Gear and equipment forum

I generally just take one small pack when travelling alone, this isn't the exact model, but it is very close: Victorinox pack. Into this I can easily fit my laptop, a couple of changes of clothes, some notebooks and all the cabling chargers etc. If I take a digital SLR it will just fit in, but I prefer to carry it on my shoulder.

A bag like this easily gets on as carry on for flying and capacity wise is about 40 litres. I wouldn't want to go much smaller than this.

When im fortunate enough to get a sort of 'home base' in Thailand i just take a smallish pack (40l though norm half full) around which can easily be carry-on infact when checking into a flight the person behind the desk always assumes i have no check in luggage (i do check in the bag though as i dont take anything remotely valuable).

Using various airlines such as AirAsia, NokAir, Bangkok Airways, JetStar, Qatar, emirates and Cathay in the region none have ever weighed my carry on they have made sure its within the measurements they give for carry-on (qatar/bangkok/jetstar). They did this just before boarding though i had to repack my bag and pull the straps as tight as i could before they let me onboard when my bag didn't fit. Some people were forced to put everything into plastic bags or have their bag checked into the hold.

My parents just came back from Thailand and Hong Kong and they said that liquid were still banned and was infact stricter than previous years with things bought after checking in not being alloud through security/boarder in Bangkok and Hong Kong.

Question to the group -

Understanding that each airline may have different limitations, what would you say is the largest size bag that will be allowed as carryon luggage? 40L? 50L (but not stuffed full)?

Thanks!!

+1 for that Mac

Yes, baggage allowances do vary according to the type of plane. Some small propeller planes in the more remote corners of Indonesia only allow 10kg of luggage, whether or not it's checked in. In the Philippines some airlines have a weight limit for passenger+bags... ie they weigh passengers along with their luggage!

I second --- third, actually --- what Mac said above.

Meanwhile, here are the criteria for a couple of airlines:

Asiana: 40cm x 55cm cm x 23cm, 115cm total; 10kg or less.
United Airlines: 23cm x 36cm x 56cm, 114cm total; weight unknown.
Viet Nam Airlines: 36cm x 56cm x 23cm, 115cm total; 7kg or less.

Other airlines are even more restrictive (Lao Airlines, for example).

I can't imagine that a 50L backpack would pass muster as carry-on, but I've seen some hefty bags hauled into airplane compartments. As someone else said above, I've never had a carry-on bag weighed.

Nonetheless, checking - esp. once you're in SE Asia - isn't that big a deal. Do think of all the other folks wanting to get a bag in the overhead. Fall-out from too many trying to take on too much? One US airline has now announced that they will charge USD45 - $45! - for each carry-on bag. Crazy.

SBE...We're fatter, hence bigger and heavier clothes.

I took carry-on luggage only when I flew to Bangkok earlier in the year. Although my backpack (Osprey Porter 46) is designed to be the maximum carry-on size, it was heavier than the maximum 7kg weight allowance. The guy at the (Etihad) check-in desk had me weigh it, and even after asking me to remove my laptop (as that would be scanned separately) it came to 10kg. He didn't seem to mind though and let me through, so I guess even if you are unfortunate to be weighed it's still at the staff's discretion.

I'd suggest you keep all the breakable stuff together in your main bag, even if it's just in a carrier bag, so at least if the worst happens you can quickly remove the valuable stuff to take on board with you and have your bag checked in there and then.

After first coming to Asia over 10 years ago with a suitcase and a rucksack and a carry on bag, all for a 10 day trip, I learnt the very hard way that overpacking then shopping for souvenirs was not a good idea.

Even only 5 years ago, I arrived with a 90 litre bag, albeit for a 4 month trip.
As I'm lucky enough to live in Thailand, now if it's less than a week, I'll only use a 30 litre bag.

Check this out, it has some good advice,

http://www.travelindependent.info/whattopack.htm

Very strange that Somtam hasn't zapped this spammer geezer yet.

I can only conclude that he's spending WAY too much time toning his sixpack on a surfboard these days. Either that or he's had a crashing hangover for the last 48 hours.

Just in case the original poster is considering travelling with some sort of bag that is not a backpack, I'd say don't. I once travelled for 3 months with a stupid sling over the shoulder bag that was a pain. Those two shoulder straps backpacks are precious even if you won't be humping* your pack that often.

*(not humping in the biblical sense).

thanks very much for the http://www.travelindependent.info/index.htm
be very help-ful for me to read.

now just wondering with regards to carry-ons in SE Asia, now i know here in Canada and the United States, certain liquids, body spray or any type of containers carry something are not allowed and you will have to dis-pose of them before entering the plane...

since most of you have had your back-pack as a carry-on, i'd assume you guys carried all sorts of products with you as well, body spray, shampoo, tooth-paste, razor blades, sun-screen, list goes on with personal grooming products, and had no issues?

thanks