carry-on item might have to be gate-checked. I've never had it happen to me, but the way it's been explained to me, a gate-checked item is something that you try to bring into the cabin but there is no space for it, so it is given to the baggage handlers and stowed in the baggage compartment. However, gate-checked items don't get sent to Baggage Claim with the checked bags; gate-checked items are brought up form the baggage compartment when the plane lands, and are lined up in the jetbridge just outside of the plane's door, so you can retrieve them as you deplane.

SUPPOSEDLY my flaw was regarding a TIP outside if the OP used the carrier curb service. The OP never said where he was going or coming,all he asked was a question and all of us gave him OUR OWN understandings of the question he/she was asking.

That is why I said what I said.Just seems that some pepple on here like to point out things that really are minor on what other people posted.

<gets popcorn & settles down to watch>

Anyone hear the mods in the hallway? No? Great...