Have ANY of you had to get your Carry On measured at the airport?

There were a number of first hand reports on this other thread you started regarding this topic.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/packing/have-any-of-you-had-to-get-your-carry-on-measured-at-the-airport

My answer is the same regarding my EasyJet experience but with an addition that I remembered after the other thread had been going. I flew Delta/KLM in to Roma with Rick's 22 inch convertible as carry on for those flights. (Had to gate check out of Lewiston ID which is normal for the small regional jets used there.) When I flew out of Florence on a Delta code share run by Alitalia I had my bag weighed, measured and had to check it. That resulted in me scrambling thru the bag to retrieve my kindle, chargers and chapstick before I waved it bye-bye. Lesson learned on how to pack.

It is not a "US rule" or an "International rule" nit varies by airline. And the international carriers express it in cms, not inches.

Many international carriers say 55 cm, which is actually 21.65 inches. so some carries "round up"'and will accept 22 inches,mbut they don't tell you so.

British airlines, for one, says 56 cm which is 22 inches.

And yes we did our bag (my husband's)measured once---ironically by BA. It was compliant so he did not have to check it.

For some carriers the weight is also very important, and it may be as low as 7kg for a carry-on.

Hi Evan, think about it from a risk standpoint. Do you have extra time to retrieve your suitcase if it's forced to be gate-checked, and would there be anything in your suitcase that could be damaged? On our last flight to Europe, our connections were tight - plus we were taking a long train ride into the Lauterbrunnen area, so I wasn't willing to chance using my old RS bag which could have required us to miss our connecting flight or take a later train.

And, to answer your question, I've been next to people in line at CDG or Amsterdam (don't remember which place) who were forced to gate check as we were in the final area to board.

I had Virgin Atlantic weigh my carryon once. Wish more airlines would enforce the carry on rules. The people who have a stack of luggage almost as tall as they are make things more difficult then they need to be.

Just curious .... Why are you asking this question again? Did you not like the answers on your thread started on May 23?

well I live in the Uk and travel all over Europe and I have had my carry on measured many times. In Europe most carriers have a gauge (cage) at check-in and at the gate to measure carryon bags and your bag must fit inside these gauges without handles and wheels sticking out. bags can and often are weighed .each carrier has their own rules so best to check the requirements for each carrier you are using and stick to them.

We've never had our bags measured in many flights, although our total baggage was once weighed at one time for a flight from Romania to Venice, years ago, to determine our overall baggage load.

However, we've lately been checking our "carry on" sized suitcases and carrying on smaller personal bags that are clearly within the limits. On a plane 2 or 3 years ago (don't recall the model #) carrying on my supposedly 22" bag, between the wheels at the bottom and the padded handle at the top, the bag wouldn't let the overhead compartment close easily - it was just barely too long. Fortunately, I was able to turn it sideways within the overhead bin, and it didn't inconvenience my fellow passengers or get rejected. On some flights, it might have been a problem.

Yes. It has happened to me both in the U.S and in Europe. Some European airlines very strictly enforce this (like the budget carriers) and for others it can vary by who is working check in or the gate. I've seen BA make people check bags many times at Heathrow.

Note that sometimes even when your bag is within the size limits you can be required to gate check. This typically happens when you are on a smaller regional jet where the overheads aren't big enough or when the plane is full and you are in one of the last boarding groups. In general, if your bag is not small enough to fit under the seat in front of you, there is always a possibility that you may be required to check.

Checking a bag is not the end of the world. When my bag is larger than the size limit, I just plan to check and bring a carry on with my valuables and a change of clothes. When I travel for business, I keep my valuables in my laptop bag (which I always carry on) so if I'm required to gate check my rollaboard I don't have to worry about losing something of value. At various times in my career I've traveled frequently (including 3 years in Europe) and I've had to check more times than I can remember. Things have only gotten worse because flights are usually full and most airlines charge fees to check.

The thing is, no one can tell you what will happen in your situation because there are too many variables. If you name the airline and airport, people can share their experiences, but that is no guarantee of what your experience will be.

Yes. For a Delta Airlines flight from the Malpensa airport of Milan in Italy. In that trip, my carry-on size bag was my primary bag. It is the same size as the ordinary carry-on bag that was advertised by Rick Steves, but the external pockets are different. I put many small items in the external pockets of my carry-on size bag. At the Malpensa airport a Delta airlines employee tried to push my bag through a sizing box. The bag would not go through it. She said that bag was too thick. I removed some items from that bag's external pockets, and I put those items into my jacket's pockets. Then the bag could go through the sizing box, and that bag was accepted for being with me in the airplane's passenger compartment. I think that airplane was a Boeing 767.

I haven't, I make sure my bag meets the airline's criteria. But I did fly direct from Dulles to Copenhagen on SAS. I watched an SAS employee walk around the pre-boarding area and weigh bags. He was clearly weighing the bags that looked too full and made quite a few people check their bags. He looked at mine but passed by without asking to weigh it.

Have no idea what you mean by "scare" or "facts." Bags are frequently checked. Stood in more than one check in line and watched bags both weighed and dropped into the the dreaded box. Most wheel bags failed the box test. No one measures the bags. They either fit in the box or they do not. Last week in France with easyJet every bag was put in the box. Even had Delta do it to us in the US a couple years ago. The thing you really have to worry about is transfer flights. It could be acceptable on the first flight and not on the second flight. But why the focus on this question?

We have never had our convertible carry-on bags checked for size or weight. A number of times they have had tags attached by airlines employees indicating that they were legal cabin luggage.

I've never had my bag checked for size, but then it is obviously smaller than the regulation size. But I have seen the sizing box next to the jetway in Frankfurt, I assume it is there for a reason and they could check the luggage size if they wanted to. When I flew through San Fran last year, there was a sizing box next to the check-in desk and they kept announcing the bags would have to fit in the box to be carried on. I didn't see many people checking their bags, and some people took on bags that were obviously oversized. But that doesn't mean they can't and won't be requiring it in the future.

I have had by bag weighed both in the US and in Europe.

I'm on planes at least once a month and in the last 9 months I've had my bag checked for size at least three times. The first was on Air Canada out of Montreal. The gate personnel were having everyone in the waiting area put your bag in the "bag sizing contraption". If it didn't fit you had to check. My bag is a 20" Eagle Creek and fits into any overhead without issue - not too long, not too deep, but it wouldn't fit and I was forced to gate check, along with at least half of the other passengers; the overheads we not close to full. The frame thickness on the bag didn't fit, so taking anything out of the bag wouldn't have helped. We purchased this bag as an approved size for European airlines (20") and it's NOT oversize for carryons.

The last few years I've mostly flown United and have not had experienced the same thing on United. But this year I've been flying American more, and there always seems to be a gate person supervisor who looks at the bags as you scan your boarding pass, and calls out people who seem to have too large of bags and try the "sizer" contraption. One time, I'd packed a electric toothbrush case in the front pocket. I used my knee to fit my suit case in the sizer, and he said " you can't force it". So I took out my toothbrush case, the bag fit without issue. A couple other times, I've been asked to place my bag in the contraption, and again no issues with my 20" Eagle Creek.

So long story short, I've never seen airlines measure or weigh carryons, it's more about fitting into the airlines "sizer frames". In addition, if you are boarding in one of the later boarding groups, you'll have to check your bag regardless as they run out of room by the time they board Groups 4 and 5.

Thanks for the replies.
1) silly of me to ask the question twice on this forum. I JUST NOW found out how to go back and see the threads I've participated in - so I wondered if the first one had never posted. I expected an e-mail from the forum with each update to a thread.
2) I've gone to Europe a good number of times through the years but always with a bit larger bag. I've gone to the local AAA store, eBags .... and Rick's rolling carry-on is the best looking for the smaller size but there were some VERY tempting ones that were a bit too big. I'm enough of a gambler AND most of the people that post on this topic are just citing rules and not saying first-hand experiences.
3) The Rick Steves bags are now 20% off and I just purchased two. :-)
Thank you.

Evan, thanks for posting the bags are on sale. I've been watching because I wanted to pick up the 20" wheelie for my next trip and waited too long during the last sale.

The detail oriented person also wants to point out that you have about 7 responses where people have had their carry on put in the sizer or weighed, 4 who have not had it sized/weighed and only a couple that don't relate an actual experience. So the responses for actual experience either yes or no are well ahead of rule-citing.

Pam
Any comment about "rule citing" versus "actual experience" was relating to prior posts when I was researching.
It was amazing how many comments within the same thread would say the exact same thing - often saying "go to your airline's site and see what their rules are" or give a link to a general listing for all airlines w/ size requirements.
It was very nice to read the above experiences of others. I have been spared so far.
Also, since I just purchased two of the RS 21" rollers, my wife and I should be spared most of the time.

I saw several people pulled aside to put their carryon into the sizer on an Aer Lingus flight leaving Shannon this week. Most of them were because the thickness (the smallest of the three dimensions) was too high and as a result the bag wouldn't drop all the way down into the sizer. I did see one or two where the bag fit but was 22" high against the 21' template but I didn't see what happened to those particular bags.

Last October prior to boarding on my Air France flight to France/Rome the AF staff walked along the line & selected certain people take to take their carry on to the measuring box to see if it fit, if it did not, they had to check it in. One individual was very upset about this and was very verbal about it.

Two weeks ago on my way to Germany on Lufthansa, out of SFO again, their staff were weighing the larger carry ons, if over the max, 17 or 18 lbs I believe, they had them check it in. But they seemed to be very accommodating. The staff took your bag and boarding pass to the counter themselves, tagged it, printed up the luggage receipt and brought the paperwork back to you. You did not have to get out of line. I thought that was nice compared to AF having you get out of line & stand at the counter.

Just to add my 2 cents: Never happened to us before, but returning home last week on 5/31, first leg was Florence to CDG. The person checking passports & boarding passes at the front of the Security line eyed our roll-aboards (RS 20" rollers) and insisted we put them into the metal measuring bin you often see at airports. My wife's bag was stuffed and I had to move a pair of her shoes into my bag. It took a little squeezing, but both bags passed and we were allowed through. After that treatment, I expected we were on some small "commuter" aircraft where overhead space IS tight. We were on an A318 with "normal" size overhead bins - the bags slid in with lots of room to spare. Go figure.

One other thing we do when flying overseas with carry on rollers, we pack a cube with a change of clothes in our "personal item" backpack, and with any stuff that would make life easier if your carry on was checked, and subsequently delayed. I also put a copy of our boarding pass and itinerary in the front zip pocket of the bag. While we've never permanently lost a checked bag, they have been delayed a few times.

Thank you for your feedback. I purchased a RS Rolling Carry-on. Did a video here: https://youtu.be/Yn0B1JxCjd0
Sorry for the poor quality but at least the info is out there :-)

One of the reasons I've been looking for a good and affordable 21" carry-on with only two wheels instead of a spinner (still haven't found one) is that the spinner-type carry-ons often fail the measuring test. Every check-in counter I've seen lately has those boxes/cages where you have to drop in that piece of luggage and it has to easily fit in. Had to do that on more than one occasion.

Beatrix: I was at the local AAA travel store and they have three price ranges of TravelPro luggage. The one that was "international" was 20" high (I believe) and was of the "lifetime warranty" group. I just went to eBags and didn't see it there. Ah, well.

That carry-on worked well tipped over like a two-wheeler while on carpet in the store but the wheels are such a small diameter and have such a long moment arm that I didn't trust it (regardless of warranty).

one thing that needs to be said is that with many European carriers there is no such thing as a "personal Item" your carry-on is your personal item. some carriers will allow a carry on and another small bag or a carry on and a bag from the airport shops many will not allow a carryon, a person item and a bag from the airport shop.
Please check with whatever carriers you are using in Europe to what there carry on policy is so you are not "embarrassed" at the gate.
I have often seen people at gate frantically trying to get their purse/handbag into their carry on and I have often seen folk having to gate check items because they have far too many items to carry on .Rules in Europe are enforced on the vast majority of flights.
for some folk it can be a spectator sport watching the lines of folk at various gates falling foul of the gate agents.

That's a good point. In Europe, unless you're on an American carrier, it's probably not going to be a carry-on plus a personal item. Make sure you can reduce everything down to one carry on. I pack a Civita bag for use as either a daypack or grocery bag. I like the Civita because, when not in use, it's easy to scrunch up and put in my carry-on. It's not the best daypack but it wads up smaller than any other I can find.

Yesterday in Paris, 7/4, I watched airport employees randomly check for size and weight while waiting to go thru whatever towards the gate for a Delta flight to Seattle. Several persons had to go back and check their bags since they never got to the gate with them. However, once on the plane I witnessed numerous passengers bringing items way too large onto the airplane and then having a heck of a time getting them to fit into the overhead bins on a AB330. As a frequent flyer, I am all in favor of making everyone fit their bags into the sizing hoops. I am actually surprised that airlines do not weigh all carry-ons so that they can calculate added weight to the plane as some small airplanes do. Guess it does not matter that much to them.

YES; last summer Lufthansa had agents randomly measuring carry on bags at the gate in Charlotte and in Boston. Fortunately some of the passengers were sent to gatecheck their bags.