Packing now...worried about "personal item" on Lufthansa...

You should be fine. If it looks like a purse/small backpack and not stuffed to the gills, you'll be fine. Have fun!

You should be fine. I carried on my day back pack 18X15X7 stuffed full on (1 pound over limit) Lufthansa last November with no problems. Actually the thickness was more than 7 inches. Actually, the measurements listed above are when the pack is empty.

JB, was that your only bag?

Thanks. Our personal item bags are "Gator" bags from Red Oxx. They are more like a messenger bag, but a little thicker rather than long. I think if we don't use the shoulder strap and carry them as "hand" bags, then they won't appear as a second bag. They really aren't that large as long as not overpacked--smaller measurements than Rick's Civita hemp day pack, but just over the Civita shoulder bag.

On the way to the post office to weigh our bags...wish me luck! 17.5 pounds on Lufthansa, and I'm going for 16 pounds...

Hi Theresa,

You mention your personal item is the Red Oxx Gator. If I may ask, what are you using for the carry-on bag?

Thanks much!

Have a great trip.

Betsy, we are both taking the Red Oxx Air Boss for our standard carryon item. Just back from the post office, and we were a little more than I was hoping for....16.5 for me and just under 18 for my husband. We are really down to bare bones, so I suspect we will take our chances with his bag, and we will shuffle if needed at the airport.

Thanks everyone. We've definitely thought of just purchasing a bag over there, but we are so darn "bag poor" at our house--I DON'T NEED ANOTHER BAG! And, I hate to take away from vacation time. And, what about the depreciated dollar?

No definite yet, but I know that the collapsed bag from home won't work because we are already too close to max weight with Lufthansa. But, I don't believe we will incur a fee for a checked bag.

I also had on a PacSafe (fanny pack) Stash Safe.

Thanks. My personal item is substantially larger than a fanny pack, but we are going with it. I'm hoping for the best, but we caved and decided to check an empty bag. That way, we won't fret over purchases while we are there, and we can stow dirty luggage in the empty and save room for fragile items for the return in our carryon. It's or first trip to Europe, so I'm sure we will learn a lot!

Why check an empty bag, unless you can do so for free? You could take a duffle folded up in your other bag and use it on the way home. If you only plan to put dirty clothes and non-essentials in it, it will be sturdy enough.

I wouldn't check an empty bag. Rick sells a specific bag that folds into a pouch for all the souvenirs. You can then check it on the return trip. It is a great little bag and goes with me everywhere.

Thanks, Theresa, for replying. I have been considering the Air Boss and hope it works well for you.

Another idea, instead of checking anything on the way over to Europe, is to buy a case when you are there. A friend on my first tour had to do that when hers broke its zipper. She found an inexpensive case when we had an opportunity to shop and that got her extra stuff home.

Cheers!

The Air Boss is one of the best bags on the market. Unfortunately, it's one of the heaviest non-wheeled carry-on bags at nearly 4 lbs. It was designed for domestic business travelers who aren't worried about weight restrictions. If you should have to check it, you can rest assured it will hold up better than almost any other soft-sided bag.

I also agree that checking an empty bag is a mistake. Take either Audrey's of Betsey's advice about an extra bag.

Theresa - If you are going to be going to just about anywhere in Europe, it will be hard not to find a extra bag to buy very cheaply. Almost every market and street vendor will have some form of a zippered duffel to purchase and they will probably be as sturdy as something you'll bring from home. It won't be the highest quality, but it's not something you'll be using everyday. I vote (hard since I don't really have one) for getting one overseas.

Theresa --
if you still need to reduce the weight in your bag, it was suggested on another travel website that you wear an additional item or two and/or put something in jacket pockets, and then put it back into your carryon after you are on the plane. That might give you enough fewer ounces to get by. Have a great trip!

Hille-thanks for the advise. I'm afraid I'm going to look like a really prepared eskimo when I board! Ha! But, it's not a bad idea at all to wear a few extra layers--the plane is always cold anyway.

Have flown American not Lufthansa. Converters can be heavy especially heavyduty ones. I put mine & my chargers in a quart zip-bag. They fit in a jacket/pants pocket till past ticketing/weighing, go into the security tray easily, & into my carry-on while waiting for my flight. I also have a windbreaker that, because of the way the side slit pockets are sewn in, has 2 big "pockets" inside. I have put my travel guide & small digital camera there. I use 1 rolling carryon and a smaller duffle as my "personal" item. My Civita daypack is empty inside the duffle.

Check if they allow you a purse in addition to the "personal item". If so, and you are only a tad overweight, you can switch a couple of things to the purse, which isn't (usually) weighed. You may also be allowed: a camera, a reasonable amount of reading material, a coat or blanket. . .

And do try phoning if the information isn't clear on their website.

just flew lufthansa to frankfurt. we each had a 17.5 carry-on along with the civita day pack that was stuffed to the gills. never did anyone, anywhere, measure or weigh the bags.

i suggest taking a neck pillow the kind stuffed with little styrofoam beads to SIT ON! i was stunned by how HARD and NARROW the seats on the plane were. i think the plane was an airbus A300 or something.
i will never fly luftansa again for other reasons than that tho.