Rick's 21" roll-aboard

Probably depends on the airline and the airport but we've been using the bag for five or six years with no problems in the USA or overseas. Most recently we've flown Southwest, Continental (Europe) and British Air.

Fits fine in Air France, Hawaiian, and NW/KLM flying out of and into the US and in Alaska flying domestically.

I didn't have a problem with it on American Airlines to London. It fit in the overhead just fine.

Thanks so much for your replies. We usually fly Air France but are flying a codeshare with Delta. They have the same size requirements so I think we'll be okay. Thanks again.

Thanks Ken. When I posted and clicked on "post" it went to the screen this page not available. Tried it a couple of times and apparently was posting again and again. Sorry about that. Please tell me how to delete them and I will happily do so. Thanks again. Nancy

nancy, you might want to delete your duplicate Thread on this subject.

Nancy, go to the duplicate post; above your name you'll see "Edit" and "Delete". Click on "Delete".

What do people mean by "it fits"? It must go in, long dimension from the back to the front of the overhead bin (i.e. across the cabin). If it doesn't fit that direction, if you have to put it in with the long dimension parallel to the fore/aft axis of the plane, it doesn't fit. You are stealing space from someone else.

Thanks Eileen. The duplicate post seems to be gone. Lee, I was referring to a review I read that said the bag was 1/2" too long to fit in the overhead compartment, put in front to back. From the responses here, that doesn't seem to be the case.

"From the responses here, that doesn't seem to be the case."

From the responses here, it only seems that some people got the bag in, front to back, or sideways. They didn't say how. Measure the bag, if, with the wheels, it's over 22", then you could have it rejected on any airline. If it's over 21-5/8", and the flight to Paris is Air France, they might respect Delta's requirements, but if not, they could require you to check it. What people here say doesn't have any bearing on what the airline might do. They might let you by, but if they say check it, you have no recourse.

I put the bag wheels in on every airline I have carried it on and it's fit just fine in the bins on the "sides" of widebodies. The bins in the center won't take much so if you have use one of those it will have to go "sideways" but that's true of smaller "rollerboards" too!

I came back from Germany last year on an airbus, and sat in the center section. I had no problem putting my flexible convertible bag into the inner bin front to back. I shared the bin with a rollaboard that was probably oversized by any standard. He could only fit in sideways and then was so tight he had trouble closing the bin. When we got to Chicago, the bin was wedged, and it took a long time before they got the bin open.

We took our Rick Steves 21 inch rollaboard on Air Canada to Toronto and then on to Zurich and it fit in the overhead compartment fine. It and our Appenzell day pack were all that we took with us. We carried a day pack with us each day with guide books, camera, snacks, and water bottle.

Remember it is not the airline but the aircraft that varies in size. American or United or whatever fly different makes/models of jets. Their cabin size and configurations determine the space in the bins. The luggage requirements do not change by airline.

Actually, Cynthia, airlines do set their own carry-on limits. While there are standard overhead bins, airlines can order larger ones. As an example, American is refitting their intercontinental aircraft and 737-800's with larger overhead bins.

While most of the major U.S. carriers have a 45 linear inch maximum, Southwest has a 50" maximum. There is some talk in Washington to standardize it but I doubt that will happen anytime soon.