Carry on with Condor and KLM

We have flown with Condor twice, but we checked our bags because they have hiking poles inside. both flights were great and we had no issues at all, but I will note that they have a poor reputation for customer service, especially by phone. Even if you can reach a human, they will tell you the rules are the rules, no exceptions.

There are smaller bags available from many good companies—-people here can suggest options, or you can search for 21” bags. I believe there is a conforming one on offer on this website in the Travel Store.

This is a hard question to answer but it is ---- It depends. You have to be prepared for your luggage to match their requirements -- especially if they decide that day to enforce the requirements. You need a quick and easy Plan B if you bags fails. For someone who states, "We have not had any problems with bags." Just mean that they have not had a problem. Next week could be different. It is a dice roll. Do you feel lucky? Anything we say here will not be helpful if some gate or check in attendant decides to be strict. Our experience is that US airlines tend to be pretty soft. No so with European discount airlines.

Let me clarify that my “we did not have an issue” statement was because we checked our bags on Condor. My advice is to follow the regulation and find a bag that fits—-they are widely available these days.

We flew Condor last September out of Seattle. There is a sizer at the gate and they use it. Also be aware of the weight limits. Our bags weren’t put in the sizer so I don’t know if it also weighs. I haven’t flown KLM recently.

ETA: I have this TravelPro bag, https://travelpro.com/collections/international-carry-on-size-luggage-suitcases/products/maxlite%C2%AE-5-international-expandable-carry-on-rollaboard%C2%AE. I did not use it on the condor trip because I wouldn’t be able to keep the weight down. It is 2mm too tall because of the top grab handle. But that handle is soft and would squish down in a sizer. I don’t think it would be a problem.

We have flown condor between pdx and Frankfort a few times. We could never keep weight down so we carried on appenzell backpacks and small pacsafe crossbody purse bags and checked a carryon size roller. Rollers were sized and weighed, most don’t make the cut. Backpacks for the carryon were glanced at and personal item sized up visually by staff. We were clearly below size and were not sized or weighed. My experience says stick to the size and weights or risk it being put in the hold. If you have anything bigger than 15 by 11 by 4 for a backpack as personal item, your carryon will be checked for size and weight. Have seen the same happen with Lufthansa. We have flown KLM with delta and I didn’t see any weighing or sizer being used, I will see again this summer.

We flew Condor to Frankfurt out of Seattle in November. We connected from a smaller airport. At the gate, you need to have your passport checked. At that time, they had my husband put his rolling suitcase in the sizer, which weighs it at the same time. They were not concerned with his backpack. I had a backpack that just met the carryon limit, and they weren’t concerned with that either.

We flew Condor to FRA last summer with my sister and her husband, but they originated in Seattle and checked one bag. At the counter, their rolling carryon was put in the sizer PLUS the carryon and personal item were weighed together to make sure they met the weight requirement.

We've flown KLM several times usually in business so not an issue. But the one time we were in economy from Amsterdam to Budapest they were gate checking carry on bags. It very much depends on the aircraft and how full it is. Just be prepared you might have to gate check.