How strict is Air Berlin about dimensions of personal items such as soft backpacks?
I have a soft backpack which I like to stuff things in when flying. I always stow it under the seat in front of me in the airplane. I assume that this means it is considered a “personal item” rather than a carry on.
However, for a flight I will be going on soon with Air Berlin, an airline I have never used before, I will have to take a carry-on. I’m hoping be able to also take my backpack, and I assumed they’ll let me without issue, but I was looking at their website and found this on 2016-05-17:
On each flight, you can take one item of hand baggage into the cabin, which may weigh up to 8 kg. The dimensions may not exceed 55 cm x 40 cm x 23 cm. Please check the size of your hand baggage in the racks provided at check-in.
In addition one of the following items (max. 40 cm x 30 cm x 10 cm; 2 kg) may be taken into the cabin free of charge:
a laptop case
a lady’s handbag, a lady’s purse or a gentlemen’s handbag
The back of my backpack can be 50cm but, begin soft, can be squished down to 40/41cm when my laptop is packed in it. And my backpack’s width is 35cm and it might have a bit of give if squished. And its depth will probably be at least 23cm even if I pack it sparingly.
Is it safe to bring my backpack as my personal item in addition to my carry-on? Would I be able to be 100% confident that if I bought a laptop case that fit the smaller specs/should I probably pursue that option?
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Do airlines enforce personal item size?
Carry-ons and checked bags have very strict rules for size and weight, but personal items are a bit less-enforced. The only rule is that the bag must fit under the front seat of each aircraft.How strict is personal item size?
United Personal Item Size Your personal item should fit underneath the seat in front of you. The maximum dimensions for your personal item are 9 inches x 10 inches x 17 inches (22 centimeters x 25 centimeters x 43 centimeters). Additionally, you can bring the following on board, free of charge: A jacket.Is a backpack too big for a personal item?
The short answer: Yes, a backpack is generally considered a personal item if it fits under the seat in front of you. Most airlines offer a few examples of things that fit into the \u201cpersonal item\u201d category, such as a purse, laptop bag, or a briefcase, but they don't usually include \u201cbackpack\u201d on those lists.Do airlines check backpack size?
Lastly, American Airlines said, \u201c[A backpack] will count toward your allowance, and be considered your personal item, if you place it under the seat \u2014 or your carry-on if it's placed in the overhead bin.\u201d Personal items should not exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches.Airberlin A320 Safety video (Deutsch)
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