The Everything in 1 Carry-on Bag Myth

I've read at least 100 articles about the virtues of fitting everything needed for a trip of any length, from 2 days to 2 months, into a single carry-on bag. I've read and reread them. I've tried to follow this advice, really I have.  I can almost do it too. I pare down to the essentials, I compress and I cram and I get the suitcase shut only to find that it is then too heavy for me to lift into an overhead bin.

Oh, the sense of failure that has plagued me each time I've packed, realizing at the last minute that I would not get everything into one carry-on sized bag that I could lift.

Varenna, Lake Como. This is the kind of terrain that requires traveling as light as possible

And then one day I realized that it's all a myth.  Who determined that we should only travel with a carry-on? It makes great sense if you are moving frequently between cities, dragging bags along cobblestones, hauling them onto a train every few days, trekking in the Alps. I get that. Packing light is definitely a good strategy. And of course the risk of a delayed bag must be considered - that alone can be a good reason to take only a carry-on bag.

But, while flying without checking bags may be ideal, some of us have a travel style that does not fit, or at least does not demand, a carry-on only strategy. That’s especially true when a trip involves a stay in a single city, no need to bring luggage on public transportation, and no schlepping of bags over rough terrain. Not that I am advocating huge suitcases and over-packing, I am just suggesting that there may be a middle road.

How I would love to arrive in Rome on a non-stop flight from the US. But from my base in New Mexico that just isn’t possible.

One big reason that carry-on only may not work relates to where the trip begins. When flights start from a major airport, with a direct connection to one’s destination, and a large plane, it’s fairly easy to manage with only a carry-on. I do envy those direct flights from the east coast to Rome! But my trips most often begin from a non-hub city which means a minimum of two legs with at least one leg on a small regional jet. Some of those smaller jets have overhead bins that are too small for even a mid-sized bag. That leads to the dreaded announcement that everyone needs to gate check their carry-on bag. The problem here is the wait for the gate checked bag to be unloaded. Those extra 15 minutes or so at the jet bridge can make a tight connection problematic and can even lead to a missed connection. Much better to check a bag all the way through to a final destination and avoid the gate check worry if flying on a small regional jet.

While I'm not particularly high maintenance, I do have some travel essentials and the older I get the more my list of essentials seems to grow. Eye glasses, medications, KT tape for sore knees, a sun hat, lots of ibuprofen, an umbrella, and comfortable shoes are all must and take up extra space. I can pare down clothing and do laundry during a trip. I am just fine with only 2 pairs of shoes.  Forget about dressy clothing. But I do want to look pulled together and have some variety in clothing, especially on a trip that includes some special events or a stay in a more sophisticated city. Some longer trips require bridging two seasons and a wide range of temperatures. Winter trips may require boots and other cold weather gear. It just isn’t always possible to fit everything needed into a carry-on bag.

Paris, December 2022. So cold! Packing included long underwear, gloves, boots, scarfs, warm sweaters, hats. No way would just a carry-on bag have worked especially on the regional jet between Florence and Paris !

Many people these days travel with medical equipment. They may bring a CPAP machine, folding cane, or other bulky supplies. And while US carriers generally allow an extra carry-on bag for medical equipment, many foreign carriers do not. In that case the CPAP machine goes into the one allowed carry-on bag, leaving less room for clothing and other essentials which must go into a checked bag.

So, I have finally decided to ditch the guilt and embrace a packing style that lies somewhere between a single carry-on bag and setting off for the continent with 3 steamer trunks.

Here are some of my self-imposed packing "rules"

My favorite bag to check is this relatively small Eagle Creek.

Rule #1 is that I must be able to handle my luggage by myself. If it’s too heavy, too bulky, or too numerous to manage on my own, it’s a mistake whether I have one bag or two. Yes, a kind, tall stranger may volunteer to lift a bag onto a train or into an airplane overhead compartment for me, but that is never something I count on. Nor would I ever expect a travel companion to do my heavy lifting. My bags, my responsibility. As for those folks struggling up train steps with oversize bags, expecting the nearest young man to lift the heavy bag for them, or juggling two huge suitcases down a narrow train aisle …. well, I simply shake my head and hope they’ve learned a lesson for a future trip.

Next rule: I am never tempted to go big just because a bag is being checked. My usual checked bag is an older and rather petite 22x14x8 inch Eagle Creek.  It actually meets carry-on standards for most airlines but works perfectly to check. This means I still need to be discriminating about what I pack. I can easily handle this not-too-big bag, along with my small carry on, when negotiating airports or even trains (see rule #1).  And once I’ve checked it at the airport, I have only a smaller carry-on and my “personal item” to contend with.

I love getting a message via my AirTag letting me know that my checked bag has safely arrived and will be waiting for me inthe baggage area.

A recent addition to my list of musts is to add an AirTag to any checked bag. This is a new travel essential. It was a big help when my checked bag did not arrive on time at the end of my recent flights from Italy to the US. The air tag confirmed that the bag was still in Frankfurt even when the airline’s tracking system told me it had arrived with me to the US. Knowing the bag’s location made tracking it down much easier. It arrived 2 days later with the AirTag sending me an update on its location every step of the way.

A small wheeled bag works as my carry-on to hold essentials and things I am reluctant to check. This includes a change of clothes (or two) in case the checked bag is delayed, jewelry, laptop, all medications, and other absolute essentials. It choose one just big enough to carry all of the items above, plus a travel CPAP, and yet not be too heavy to lift into the overhead. 14-16 inches high seems to be a perfect height for a roll-aboard bag. Having these essentials ensures that my trip will be off to a good start even if my checked bag should be delayed.

Some travelers prefer a duffel type carry-on without wheels. They are definitely easier to fit into overhead compartments. But I have no interest in lugging around a duffel. Give me spinner wheels any day! I also appreciate a rigid handle so that I have the option to slip a personal item over the handle of my carry-on, making for one-hand-free movement. The carry-on bag will go in the overhead compartment, so it is important to avoid putting anything needed during the flight into this bag.

I'm all about organizing both my checked bag and my carry-on. I love Eagle Creek Specter compression bags!  They are practically weightless and go a long way toward reducing the bulkiness of clothing. I love these so much that I often give them as gifts to my traveling friends.

In addition to a small carry-on bag, most US and European airlines allow a personal item such as a purse, small backpack, or satchel. I am not a fan of backpacks, mostly because I’ve been whacked in the head with someone else’s backpack during the boarding process all too often. I much prefer a purse or tote bag. Into this goes anything needed during a flight. My list always includes: a pashmina, antibacterial wipes, an overnight kit with medications and any toiletries that I will need in flight, a couple of face masks. I also put in a magazine, noise cancelling earbuds, phone, a small case with chargers, cords and adapters, tissues, prescription glasses, a snack, mints, and a tiny cross-body purse. A small thermos, which I fill with coffee or tea after going through security for a bit of in-flight comfort, also tucks into my tote bag. My passport holder is clipped into an internal zip pocket.  The tote goes under the seat and so is easy to access during the flight. 

I am a bit embarrassed to admit how many personal items / totes I have owned over the years. It seems I am always on a search for the perfect one and have bought (and set aside) many more than I will own up to. Some were too large, or too heavy, too structured, some too narrow or without enough pockets.

Despite having several still tucked away in my closet, the bag I almost always end up using as my personal item is my Baggallini tote. It is lightweight, flexible, has lots of organizing pockets inside and out, an internal zipper compartment for a passport, two exterior pockets that fit a thermos or water bottle, and it fits easily under even the smallest of airplane seats. It also has a luggage sleeve, something I consider essential. Mine is nearly 10 years old and still looks new. It has the best combination of being light weight, functional, and just the right size of any tote bag I’ve found.

I will head back to Italy in a couple of weeks with a checked bag armed with an AirTag for tracking. My little roll-aboard will go in the overhead and my Baggallini tote will be under my seat. Since I will have a car to take me straight to my Lucca apartment from the airport, no train travel involved, the extra bag is not a problem.

More power to the travelers who can go carry-on only. I admit that I still envy you but I have learned to be ok with my need for a checked bag.

Time to start packing!

Italy Travel Update : June 2022

It’s June and the Italian summer travel season is in full swing. It seems that everyone who has been not-so-patiently waiting to vacation in Italy for the past two years has arrived this month, a pattern that will likely continue throughout the summer. Expect crowds. Recent travelers include my daughter and two oldest grandkids who arrived this month for a long awaited trip to visit me in Italy. I flew back to the US with them just a few days ago and so thought this would be a good time to share the realities of the current travel situation.

Italian summertime treats - gelato and granita!

Let’s start with the COVID related rules - a subject that has dominated travel discussions for the last two years and confused us all with frequent revisions. The good news is that things are less complicated now. As of June 1 all of the COVID restrictions for entering Italy have been eliminated. The Italian Green Pass, which documented both the results of testing and the completion of vaccines is no longer in use. That means that no proof of vaccines is required (though it is still highly recommended that one be fully vaccinated before any travel) and no pre-flight COVID test is needed. This includes for entry into Italian restaurants, museums, theaters, etc.

Mask mandates are not required in most places but they are still mandatory (through at least September) on public transportation. This includes Italian airline flights, trains, ships, buses. They are also required in health care facilities. And not just any mask will do. An FFP2 (or KN95) is required. Italians are for the most part compliant about this. I have seen staff require passengers to change to an appropriate mask or put one on if they are maskless, especially on planes and trains. It was not enforced on the private ferry services we recently took in Liguria.

The seaside beckons in the fishing village of Camogli

The bad news is that the effect of relaxing the rules is an increasing number of COVID infections. From a personal perspective, COVID has spread more among people I know in the last few months then at any time since the beginning of the pandemic. Several have been quite sick and remained positive, and isolated, for several weeks. This has been a significant enough increase that many in Lucca’s English speaking community have returned to limiting group sizes, avoiding indoor groups, masking in any crowd, more frequent testing, and self-quarantine at the first sign of a sniffle. The relaxation of rules plus the influx of tourists is a concern and many worry that the rules have been cut back too much, too quickly. It remains to be seen if there will be a return to some of the previous rules so it is best to check right before travel. The best site I’ve found is the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.esteri.it) with information in both Italian and English.

What about the return to the United States? As of June 12 there is no requirement for COVID testing prior to entering the US (a big change). US citizens do not need to provide proof of immunization. Non-US citizens are required to have completed a primary series of immunizations at least two weeks prior to entry to the US, no booster required. Masks are no longer required on US airlines but still highly recommended. Few people were wearing masks on my recent flight from Frankfurt to Denver, despite a packed flight and those rising European COVID rates. I had mine firmly in place, as did my family. Vaccinations and masks may not be required but they remain the best defensive strategy. And it should go without saying that anyone with signs of illness should not board a plane!

Lucca’s balconies are filled with colorful summer flowers.

Now, for the harsh reality of air travel this summer. Combine a huge increase in travelers to Europe with shortages of pilots, airport staff, and baggage handlers and you get a perfect recipe for chaos. Throw in an uptick in strikes by airline workers and air traffic controllers in Europe and England and, mamma mia - che casino (what a mess)! Travelers need a double dose of patience, determination, the ability to handle last minute changes, flexibility, and a lot of pre-trip preparation.

Take my daughter’s trip as an example of what can happen. She arrived in Frankfurt to find her connection to Pisa canceled. She was rebooked automatically but with a two day delay in Frankfurt and one of her children on a different flight (definitely not ok!). In order to get her to Italy with only a one night stay in Germany, and both kids on the same flights, she had to fly to Rome instead of Pisa and then take a train to Florence and another to Lucca. With two teenagers in tow. She received no (zip, zero) help from the airlines with finding a hotel for her overnight delay. She arrived in Rome a day later, but two out of three suitcases did not. They were missing in action for almost the whole trip. That meant buying new wardrobes for my daughter and one of the grandkids. When did the bags arrive? The last 2 days of the trip! The tales of travelers arriving days late, missing cruises or big events, ruined trips, tears, and lost luggage are all too frequent right now. So, what’s a traveler to do?

The neighborhood in Rome where I found a last minute hotel as I raced there to meet my family’s rerouted flights. A stressful and expensive detour but I made the best of it. I found a lovely neighborhood bar just down the street from the hotel.

First, keep an eye on flight schedules as they are likely to change. Choose flights with as few legs as possible. It might save some money to have more stops but it also increases the chance for delays and cancelations. Whenever possible fly directly into Italy rather than transiting through another European country. Bags are more likely to be misplaced when multiple flights into multiple countries with more than 1 carrier are involved. Recent photos of piles of delayed luggage at Heathrow have convinced me that there really is a place where suitcases go to die.

Arrive a couple of days early to avoid missing a cruise or important event.

If arriving before a cruise, cooking week, wedding, or other important event, plan to come a couple of days early. Travel insurance can help cover the costs of a delay, but not the heartbreak of missing a big event!

A classic Tuscan landscape, near Pienza.

Pack light and do only carry on if at all possible. If it is necessary to check a bag, then a carry-on bag with essentials (as always - medications, jewelry, makeup etc) should come along and carry a change or two of clothing and perhaps an extra pair of shoes. Leave non-essentials at home. The space a couple of books take in a carry-on is better used for clothing! Keep a record of what is in each bag and be able to provide a complete description of a bag that goes missing. Also hang on to boarding passes as they can be needed if claiming compensation for lost or delayed baggage.

Travel may be a bit complicated these days, but it is worth the effort ! Rome awaits.

Be sure to sign up for notifications from the airlines and use wifi on board the flight (even if it costs) to follow the next legs of travel. Much better to know as far in advance as possible if the next flight is delayed or canceled. When my daughter’s flight from Frankfurt to Pisa was canceled she was in the air and without wifi. I saw the cancelation because I was tracking her flights (with the Flight View app) from my home in Italy. I was able to book her a hotel in Frankfurt and rearrange her flights even before she landed. Meanwhile, I could not reach her to let her know about the changes, or ask for her preferences, and no announcements were made during her flight. Not until she landed and checked the departure board did she see the cancelation. By that time the lines at the service counters were long and chaotic. Luckily, she got my text once she had access to airport wifi. She could skip those long lines to rebook and the search for a hotel as I had been able to arrange them before she even knew there was a problem. But not every traveler has a mamma in Italy, so best to be able to check for one’s self throughout the journey.

If cancelation or lost luggage is your fate, start collecting the documentation needed to file claims right away. This includes: proof of the cancelation (a screen shot of the itinerary showing the cancelation or even of the departure board), receipts for hotel stays and meals, receipts for the purchase of personal items and clothing required due to lost or delayed bags. Keep everything! Losses may be covered by the airlines (not guaranteed depending on circumstances), trip insurance, or credit card benefits.

prosciutto and melon - tastes like summer in Italy!

My return flights to the US last week went a bit more smoothly. But check-in took longer than normal in Florence, leaving no time for a coffee stop much less a bite to eat, between check in and boarding (not ideal with a 6:20 am flight, pack snacks). We were delayed an hour out of Frankfurt. That flight was packed. Arrival in Denver was a madhouse, with a need to go back through a very long security line and then a mad dash to our final connection just in time to board. Not even time for a bathroom break !

Please remember to be kind to flight attendants and airport staff. They are the ones working hard, despite all the challenges, and aren’t personally to blame for current issues. Truthfully, I was embarrassed by some of the rude passengers on my flights. A simple please and thank you goes a long way!

Come to Italy and take a selfie ! Despite delays and lost luggage my crew had a wonderful Italian vacation.

The good news is that between the crazy arrival flights and the stressful return flights, Italy provided a wonderful vacation. My daughter and two oldest grandkids, ages 13 and 16, are great travelers. They weathered the chaos of travel without missing a beat and arrived determined to not let delays and missing baggage ruin their enjoyment of Italy (and two of them now have new Italian wardrobes). Attitude really is the key to surviving this year’s challenging travel situation. They loved Lucca, Rapallo and the Portofino Peninsula, a day trip to Genoa, and 4 days in the Cinque Terre. Lots of blog posts to come about these wonderful places to visit!