Question about carryons, camera bag.
 

When I travel for business I don't check bags, I bring on board a "legal" rollaboard and, as my personal item, my computer bag.

When I travel for leisure, I usually take a Lowepro Minitrekker backpack (you can see one here: http://www.mobileplanet.com/product.asp?code=131904, along with my Tumi computer bag with wheels http://www.tumi.com/business_laptop_...?modelid=57431.

I've always considered that my one item plus small personal item, and wind up checking a garment bag or rollaboard for my clothes. In a recent thread on FT, however, I read that both the FAA and TSA will allow a camera bag IN ADDITION to the "one carryon and one personal item." Is this correct, or did I misunderstand the poster? I would love to be able to bring on board my rollaboard, my smaller Tumi laptop case (not the wheeled one above) and my Minitrekker backpack.

I'm not interested in a debate on carryon versus checking. I'm only interested in whether FAA and TSA rules will permit "one plus one plus camera bag," and, if so, whether the airlines permit it as well.

What United Airlines (for example) states is here: http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,1032,00.html

Nothing special for a camera bag in addition to the "one bag and one personal item". Maximum dimensions are listed for the carryon bag, but not the personal item.

Of course, it is entirely possible that airline employees can be lax in enforcing the stated rules (perhaps intentionally giving people slack if it does not look like the carryon space will be short on the flight), but could decide to be strict about the rules on any given flight. (And United does state that they could require checking a carryon if it cannot be safely stowed during the flight.)

I have tried this several times and gotten away with it more than half the time. My understanding is that it violates all the rules but I have never been stopped by anyone other than the airlines, and never when I flew business class. In coach, I sometimes get away with it and sometimes don't. The main variable seems to be how crowded the flight is, but I've been forced to check one of the bags even when the flight wasn't too full.