Vera Bradley Large Duffel as Carry-on

[Madhatter06]

My friends and I are leaving in a few days for WDW and are getting everything packed. My friend posed a carry-on question to me which I thought someone here might be able to answer.

She had wanted to use her Vera Bradley Large Duffel as a carry-on but it is 11.5'' tall when the height requirement of our plane is 10". If she keeps her packing to a minimum, so that it will easily squish down to 10", will they let her bring it on the plane or make her check it?

On the way back it is a plane with the 12" requirement so she will be fine if she throws a few more things in then.

Has anyone ever encountered a similar situation?

 

[jakeman]

It will depend on the airline personnel you get and sadly what kind of day they are having.

They probably will not care, but sometimes they get in a bad mood and will make you check things that you know will fit.

If your first flight is a commuter jet you can gate check the bag and they will put it with the rest of the luggage but only at the time of departure and you will get it back as soon as you deplane.

 

[m&mmom]

I have used the same Vera Bradley duffel bag the last 4 years on the plane. We've always flown Continential. I've never had a problem and in fact they never have measured it or given it a second look. As long as she can squeeze it under the seat or up in the stow away compartments, I can't imagine a problem.

 

[Courtney1188]

Airlines are getting pretty fed up with the large carry-on bags. Granted, they kind of bring it upon themselves with how crazy baggage fees are getting. But on my flight home from Florida last month, there were so many people with carry-ons over the size limit that they ran out of room in the overhead compartments and the flight was delayed an hour while they put carry-ons in the belly of the plane! It's super irritating to other passengers when this sort of thing happens...and also when we're stuck standing behind you for like five minutes while you work on squishing your carry-on in/our of the compartment. It's becoming one of my traveling pet peeves.

 

[Madhatter06]

Thanks everyone! She agreed that it would only be a few items in there on the way down, the bag would mainly be used on the ride back to carry all of her souveniors.


Courtney, I can only imagine having to be stuck behind countless people trying to make regular size luggage their carry-on, I'm so sorry. It's surprising what people will do, and as you said understandable with the increase in baggage prices. I promise we won't be those people. I figure if it can be squeezed into a security check bin, it should fit in an overhead.

 

[ErickainPA]

If the bag doesn't seem like it's huge I don't have issues with it, but when you get the people with huge duffels you know should be checked and they get shoved into an overhead bin that can't hold any other bags, that I get ticked. I did caryy-on last year, my bag was quite small and when I came home I had the other bag I had taken for my extras I was bringing home. The airline checked my original carry-on without any problems or fees (they asked when I checked in) they said they were going to have a very full flight and they would check a bag for me for free if I wanted to check one right now. Since it was free, I went for it and only had my open canvas bag with gifts to take on with me.

Have a great trip. I am planning to pack the same way as I did last year.