Anyone ever had to check an Aeronaut?

[keb]

Going overseas this summer. Probably some train and plane time. Thinking of adding the Aeronaut to the TB collection. The WF and a small backpack might do the trick but the WF is probably pushing it capacity wise for what I need to bring. Thinking an Aeronaut and a WF would be awesome if I have to bring a laptop and if not either the Aeronaut and my small backpack or the WF lightly packed. Has anyone ever been forced to check an Aeronaut on an international flight?

[Akilae]

I've checked a fully packed Aeronaut quite a few times. I just folded in the backpack straps, put the shoulder strap in with the backpack straps and checked it. The Aeronaut came through slightly dirty, but held up very well.

[keb]

Thanks. I figured that wasn't a problem. The question was more whether anyone had been made to check one rather than carry on because of its max size....

[bluedawg]

i only have limited experience (because they're brand new)... but my husband and i just travelled with two aeronauts, plus another personal item each (mine was a smart alec, his was a timbuk2 messenger bag), and we had no problems carrying everything on, both ways.

[keb]

That's the kind of setup i'm looking to go with. maybe the Aeronaut with the Western Flyer. It would suck to consolidate my packing list only to then have to check the Aeronaut anyway....

[bluedenim]

keb
One thing to keep in mind when traveling in europe and overseas if you are using a low cost airline such as easyjet or something else check their carry on limits carefully.
I am looking at the areonaut and checkign the airliens I am considering and for most the size is fine but for a few it is pushing it in terms of the size limits.

what I have been finding one of the biggest restrictions on these airlines is that will only allow you to bring on one carry on item....in other words One bag...wheather it be your main bag or a laptop bag.

You may end up having to check it because of thise policy.

[maverick]

hi,

while i did choose to check in my aeronaut once (and had it come out a bit dirty at the other end), i have never been asked to check it in, nor have i had problems stowing it onboard. on a recent trip between washington dulles and newark international airport, i travelled on one of those tiny CRJs, and was able to place the aeronaut in the overhead compartment without an issue.

whether they would consider the WF that accompanies the aeronaut a personal item / purse / laptop case depends on who you come across at the airport.

i remember two years ago that they were very strict about only one item being brought on board in london's heathrow airport. they have since lifted that restriction.

i've also carried the aeronaut, a medium cafe bag and the smart alec when my wife didn't want to carry the smart alec, and no one gave me a second look.

[Zephyrnoid]

After all the HUGE stuff I see people carrying onboard, the Aeronaut is nothing in comparison. Never had an issue.

[keb]

i'm thinking along those lines... compared to the stuff people get on with, an aeronaut that isn't bulging at the seams and a western flyer that isn't overstuffed shouldn't warrant a second glance. thanks for the info... i'm thinking black/steel from the new batch...

[peregrina]

Keb - like others said, I would only worry if you are traveling on some of the low cost airlines within Europe... I had a set up similar to the one you proposed when I went last year for a month and didn't have any problems but I flew directly from Toronto to Paris (Air Canada has a very generous carry on policy) and once in Europe we only took trains (Paris-Barcelona, Barcelona-Madrid-Segovia-Madrid-Barcelona, and Barcelona-Madrid to catch our flight home).

Although the Aeronaut is a couple inches bigger than the max carry on size for Air Canada, I've tried to fit it into one of those metal containers they have by the gates and it fit perfectly (with some room to spare).

[bluedenim]

to revist this I am wondering if anyone has ever had a problem with it on the more strict airlines such as Jet2 and ryanair which allow only ONE carry on item and like Jet2 which the Aeronaut would actually be about 2 inches to long

[peregrina]

I haven't traveled on any of those but if they only allow ONE carry on, I'd assume they'd enforce it as it would be fairly easy to do so. As for the Aeronaut being two inches too long, I wouldn't worry too much. Nobody pulls out a measuring tape at the gate - they might have one of those metal containers and make you fit it in. Bearing in mind that they are designed for hard cases, fitting in the aeronaut is not usually the problem. I'd mostly keep an eye on the weight...