A growing number of travelers are abandoning the checked bag in favor of traveling with only a carry-on.
The reason for this is twofold: cost, and the risk of losing one’s bag. Following staffing issues arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, a substantial number of flyers reported issues with the handling of their baggage. Plus, some airlines are steadily increasing their bag fees, making traveling with a free carry-on bag a no-brainer.
As noted by an opinion piece in the New York Times, these issues are having an impact on the travel industry. In 2013, a study found that only 19% of flyers traveled exclusively with a carry-on. By 2022, that number had increased to 41%.
While some have found workarounds to bring more items onto a plane, others have settled on finding the best carry-on to meet their needs.
Now, a flight attendant has the internet talking after sharing which carry-on bags should be avoided.
Which carry-on bags are the worst?
In a video with over 402,000 views, TikTok user Karina (@karinameetsworld), who is a flight attendant, says that “carry-on luggages are my arch nemesis.”
“There’s good ones, and there’s ones I absolutely hate,” she starts.
Karina states that two brands of luggage she commonly sees do not bother her: Monos luggage and Away luggage. So long as they are of the approved carry-on size.
“But if you have a Béis luggage, those are terrible,” she states. “They’re too big. They don’t fit into the sizer, OK? So stop buying those. They’re way too big.”
It’s true that the Béis carry-on, available on the company’s website, is larger than what many airlines allow. On its website, the company notes that its bag, including handle and wheels, is 22.8″ H x 15.7″ W x 9.8″ D. On United’s website, however, the airline says that the maximum allowed dimensions are 22” H x 14” W x 9” D. So the Béis carry-on is bigger than what is allowed on the plane.
Another issue that bothers Karina is when people have a bag that may have previously fit the requirements, but that they’ve expanded so that it no longer fits.
While these bags may not be allowed to be placed in the overhead bins, Karina says some larger bags can occasionally slip past gate attendants, causing a headache for those working on the plane.
“The other day, someone came on with a carry-on luggage that was literally the size of my friend’s checked luggage,” she recalls. “I don’t know how he made it on, but…[an] agent tagged it, so I was like, ‘You need to bring it off.’”
Finally, she advises against a particular kind of carry-on that has an awkward, bulbous shape. While she doesn’t remember the name of the brand, there are several pieces of luggage on the market that match her description. These are a problem, she says, because “they take up so much space and they’re such an awkward shape so that you can’t put anything around it.”
Which carry-on bag should you buy instead?
In a follow-up video, Karina says that most pieces of luggage work so long as they fit into the bag sizer.
“I don’t care what brand it is—as long as it fits in the sizer, that’s going to be good,” she states, noting that even if it’s slightly bigger than the sizer, the airline will likely not have an issue.
She reiterates her support for bags made by Away and Monos. Though, she notes that depending on the plane, someone with a larger bag may not have issues. In her experience, she says, newer planes have bigger overhead bins, which means that people with larger bags should not encounter problems bringing them on the plane.
Still, she notes that one should try to fit the sizing requirements, as bigger bags mean less space for others on the plane to fit their own bags.
“We want hold space for everyone,” she explains.
@karinameetsworld Replying to @Soni Im personally a fan of @away and @Monos but any bag WITHIN THE dimensions will never be an issue on any airline! And be considerate of other passengers 😚 #travel #standbytravel #carryonbag #cabincrewlife #flightattendant ♬ original sound – KARINZ✈️🌎🏃🏻♀️➡️🌺🍵
Commenters share their baggage thoughts
In the comments section, users offered their own experiences with bringing luggage onto airlines.
“Maybe if airlines didn’t lose my checked luggage, I wouldn’t need to bring my stuffed to the brim beis and mini weekender with me!” exclaimed a commenter.
“Bought my away luggage 7 years ago and to this days it’s one of the best investments I made because I never check bags,” offered another. “I also just invested in a Dagne Dover personal item. Chefs kiss.”
“I started doing travel backpacks cause it’s stressful having to deal with overhead space,” suggested a third. “At least the backpack has flexible material and can kinda squeeze into areas.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Karina via email.
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